The Ames Brothers got their beginning in Malden, where all four were born. The act consisted of Joe (born 3 May 1921), Gene (born 13 February 1923), Vic (born 20 May 1925 - died 23 January 1978) and Ed (born 9 July 1927).
Born into a non-professional but musical family, the boys were brought up on classical and operatic music. Their parents, David and Sarah Urick, were Russian Jewish immigrants from the Ukraine who read Shakespeare and semi-classics to their nine children from the time they were old enough to listen.
The brothers formed a quartet with a cousin Lennie, and had been touring United States Army and Navy bases entertaining the troops and were offered a job at the Foxs and Hounds nightclub, one of the fanciest clubs in Boston. This one week engagement turned into several months when the word got around of their appearance. At the time, they were going by the name of the Amory Brothers, a name taken from Vic's middle name and they were becoming quite popular in the area. It was at this time that Joe decided to rejoin the group. He said they were just having too much fun together for him to miss out. Taking their act to New York they got a job with bandleader Art Mooney. One day while at Leeds Publishing Company in search of a song called "Should I" that their mother had asked them to sing, Milt Gabler of Decca Records heard them singing it and had them cut a few sides for Decca Records just before the ban which started in January, 1948.
A year later when the ban was lifted, the Ames Brothers were the first artists to record for Coral Records. The name Amory was shortened to Ames. They were swept into national top billing with their first hit record, "Rag Mop," in January, 1950. Doing radio shows for free at times just for the experience, they later became regulars on such shows as The Arthur Godfrey Hour. One of the first acts to appear on the original Ed Sullivan Show when it was known as Toast of the Town, they made their debut with him when the show was telecast live from Wanamaker's Department Store.
Soon, they were the top paid group in nightclubs and supperclubs everywhere and their popularity on television was nationwide. In 1956 they starred in their own show, The Ames Brothers Show, which was seen on Friday nights. It was the first syndicated television show to be shown in foreign countries.
Over their fifteen year career the prolific Brothers notched up 50 U.S. chart entries, 21 of them on the Coral label before signing with RCA Victor. The group disbanded in the 1960s but Ed Ames went on with a successful singing and acting career, including playing Daniel Boone's sidekick, Mingo, on the successful Daniel Boone television series (1964-1970).
They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.
Ol' Man River
The Ames Brothers Lyrics
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He must know somepin', but he don't say nothin'
He just keeps rollin', he keeps on rollin' along
He don't plant taters, and he don't plant cotton
And them what plants 'em is soon forgotten
But Ol' Man River, jest keeps rollin' along
You and me, we sweat and strain
Bodies all achin' and wracked with pain
Tote that barge and lift that bale
Ya get a little drunk and ya lands in ja-ail
I gets weary and so sick of tryin'
I'm tired of livin', but I'm feared of dyin'
And Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along
The song Ol' Man River, originally written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II for the musical Show Boat, has been covered by countless artists over the years, but the version by The Ames Brothers stands out for its raw emotional power. The song is told from the point of view of a riverboat worker who is toiling away under the hot sun, lugging heavy loads of cargo and feeling the weight of his weary existence. The lyrics describe the river as an enigmatic figure who "must know somepin', but he don't say nothin'." It seems that the singer is looking to the river for some kind of guidance or meaning, but finds none - the river simply "keeps on rollin' along."
The second verse of the song is particularly poignant, as it touches on themes of back-breaking labor and the struggle to survive in a cruel world. The singer sings, "You and me, we sweat and strain/Bodies all achin' and wracked with pain/Tote that barge and lift that bale/Ya get a little drunk and ya lands in ja-ail." The repetitive nature of the work, combined with the physical toll it takes on the workers, is vividly conveyed in these lines. The final verse is perhaps the most heartbreaking, as the singer admits that he is "weary and so sick of tryin'" but is "feared of dyin'." The river provides no solace or comfort for the weary traveler, but simply rolls on, indifferent to the struggles of those who rely on it.
Line by Line Meaning
Ol' Man River, that Ol' Man River
The river called Old Man River
He must know somepin', but he don't say nothin'
The river must have knowledge, but it remains silent
He just keeps rollin', he keeps on rollin' along
The river flows endlessly and continuously
He don't plant taters, and he don't plant cotton
The river doesn't cultivate crops like potatoes or cotton
And them what plants 'em is soon forgotten
Those who plant the crops are easily forgotten
But Ol' Man River, jest keeps rollin' along
The river continues to flow despite the changes around it
You and me, we sweat and strain
We work hard and toil
Bodies all achin' and wracked with pain
Our bodies are tired and in pain
Tote that barge and lift that bale
We do heavy labor
Ya get a little drunk and ya lands in ja-ail
We can get in trouble and end up in jail
I gets weary and so sick of tryin'
I become exhausted and discouraged
I'm tired of livin', but I'm feared of dyin'
I am tired of living, but I am afraid of dying
And Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along
The river remains constant, even as we struggle with life's difficulties
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Jerome Kern, Oscar Ii Hammerstein
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind