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.
The Naugty Lady of Shady Lane
The Ames Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Has hit the town like a bomb
The back-fence gossip ain't been this good
Since Mabel ran off with Tom
Our town was peaceful and quiet
Before she came on the scene
The lady has started a riot
Disturbin' the suburban routine
[Chorus:]
The naughty lady of Shady Lane has the town in a whirl
The naughty lady of Shady Lane
Me-oh, my-oh, what a girl
You should see how she carries on
With her admirers galore
She must be givin' them quite a thrill
The way they flock to her door
She throws those come-hither glances
At every Tom, Dick, and Joe
When offered some liquid refreshment
The lady never never says "no"
[Chorus:]
The things they're trying to pin on her
Won't hold much water, for sure
Beneath the powder and fancy lace
There beats a heart sweet and pure
She just needs someone to change her
And she'll be nice as can be
If you're in the neighborhood, stranger
You're welcome to drop in and see
The naughty lady of Shady Lane
So delightful to hold
The naughty lady of Shady Lane
So delectable
Quite respectable
And she's only nine days old
The lyrics of The Ames Brothers' song The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane depict a scandalous and intriguing character who has disrupted the quiet and peaceful life of the suburban town. The singer describes how the lady has become the talk of the town since she arrived, generating gossip and excitement among the townspeople. Her promiscuous behavior and come-hither glances towards every man who crosses her path have gained her many admirers, while her refusal to say "no" to alcohol has added to her scandalous reputation.
Despite her naughty behavior, the singer suggests that there is more to the lady than meets the eye. He hints that the rumors about her may not be entirely true and that there is a sweet and pure heart beating beneath her fancy lace and powder. He suggests that she may just need someone to change her and she could become as nice as can be. The song ends with an ironic twist as the singer reveals that the "naughty lady" is, in fact, a nine-day-old baby.
Line by Line Meaning
The naughty lady of Shady Lane
Referring to a woman who has recently moved into a quiet town and is causing a stir with her behavior
Has hit the town like a bomb
She has made a big impact on the town in a short period of time
The back-fence gossip ain't been this good
People in the town are gossiping more than ever before because of her presence and actions
Since Mabel ran off with Tom
The last time the town gossip was this juicy was when another scandal happened in the past
Our town was peaceful and quiet
The town used to be calm and uneventful before the woman arrived
Before she came on the scene
Her arrival in the town seems to have caused the disruption and chaos
The lady has started a riot
Her behavior and actions are causing a big commotion in the town
Disturbin' the suburban routine
She is disrupting the usual way of life in the quiet suburban town
The naughty lady of Shady Lane has the town in a whirl
She has completely stirred up the town with her presence and actions
The things they're trying to pin on her
There are rumors and accusations going around about her behavior
Won't hold much water, for sure
Those rumors and accusations are likely not true or won't have much evidence to support them
Beneath the powder and fancy lace
Despite her appearance and behavior, there may be more to her true personality
There beats a heart sweet and pure
She may have a kind and good-hearted nature despite rumors and gossip
She just needs someone to change her
She may need someone to help guide her and change her behavior to fit in better with the town
And she'll be nice as can be
If someone helps her, she will likely become a pleasant person to be around
If you're in the neighborhood, stranger
If someone was to visit the town, they could see for themselves the impact she is having and judge for themselves
You're welcome to drop in and see
The town is open to visitors coming to explore and learn about the situation with the woman
So delightful to hold
Despite any negative qualities, she may also have appealing qualities that people are drawn to
So delectable
She has qualities that many people find attractive or charming
Quite respectable
Despite rumors and gossip, she may still be ultimately respected by the people in the town
And she's only nine days old
This line seems to be added for comedic effect, as it suggests she is an infant when in reality she is a grown woman causing chaos in the town
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROY C. BENNETT, SID TEPPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Mr.StewartTerry
My mother is 90 years old and in a Nursing Home. She remembers things long ago. But, not so good on recent things. She asked if I knew this song...
I found it here and she sang along. ❤
@rondellthreadgate8092
I was born in 1949, This is one of the first songs I can remember from my childhood , loved the harmonies 💞💞💞💞💞
@Jerry-gu7yp
How are you doing Rondell?
@ronlawray1563
Born in 1940 and lying in bed today, Feb. 28...
For the FIRST TIME since this song came out, probably around 1952,
this song title popped into my head....never before...
I was saying Naughty Lady of Spain when l was thinking of Eddie Fisher's Lady of Spain.....l went to U tube and typed in Eddie Fisher Naughty Lady, and this popped up, so now l found 2 songs long buried in my mind to hear again.
U tube is a miracle!
@askovarjorinne9074
So sweet little baby thank´s to memories!!! 👉👉🎙🎙🎶🎶🥰🥰
@janaklotzkin5741
My mother told me to listen to this song as my wife and I have a baby girl due any day. I couldn’t believe what my mom was telling isn’t to listen to until the last line. Now the song is stuck in our heads!!
@patrickryan1515
This is as 'naughty' as good pop music should be.
@nicholasbraco4601
I don't know how I stumbled on this wonderful song in 1989 when my first daughter was born but I used to hold her and sing and dance around the house to it for months. A sweet and precious memory!
@barbiemakris8057
Rest in peace, Ed Ames ❤ reunited with your Brothers 🙏 🎉😢
@allenmurray7893
I can't believe there is one dislike for this song. It was great when new and it is still great.