The Andrews Sisters were a group of singing sisters: LaVerne Andrews (contr… Read Full Bio ↴The Andrews Sisters were a group of singing sisters: LaVerne Andrews (contralto; July 6, 1911-May 8, 1967), Maxene Andrews (high harmony; January 3, 1916-October 21, 1995) and Patty Andrews (lead; February 16, 1918-January 30, 2013). All were born in Minnesota, United States to a Greek immigrant father and a Norwegian American mother.

“Patty Andrews, the lead singer of the Andrews sisters group was born in Mound, Minnesota on February 16, 1918 in a house that occupied the property where The Gillespie Center stands today.

During the 1920’s Laverne, Maxene and Patty Andrews spent their summers in Mound, living with their parents in a house across the street from the grocery store that was owned by Pete and Ed Sollie, bachelor uncles of the three girls. (Today, Green T Accounting occupies the Sollie grocery store building and The Gillespie Center is on the land where the Andrews Sisters’ house once stood.)” - From a commentary by Tom Rockvam that appeared in The Laker Newspaper during 2005.

They started their career as imitators of an earlier successful singing group, the Boswell Sisters. After singing with various dance bands and touring on Vaudeville, they first came to national attention with their recordings and radio broadcasts in 1937. Their music entertained Allied troops worldwide during World War II, sold war bonds, appeared in several films (including a few Abbott and Costello features), and performed for soldiers serving overseas. Their first film with Abbott and Costello, the pre-war comedy Buck Privates, introduced their best-known recording, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" which would win Best Song at the Academy Awards.

They also recorded many songs with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and other popular artists of the era. Their popularity was such that after the war they discovered that some of their records had actually been smuggled into Germany after the labels had been changed to read "Hitler's Marching Songs."

After a brief hiatus after the war, the sisters regrouped, performing in clubs throughout the United States and Europe. They broke up in 1953, with Patty's choice to go solo. Their last appearance together was in 1962 on The Dean Martin Show. Laverne, who had cancer, retired soon after; she died five years later, in 1967 at the age of 55.

After a long silence, the two surviving sisters had something of a comeback when Bette Midler recorded a cover of their song "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Maxene and Patty appeared both together and separately throughout the 1970s, with Maxene releasing a solo album in 1986. Their most notable comeback; however, was in the Sherman Brothers' nostalgic World War II musical: "Over Here!" which premiered on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in 1974. The musical featured the two then living sisters (Maxene and Patty) and was written with them in mind for the leads. It launched the careers of many, now notable theater and film icons (John Travolta, Marilu Henner, Ann Reinking, et al). Ironically it was the last major hurrah of the sisters and was cut short due to a frivolous lawsuit initiated by Patty's husband to the show's producers.

Throughout their long career, the sisters had sold over 60 million records. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.

The last of the three sisters Patty Andrews died of natural causes at her home in Northridge, California on January 30, 2013, just 17 days before her 95th birthday. The sisters were interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California, close to their parents.

Near You
The Andrews Sisters Lyrics

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There's just one place for me, near you
It's like heaven to be, near you
Times when we're apart
I can't face my heart
Say you'll never stray
More than just two lips away

If my hours could be spent near you

I'd be more than content near you
Make my life worthwhile
By telling me that I'll
Spend the rest of my days near you

There is just one place for me, I'm happy when I'm near you
It's wonderful as heaven, a special kind of heaven, but only when I'm near you
Times when we're apart I wonder how I can face my heart
Say you'll never stray
More than just two lips away

If my waking hours could be spent while near you
I would be content, wonderfully content, just to be near you
Make my life worthwhile
By telling me that I'll
Spend the rest of my days

All of those happy, happy days
So near you

Overall Meaning

The Andrews Sisters' song "Near You" is a beautiful love song that expresses the depth of love and passion that one person feels for another. The song's lyrics depict a person who finds happiness and contentment only when they are close to their beloved, and longs to spend the rest of their life with them, near them. The singer's passion for their lover is evident in the lyrics, which convey a sense of urgency and longing that is impossible to ignore.

The song's first verse sets the tone, with the singer declaring that there is just one place for them - near their lover. It is in this person's company that they feel truly happy and fulfilled, as though they have found their very own heaven on earth. The second verse continues in a similar vein, with the singer expressing their desire to spend every moment of their waking hours near their beloved, and their willingness to do whatever it takes to make this a reality.

The chorus further underscores the deep emotions at play, with the singer pleading with their lover never to stray too far from them, as they cannot bear to be separated by more than just "two lips". The final lines of the chorus promise a lifetime of happiness and contentment, spent close to the person who means everything to the singer.

Line by Line Meaning

There's just one place for me, near you
I can only be truly happy when I'm close to you, there's nowhere else I'd rather be

It's like heaven to be, near you
When I'm close to you it feels like everything is perfect, like I'm in paradise

Times when we're apart
When we're not together

I can't face my heart
I feel lost and alone without you, my heart is heavy when we're apart

Say you'll never stray
Promise me you'll always be faithful and never leave me

More than just two lips away
Being physically close isn't enough, I need your love and emotional support too

If my hours could be spent near you
If I could spend all my time with you

I'd be more than content near you
I would be truly happy, even fulfilled, just being close to you

Make my life worthwhile
Give my life purpose and meaning

By telling me that I'll
By assuring me that I'll

Spend the rest of my days near you
Be able to spend the rest of my life in your company

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Francis Craig, Kermit Goell

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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