The Brothers Four are an American folk group founded in 1957 in Seattle, Wa… Read Full Bio ↴The Brothers Four are an American folk group founded in 1957 in Seattle, Washington. Bob Flick, John Paine, Mike Kirkland, and Dick Foley met at the University of Washington, where they were members of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity in 1956. Their first professional performances were the result of a prank played on them in 1958 by a rival fraternity, who had arranged for someone to call them, pretend to be from Seattle's Colony Club, and invite them to come down to audition for a gig. Even though they were not expected at the club, they were allowed to sing a few songs anyway, and were subsequently hired. Flick recalls them being paid "mostly in beer."

They left for San Francisco in 1959, where they met Mort Lewis, Dave Brubeck's manager. Lewis became their manager and later that year secured them a contract with Columbia Records. Their second single, "Greenfields," released in January 1960, hit #2 on the pop charts, and their first album, Brothers Four, released toward the end of the year, made the top 20. Other highlights of their early career included singing their fourth single, "The Green Leaves of Summer," from the John Wayne movie The Alamo, at the 1961 Academy Awards, and having their second album, BMOC/Best Music On/Off Campus, go top 10. They also recorded the theme song for the ABC television series Hootenanny, "Hootenanny Saturday Night," in 1963.

The British Invasion and the ascendance of such folk musicians as Bob Dylan put an end to the Brothers Four's early period of success, but they kept performing and making records, doing particularly well in Japan and on the American hotel circuit.

The band attempted a comeback by recording a highly commercial version of Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man." But the band was unable to release it because of licensing issues, and The Byrds eventually stole their thunder by releasing their heralded version.

Mike Kirkland left the group in 1969, and was replaced by Mark Pearson, another University of Washington alumnus. In 1971, Pearson left and was replaced by Bob Haworth, who stayed until 1989 and was replaced by a returning Pearson. Dick Foley left the group in 1990 and was replaced by Terry Lauber. Despite all the changes and having spent 47 years in the business, the group is still active today (2004).

My Tani
The Brothers Four Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Farewell, my Tani, child of a coral sea
We dreamed of heaven, but you've forgotten me

I loved you dearly, why did we have to part?
Now I am lonely, here with a broken heart

Once on silver sands we held lonesome hands

That's why, my Tani, I cried "Come back to me"

Once on silver sands we held lonesome hands

That's why, my Tani, I cried "Come back to me"

Overall Meaning

The Brothers Four's song My Tani is a tender and melancholic plea from a man who is separated from his love, Tani, who is described as "child of a coral sea". The first two lines of the song express the couple's initial dreams of a happy life together, but the singer laments the fact that Tani has now forgotten him, leaving him feeling lonely with a broken heart.

The repetition of the verse "Once on silver sands we held lonesome hands" is a clear representation of past memories which now bring a sense of yearning and regret. The singer's love for Tani is evident in his words and he desperately wants her to come back to him. The line "That's why, my Tani, I cried 'Come back to me'" reinforces his longing for her and his belief that they belong together.

Overall, the song is a nostalgic tribute to a lost love and a melancholic reflection on the painful experience of separation. The imagery of the coral sea and silver sands evoke a sense of exotic beauty and also emphasize the distance between the singer and Tani. The repeating verse underscores the power of memory to both sustain and torment us.

Line by Line Meaning

Farewell, my Tani, child of a coral sea
Goodbye to my love from the ocean, my Tani

We dreamed of heaven, but you've forgotten me
We once wished for bliss, but you have abandoned me

I loved you dearly, why did we have to part?
I cherished you deeply, why did we have to separate?

Now I am lonely, here with a broken heart
I am now alone and in pain

Once on silver sands we held lonesome hands
We once held hands on shining beaches, feeling lonely

That's why, my Tani, I cried "Come back to me"
That's the reason I am calling out, 'My Tani, come back to me'

Once on silver sands we held lonesome hands
We once held hands on shining beaches, feeling lonely

That's why, my Tani, I cried "Come back to me"
That's the reason I am calling out, 'My Tani, come back to me'

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: AUGUST GOUPIL, DICK GUMP, JOHNNY NOBLE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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