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).
Sundown
The Brothers Four Lyrics
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In a room where ya do what ya don't confess
Sundown ya better take care
If I find you bin creepin' 'round my back stairs.
Sundown ya better take care
If I find you bin creepin' 'round my back stairs.
She's bin lookin' like a queen in a sailor's dream
Sometimes I think it's a shame
When I get feelin' better when I'm feelin' no pain
Sometimes I think it's a shame.
When I get feelin' better when I'm feelin' no pain.
I can picture every move that a man could make
Getting lost in her lovin' is your first mistake
Sundown ya better take care
If I find you bin creepin' 'round my back stairs
Sometimes I think it's a sin
When I feel like I'm winnin' when I'm losin again.
I can see her lookin' fast in her faded jeans
She's a hard lovin' woman, got me feelin' mean
Sometimes I think it's a shame
When I get feelin' better when I'm feelin' no pain
Sundown ya better take care
If I find you bin creepin' 'round my back stairs
Sundown ya better take care.
If I find you bin creepin' 'round my back stairs
Sometimes I think it's a sin
When I feel like I'm winnin' when I'm losin' again...
The Brothers Four's song "Sundown" is a warning to a man who is getting too close to a woman who belongs to someone else. The singer can picture her lying back in her faded dress in a room where people do things they don't confess. He warns the man that he better take care if he gets caught creeping around his back stairs. The woman is described as looking like a queen in a sailor's dream, but she doesn't always say what she means. The singer believes it's a shame that he feels better when he's not feeling any pain, as if he's using the woman to escape his troubles.
The singer knows that getting lost in her love is a man's first mistake, and he warns the other man to be careful not to make it. He doesn't want to feel like he's winning when he's actually losing, and he sees the woman as a hard-loving woman who has him feeling mean. He reiterates the warning that the man better take care if he's caught creeping around his back stairs. The song speaks to the universal themes of jealousy and possessiveness over a lover.
Line by Line Meaning
I can see her lyin' back in her faded dress
I envision her laying down in her worn-out attire
In a room where ya do what ya don't confess
In a space where you partake in things you're not honest about
Sundown ya better take care
Dusk, you should be cautious
If I find you bin creepin' 'round my back stairs.
If I discover you lurking near my rear steps.
She's bin lookin' like a queen in a sailor's dream
She has appeared majestic like royalty in the vision of a seafarer
And she don't always say what she really means
And she isn't always straightforward with her words
Sometimes I think it's a shame
At times, I feel regret
When I get feelin' better when I'm feelin' no pain
When I experience an improvement in my mood despite being numb
Sometimes I think it's a sin
Occasionally, I believe it's immoral
When I feel like I'm winnin' when I'm losin again.
When I perceive myself to be advancing, despite backsliding.
I can picture every move that a man could make
I can imagine every action a person might take.
Getting lost in her lovin' is your first mistake
Becoming engulfed in her love is the initial blunder
Sundown ya better take care
Dusk, you should be cautious
If I find you bin creepin' 'round my back stairs
If I discover you lurking near my rear steps.
I can see her lookin' fast in her faded jeans
I can visualize her appearing quickly in her worn-out denim
She's a hard lovin' woman, got me feelin' mean
She is a tough-loving lady who has me feeling vicious
If I find you bin creepin' 'round my back stairs
If I discover you lurking near my rear steps.
Sundown ya better take care.
Dusk, you should be cautious
If I find you bin creepin' 'round my back stairs
If I discover you lurking near my rear steps.
Contributed by Hunter D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.