The group came together as The Carnations, with lead vocalist Earl "Speedo" Carroll (November 2, 1937 – November 25, 2012), Bobby Phillips, Lavern Drake (bass vocalist), and Gus Willingham. As the group moved into the recording studios, James "Poppa" Clark was added as a fifth member, and the name "The Cadillacs" was given to them. The group's first recording came in July 1954, with Josie Records #765, featuring Gloria and Wonder Why.
In 1955, Willingham and Clark left the group and were replaced by Earl Wade and Charles Brooks. At this time, the group first began to experiment with choreography, suggested by manager Esther Navarro. Later that year came the group's biggest hit, "Speedoo", Carroll's nickname. Lavern Drake left the group in 1956 and was replaced by J. R. Bailey.
In 1957, differences in opinion caused the group to split. One group was initially known as The Four Cadillacs, with current bass J. R. Bailey, former bass Lavern Drake, and new members Roland Martinez and Bobby Spencer. The previous year, Bobby Spencer had written the "My Boy Lollipop" pop song shuffle for Barbie Gaye, which was played by Alan Freed and secured Barbie Gaye a spot in his 1956 Christmas Show opening for Little Richard. In 1964, an Ernest Ranglin produced ska version of the song became a multi-million seller for Jamaican teenager Millie Small and made producer Chris Blackwell rich, leading to further development of his Island Records label.
The other four current members - Carroll, Wade, Brooks, and Phillips - continued recording separately, later as Earl Carroll and the Cadillacs. Bailey's group also included former group saxophonist Jesse "Tex" Powell, and recorded in early 1958 as Jesse Powell and the Caddys. Both groups recorded simultaneously on Josie Records. Later in 1958, the groups combined back into one. Carroll's backup vocalists, Wade, Brooks, and Phillips, all decided to retire and Carroll joined Bailey, Drake, Martinez and Spencer. Carroll's lead spot had been given to Spencer and Bailey, and he left shortly thereafter, creating a new group, Speedo and the Pearls, which recorded briefly in 1959. In 1959, the Cadillacs are also featured in the movie Go Johnny, Go
The group split and re-formed in 1960, with Carroll, Martinez, Kirk Davis, and bass Ronnie Bright. Later the group was Carroll, Martinez, the returning Bobby Spencer, Milton Love, and Reggie Barnes. Martinez, Love and Barnes were all members of The Solitares at one time.
In 1961, the group began to resemble The Coasters in their music. The lineup shifted again, now with Carroll, Martinez, Curtis Williams, Ray Brewster, and Irving Lee Gail. Carroll was out by 1963 to enter the group they'd been emulating, The Coasters, with Carl Gardner, Billy Guy, and former Cadillac Ronnie Bright. 1963 also ended the group's run on Josie Records.
Brewster and Martinez brought in former members Bobby Spencer and J. R. Bailey and continued to record through 1963. The group split, with Bailey joining the Jive Five. Brewster brought in former Cadillac/Solitare Milton Love with Solitares Bobby Baylor and Fred Barksdale. This group recorded briefly in 1964. Spencer became lead vocalist, with Joey Levine (Ohio Express, Reunion) as backing vocalist, for Crazy Elephant, a bubblegum music group, in 1969.
The Cadillacs were back in 1970 with J. R. Bailey, Bobby Spencer, original member Bobby Phillips (who had retired from Speedo's group during the split), and new member Leroy Binns, of The Charts. Steven Brown later replaced Phillips. Teddy Pendergrass came on as the groups drummer. The group split into the mid-1970s and some members joined Herold Melvin and the Bluenotes, including Teddy Pendergrass as drummer. In 1979 Earl Carroll, Earl Wade, Bobby Phillips, and Steven Brown came together for a Subaru commercial.
Carroll had remained with the Coasters during this time, and left in the early 1990s to permanently re-form the Cadillacs with Phillips, Brown, Gary K. Lewis, and musical director Eddie Jones. Brown left in 2003. Phillips died in March 2011.
The Cadillacs were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004.
I Want To Know
The Cadillacs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't know where to go
I don't know wheres my path
I don't know where to go
I'm just a ghost
Walking on the street
You really see, what I'm doing
Tell ya, I don't know where to go
Wheres my path?
I'm walking on the street
Hey hey, walking on the street
And you see-e-e the pia-a-a-no in, in my body
The li-ights are flashing, the pa paparazzi
Are follow me
I don't wanna
I don't see the light
But I don't know where to go
I don't where to see
I'm on the street
I'm just a crazy boy
I'm think I'm a girl
Who thinks that I'm a boy
And I'm really noisy
And the piano
It's just beautiful
Beautiful
I don't know where to go
I'm lost, in a gaze of color, full of dreams
I don't know where to go
I don't know where to go
I don't know where to go
I don't know where to go
Go, go, go, go
Go, go, go, go, go
I dunno where to go
The lyrics of The Cadillacs's song "I Want to Know" convey a sense of confusion and aimlessness. The repetition of the phrase "I don't know where to go" emphasizes the singer's feeling of being lost and unsure of their path in life. They express their state of being like a ghost, walking the streets without direction. The mention of their dog following them adds to the image of a solitary figure wandering without purpose.
The lyrics also touch on the singer's struggle with identity. They describe themselves as a "crazy boy" who sometimes feels like a girl, blurring the lines of gender and expressing a sense of inner turmoil. This internal conflict is mirrored by their external behavior, as they admit to being noisy and drawing attention from the paparazzi. The mention of the piano and its beauty suggests that music might be their only solace in the midst of their confusion.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know where to go
I am uncertain about the direction I should take in life
I don't know where's my path
I am unsure about the path or purpose I should follow
I'm just a ghost
I feel like an invisible presence, disconnected from the world
Walking on the street
Moving aimlessly through the urban landscape
You really see, what I'm doing
Despite being overlooked, I continue with my actions unnoticed
My dog is follow me, but
Even though my loyal companion follows me, I am still unsure where to go
Tell ya, I don't know where to go
I am genuinely clueless about my destination
Wheres my path?
Where can I find the right direction to take?
And you see-e-e the pia-a-a-no in, in my body
You can perceive the piano melody resonating within me
The li-ights are flashing, the pa paparazzi
The lights flicker, resembling the attention of paparazzi
Are follow me
People are chasing after me, trying to capture my image
I don't wanna
I don't desire
I don't see the light
I am unable to find clarity or guidance
But I don't know where to go
Despite my lack of direction, I must keep moving forward
I don't where to see
I am unsure where to find answers or inspiration
I'm just a crazy boy
I am an eccentric and unconventional individual
I'm think I'm a girl
I identify with feminine qualities or perspectives
Who thinks that I'm a boy
Despite perceiving myself as feminine, others still perceive me as masculine
And I'm really noisy
I am loud and disruptive
And the piano
The piano
It's just beautiful
The sound of the piano is incredibly pleasing and captivating
I'm lost, in a gaze of color, full of dreams
I am immersed in a mesmerizing, dreamlike state of vibrant emotions
Go, go, go, go
Encouragement to keep moving forward and taking action
Go, go, go, go, go
Continued encouragement to push forward with determination
I dunno where to go
I genuinely have no idea where I should go
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Kevin Cervera
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind