Formed in Queens, NY, in 1955, the Cleftones consisted of five friends from… Read Full Bio ↴Formed in Queens, NY, in 1955, the Cleftones consisted of five friends from Jamaica High School -- Herb Cox (lead), Warren Corbin (bass), Charlie James (first tenor), William McClain (baritone), and Berman Patterson (second tenor). Originally signed to Gee, the group released its first single, "You Baby You," late in 1955; an up-tempo doo wop song, the record became a regional hit. "Little Girl of Mine," the Cleftones' second single, broke nationally, charting at number eight R&B and number 57 pop in 1956; two other similar singles, "Can't We Be Sweethearts" and "String Around My Heart," were released the same year, yet they failed to attract national attention. "See You Next Year," a ballad the group recorded in 1957, did not earn the group an audience outside of New York. Two years later, McClain left the group and was replaced by Gene Pearson from the Rivileers. Patricia Spann was also added to the Cleftones' lineup that year, which helped nudge the band away from traditional group-oriented doo wop harmonies and towards a vocal sound that was dominated by the lead vocals. In 1961, the Cleftones realized the potential of the sound with their smash hit version of the standard "Heart and Soul;" it became the group's biggest hit, reaching number 18 on both pop and R&B charts. Later that year, the group had another hit with "For Sentimental Reasons," but the band had reached a peak with "Heart and Soul" and were never able to reach those heights again. The Cleftones broke up in 1964, three years after their greatest success. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All-Music Guide

Again
The Cleftones Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

This couldn't happen again
This is that once in a lifetime
This is the thrill divine
What's more, this never happened before
Though I have prayed for a lifetime
That such as you would suddenly be mine
Mine to hold as I"m holding you now and yet never so near
Mine to have when the now and the here disappear

What matters, dear, for when
This doesn't happen again
We'll have this moment forever
But never, never, again

Again, this couldn't happen again
This is that once in a lifetime
This is the thrill divine
What's more, this never happened before
Though I have prayed for a lifetime
That such as you would suddenly be mine
Mine to hold as I"m holding you now and yet never so near
Mine to have when the now and the here disappear
What matters, dear, for when

This doesn't happen again
We'll have this moment forever

Overall Meaning

The Cleftones' song 'Again' is about the overwhelming feeling of being with someone who you thought you may never have as your own. The lyrics reveal the singer's amazement at being with the person of their dreams, believing it to be a once in a lifetime experience. The song emphasizes the rarity and singularity of the experience. The lyrics describe their hope and prayers to be with someone like their current partner.

The lyrics 'What's more, this never happened before' emphasizes the uniqueness of the moment while 'Mine to hold as I"m holding you now and yet never so near' reiterates the intense emotions the singer is feeling. The line 'Mine to have when the now and the here disappear' indicates that the moment is fleeting and the singer wants to cherish the experience for as long as possible.

The sentiment that the singer wants to cling to the present moment is repeated throughout the song. 'We'll have this moment forever, but never, never again' indicates the desire to hold onto the present moment forever as such an event may never happen again in their lifetime. Overall, the song explores the feeling of once-in-a-lifetime love and the effort to enjoy and cherish the beginnings of a new relationship before it ends.

Line by Line Meaning

This couldn't happen again
The singer believes that this special moment is too good to be true and is unlikely to happen again.

This is that once in a lifetime
The singer recognizes that this unique and powerful moment will only happen once in their lifetime.

This is the thrill divine
The singer feels that this moment is pure and spiritual, bringing them intense joy and excitement.

What's more, this never happened before
The artist is amazed because they have never experienced anything like this before.

Though I have prayed for a lifetime
The artist has been hoping for this moment for a very long time, possibly their whole life.

That such as you would suddenly be mine
The singer is grateful that they have finally found someone as special as their current partner.

Mine to hold as I'm holding you now and yet never so near
The singer is cherishing the present moment, holding their partner close, but recognizes that they may never feel this close again.

Mine to have when the now and the here disappear
The artist knows that even if the moment fades, they will always have the memory of it.

What matters, dear, for when this doesn't happen again
The singer's partner reminds them that no matter what happens in the future, this moment will always be special and meaningful.

We'll have this moment forever but never, never, again
The artist realizes that while the memory of this moment will last a lifetime, the moment itself will never be repeated.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dorcas Cochran, Lionel Newman

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

Freddie Barrett

11y↑1

LOVE this song.Thanks for bringin it back.

likecrazydaddy

15y

Cleftones always reign supreme!! Great spin bro. Thanks for this..

Oscar Mendoza

14y

i'm only 17 and this music is simply the best well done keep up the good work i'll be singing this song all day (:

aceshigh130

15y

Another great song from a great group. Thanks for the post.

Romandjma.Recordplayers

Interesting fact: for some unknown reason, bass Warren Corbin was unavailable for the session that produced this record. Singing bass in this recording is the Teenagers' bass, Sherman Garnes!

dalkey130388

16y

Wow, for those that dont know Pat Spann (the only female member of the cleftones) recorded the hit 'Heart and Soul'. Thanks for your comment FSSAsinger15 and regards to your grandmother.

Raffaele Crispino

Love The oldies ..... so sad Music changed and they all are old now or past away ❤️

JUDITH GROVES

14y

I've met them, great guys!!

nicky0016dd

Very good, although I prefer The Five Satins and The Duprees versions.

YANKSNEW

14y↑1

In 1956 or 57 the Cleftones made a song I WAS DREAMING. I remember them singing that song in the boys room in Jamaica High School. I can.t seem to find it anywhere. I would appreciate it if some one would upload it. Thank Yanksny@comcst.net