Origins And Early Successes
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Originally inspired by The Beatles, the Cowsills developed their musicianship and harmonized vocals in performances at school dances and churches in their hometown. They were encouraged by their parents, Barbara and Bud Cowsill, who drove them around to shows in the family's station wagon. Bud had retired from a long career in the US Navy to manage his children's career together with his wife.
The band drew increasing attention through the 1960's as their musical proficiency improved. In late 1965, the initial four members were hired as a regular act on Bannisters Wharf in Newport where they would sing "The Beatles" songs hour after hour. They also produced their first recordings, and released them on Mercury Records. Despite their appeal, the company passed on a record contract for reasons never specified. In 1966, the band was signed by MGM records, and shortly after Barbara - who would become known to their fans affectionately as "Mini-Mom" due to her diminutive stature - joined the group to record The Rain, The Park and Other Things. Shortly thereafter the band was expanded yet again to include siblings Susan and Paul.
With the success of "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" the band quickly became a popular act in the U.S., and achieved significant airplay in England and other parts of Europe. "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" wound up reaching #2 on the Billboard charts, and sold some three million copies in its first release.
Bob Cowsill is quoted as follows on the band's early days:
"Although Bill and I performed at a very young age, and Bill, myself, Barry and John did a lot of frat parties at Brown University and clubs in Newport ... the most memorable performance of what I would view as the precursor of what The Cowsills would be was at King's Park in Newport (right at the foot of Halidon Hall) at some carnival. The family angle just evolved ... first Bill and me, then Bill me and Barry, then Bill, me, Barry and John, then Bill, me, Barry, John and Mom, then Bill, me, Barry, John, Mom and Paul, then later, me, Paul, John, Barry, Mom and Susan, then back to Bill, me, Barry and John (very briefly in the end) and then to me, Paul, John and Susan. Our first real break came when we were playing the MK Hotel in Newport (in the basement there) and a guy from the Today show saw us and asked if we wanted to be on the Today show. We weren't famous or anything but we were young and we were related and we were quite good. So we went on the Today show (I doubt a tape exists of that but if it did it would be priceless to see) and someone from Mercury Records saw us which ultimately led to our signing with that label and putting out "Most Of All" (a great "school's out" song that should have been our first hit in my opinion) which led to Artie Kornfeld and Steve Duboff. Mercury dropped us, but Artie and Steve had written "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" and we went in and recorded that song at A&R studios in New York and took the whole package to MGM who decided wouldn't it just be terrific if their mother performed with them and, voila, the rest, as they say, is history. "
In 1969 they had another number two hit with their version of the title song from the musical Hair.
The Cowsills are often cited as the inspirtation for TV's "The Partridge Family."
Signs
The Cowsills Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey you, traveler, I've been wondering,
Say can you tell me why people pass them by.
They don't read them, never heed them.
Hey listen to the signs you don't have to cry.
I keep 'a telling you and me,
(One way to drive killing you you killing me)
Stop sign, red light, one way, keep right,
Still half a million died on the road last year.
Bear, deer crossing, pheasant walking,
No time to stop the car, we killed it. Drop a tear. Drop.
Why can't they see? Signs were meant to be,
(A wonderful way for them to you from me.)
Don't run, don't splash, don't move, or pass,
Too many careless people never take dare glance.
Don't rest, don't swear, lifeguard nowhere,
So jump into the water.
Why not take a chance?
Oh I wish they'd understand,
That a sign never take command
It's a warning in disguise.
(Keep from giving all you can.)
Hey there, traveler, I've still wondering,
Say can you tell me why people pass them by?
Just listen to the signs you don't have to cry.
Hey listen to the signs you don't have to die.
Hey there traveler,
Can you tell me why people pass them by?
They don't read them, never heed them.
The Cowsills's song Signs is a thought-provoking piece that highlights the importance of road signs and their frequent disregard by drivers. The song opens with a request from the singer to a traveler: can you tell me why people pass them by? The "them" in question refers to signs, which are often ignored or read but not acted upon. The singer then pleads with listeners to pay attention to the signs, reminding them that they don't have to cry if they do.
The rest of the song features a series of warnings and observations about different types of signs. The first verse cautions listeners about stop signs, red lights, and one-way streets, pointing out that countless road deaths occur each year despite these signals. The second verse describes the hazards that animals face on the road, and the third verse addresses signs related to swimming and beach safety. Throughout the song, the singer bemoans the fact that people don't take signs seriously enough, despite the fact that they could save lives.
The overall message of Signs is clear: signs are meant to be heeded, and ignoring them can have serious consequences. The song urges listeners to pay attention to the warnings all around them, reminding them that taking chances on the road or near the water can be deadly. By imploring people to "listen to the signs," the Cowsills encourage greater awareness and responsibility among drivers and beach-goers alike.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey you, traveler, I've been wondering,
The singer is curious and wants to know why people ignore road signs.
Say can you tell me why people pass them by.
The singer is asking the listener if they know why people ignore road signs.
They don't read them, never heed them.
People do not pay attention to road signs and do not follow their instructions.
Hey listen to the signs you don't have to cry.
The singer is suggesting that if people listened to road signs, they could avoid accidents and therefore avoid the sadness and tears that come with them.
I keep 'a telling you and me,
The singer keeps telling themselves and others the importance of following road signs.
Life is meant to be. (One way to drive killing you you killing me)
Life can be enjoyed, but reckless driving can lead to accidents where both parties are at risk of being killed or causing death.
Stop sign, red light, one way, keep right,
These lines are examples of common road signs.
Still half a million died on the road last year.
Despite these road signs, many people still lose their lives in car accidents each year.
Bear, deer crossing, pheasant walking,
These are examples of road signs that warn drivers of nearby wildlife.
No time to stop the car, we killed it. Drop a tear. Drop.
Drivers are often in a hurry and do not give themselves enough time to react to wildlife crossing signs, resulting in the animal being hit by the car.
Why can't they see? Signs were meant to be, (A wonderful way for them to you from me.)
The singer is expressing confusion as to why people do not recognize the importance of road signs, despite their clear purpose. The singer also sees road signs as a helpful message from the sign maker to the driver.
Don't run, don't splash, don't move, or pass,
These are all examples of signs that warn drivers to be cautious on the road.
Too many careless people never take dare glance.
Many people do not take the time to read and process road signs before acting which leads to accidents caused by reckless behavior.
Don't rest, don't swear, lifeguard nowhere,
These are examples of signs that tell people how to behave at the beach or pool.
So jump into the water. Why not take a chance?
The singer is encouraging listeners to take a chance and enjoy life, but within the reasonable and safe constraints given by road signs.
Oh I wish they'd understand,
The singer expresses a wish that people would understand the importance of following road signs.
That a sign never take command
A road sign is not a rule but a cautionary message that should alert people to the risks of the road.
It's a warning in disguise. (Keep from giving all you can.)
The singer argues that road signs are an important warning system that can prevent accidents and emphasize the importance of being mindful and cautious when driving. It is a warning without which it's preferred not to give it all.
Hey there, traveler, I've still wondering,
The singer is still curious and wants to know why people ignore road signs.
Say can you tell me why people pass them by?
The singer is once again asking the listener if they know why people ignore road signs.
Just listen to the signs you don't have to cry.
By listening to road signs drivers can avoid accidents which will lead to happiness i.e. no crying.
Hey listen to the signs you don't have to die.
The singer stresses the importance of listening to road signs and how important they are in avoiding accidents which can often be fatal.
Contributed by Austin I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.