There have been at least 7 bands named The Esquires -

1. The Esquire… Read Full Bio ↴There have been at least 7 bands named The Esquires -

1. The Esquires were an American R&B and soul group from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, principally active from 1957 to 1976. Their debut record for Bunky/Scepter was "Get on Up", (1967) which became a major hit in the United States, peaking at #11 as a pop single but reaching #3 on the R&B charts.
2. A Canadian pop/rock band active from 1962 to 1967. They were the first act of their kind signed to a major label in Canada, as well as one of the first winners of what later became the Juno Award.
3. Surf Band c 1966 from California.
4. A garage band formed in 1965 from Springfield, Massachusetts, who released a single on the tiny local label Salem - "SALEM SR-003 - Shake A Tail Feather / Down The Track". Very shortly after this a change in personnel & direction was accompanied with a name change to The Bold and later again, to just Bold.
5. A mid-sixties garage band from Texas.
6. A mid-Sixties garage band from Florida.
7. A rock-n-roll side project of the usually-acoustic duo Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, featuring Rawlings on electric guitar and lead vocals, Welch on bass, David Steele on drums, and occasionally Ryan Adams; active late 90s-early 2000s.

#1 The group first formed in 1957 around the Moorer family: Gilbert (born Gilbert Moorer, Jr., August 20, 1941, Birmingham, Alabama, died August 28, 2008), his brother Alvis (born Alvis V. Moorer, January 18, 1940, Birmingham, Alabama, died August 21, 2011), and their sister Betty. They first performed as Betty Moorer and the Esquires. When their sister and lead singer left, the group shortened its name to The Esquires, and Gilbert became lead singer. In 1961, Sam Pace (born Sammie L. Pace, September 22, 1944, Kansas City, Missouri, died January 7, 2013) joined as a tenor. They went through many lineup changes over their first decade, which saw them aiming mostly for local recognition. In 1966 they moved to Chicago and auditioned for Curtis Mayfield, who was not interested in signing them. They then attempted to sign with Constellation Records, but the record label went under at the end of 1966; they signed instead with Bunky Records, Constellation's successor. Bunky was distributed by Scepter Records on the national level.
Their debut record for Bunky/Scepter was "Get on Up", (1967) which became a major hit in the United States, peaking at #11 as a pop single but reaching #3 on the R&B charts. Following the release they played Chicago's Regal Theater and the Apollo Theatre in New York City. Further singles were also successes, and the group released one full-length LP. After five singles on Bunky the group signed a deal with Scepter themselves late in 1968. They later returned to Bunky and then, in 1970, signed with Capitol Records for one single ("Reach Out") and Lamarr Records in 1971 for "Girls in the City".

Gilbert Moorer died from throat cancer on August 28, 2008, at the age of 67.

Alvis Moorer died on August 21, 2011 at the age of 71.

Sam Pace died after a long illness on January 7, 2013 at the age of 68.

Edwards, who lives in Chicago, is now the only surviving member of the band from its recording days.

Members

Gilbert Moorer
Alvis Moorer
Betty Moorer
Sam Pace (1961–)
Shawn Taylor (1965–1967)
Millard Edwards
Perry Moore
Goose "Preacher" Hilliard Smith

Discography

Albums

Year Album Record label
1967 Get on Up and Get Away Bunky Records
1982 The Esquires Flying Heart Records
1984 Whatcha Got?
1987 The Esquires

Singles
Year Title Peak chart
positions Record Label B-side Album
US US
R&B
1967 "Get on Up" 11 3 Bunky Records "Listen to Me" Get on Up and Get Away
"And Get Away" 22 9 "Everybody's Laughing"
1968 "You Say" 126 41 "State Fair"
"Why Can't I Stop" — 48 "The Feeling's Gone"
"I Know I Can" — — "How Could It Be"
"You've Got the Power" 91 29 Wand Records "No Doubt About It"
1969 "I Don't Know" — 37 "Part Angel"
"Reach Out" — — Capitol Records "Listen to Me"
1970 "Ain't No Reason" — — B and G Records "Baba-Daba-Dop"
1971 "Dancin' a Hole in the World" — — Rocky Ridge
Records "That Ain't No Reason"
"Girls in the City" 120 18 Lamarr Records "Ain't Gonna Give It Up"
1974 "Let Me Build You a New World" — — New World
Records "Stay"
1976 "Get on Up '76" — 62 Ju-Par Records "The Feeling's Gone"
1980 "The Show Ain't Over" — — Cigar Man
Music Records "What Good Is Music?"

Everybody's Laughing
The Esquires Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

everybody's laughin
laughin at me
they just keep laughin at me
why must i keep playing the fool
when the keep laughin, laughin at me
i'm just a man a lonely man
and they keep laughin at me
doing the best, the best i can

keep on laugin
keep right on laughin
laughin at me
people say the girl has left me
and they are right yes they are right
they also say
she's never come be
but lord don't let it be right
you say that somebody told you
they said that you said that i said that we agree
they said i was going to put you down
so you walked out on me
they say the girl has left me
and they are right
yes they are right
they also say that
she's never coming back
but oh lord
don't let em be right

she

Overall Meaning

The Esquires's song 'Everybody's Laughing' is a heartbreaking ballad about a man who is being laughed at by everyone around him. The lyrics tell a story of a man who is doing his best but is continuously made fun of by others. The opening lines, "everybody's laughin, laughin at me, they just keep laughin at me" immediately set the tone for the song. The singer is being ridiculed for something and doesn't understand why. He questions why he continues to "play the fool" when people keep laughing at him.

The next verse talks about how the man is just a lonely man trying to do his best. This draws empathy from the listener as we can understand how it feels to be alone and struggling. The repeated line "keep on laughin, keep right on laughin, laughin at me" emphasizes just how much the ridicule is affecting the man. He's begging these people to stop laughing at him but they won't.

The song then shifts focus to a woman who has left the singer. People are speculating that she's not coming back and the singer is clearly devastated by this. The lines "but oh lord, don't let em be right" show how much the man is holding onto hope that she will return. The final chorus repeats the opening lines, bringing the song full circle. The singer is still being laughed at and is still struggling to understand why.

Overall, 'Everybody's Laughing' is a poignant and relatable song about feeling like an outcast and dealing with heartbreak. The repetitive nature of the lyrics emphasizes the pain of the situation and the desperation of the singer to be taken seriously.

Line by Line Meaning

everybody's laughin
Everyone is laughing and mocking the singer.

laughin at me
The singer is the target of the laughter.

they just keep laughin at me
The laughter continues and is ongoing.

why must i keep playing the fool
The artist questions why they continue to be ridiculed.

when they keep laughin, laughin at me
Despite the artist's discomfort, the laughter persists.

i'm just a man a lonely man
The singer admits he is vulnerable and alone.

and they keep laughin at me
Nevertheless, others continue to ridicule him.

doing the best, the best i can
The artist is trying his hardest despite the criticisms.

keep on laughin
The artist implores the laughers to continue their behavior.

keep right on laughin
He insists that they should not stop.

laughin at me
The singer acknowledges that he is still the target of the laughter.

people say the girl has left me
The artists mentions that people are discussing his relationship status.

and they are right yes they are right
He confirms their rumors are true.

they also say she's never come back
Rumors are spreading that his girlfriend will never return.

but lord don't let it be right
The singer expresses his hope that the rumors are false.

you say that somebody told you
The artist is interrogating someone who seems to know more information.

they said that you said that i said that we agree
He is confused and frustrated with the chain of information being passed along.

they said i was going to put you down
The singer is accused of bad behavior.

so you walked out on me
This bad behavior caused his girlfriend to leave him.

they say the girl has left me
The rumors about his relationship are still being discussed.

and they are right yes they are right
Again he confirms the rumors are true.

they also say that she's never coming back
People are convinced his girlfriend will not return.

but oh lord don't let em be right
The singer is still holding on to hope that these rumors are not true.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MILLARD EDWARDS, GILBERT MOORER, BILL SHEPPARD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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