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?"
Groovin'
The Esquires Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Really couldn't get away too soon
I can't imagine anything that's better
The world is ours whenever we're together
There ain't a place I'd like to be instead of
Groovin', down a crowded avenue
There's always lots of things that we can see
We can be anyone we want to be
And all those happy people we could meet just
Groovin', on a Sunday afternoon
Really couldn't get away too soon
Ah-ha-ha
Ah-ha-ha
Ah-ha-ha
We'll keep on spending sunny days this way
We're gonna talk and laugh our time away
I feel it comin' closer day by day
Life would be ecstasy, you and me endlessly
Groovin', on a Sunday afternoon
Really couldn't get away too soon
Ah-ha-ha
Ah-ha-ha
Ah-ha-ha
The Esquires's song Groovin is a cheerful and upbeat ode to the joys of spending a leisurely Sunday afternoon with someone special. The singer expresses his contentment and satisfaction, stating that he couldn't imagine anything better than spending time with this person. He asserts that the world is his whenever they're together and there's no other place he'd rather be. The song emphasizes the freedom that comes with being with someone who makes you happy and how everything else fades away when you're enjoying their company.
The singer describes their activities as they stroll down a crowded avenue, expressing their sense of carefree freedom as they do everything they like to do. The song implies that there are endless possibilities and people to meet when you're with someone you enjoy spending time with. Throughout the song, the singer expresses a sense of pure joy and ecstasy in their relationship, emphasizing the importance of spending sunny days that way. The closing line "Life would be ecstasy, you and me endlessly" summarizes this outlook on love and the freedom and happiness that come with it.
Overall, Groovin by The Esquires is a simple yet catchy song about the pleasures of spending time with someone you love. The upbeat melody and optimistic lyrics create a sense of carefree happiness that is infectious and enjoyable.
Line by Line Meaning
Groovin', on a Sunday afternoon
Enjoying ourselves, relaxing, and taking it easy on a Sunday afternoon
Really couldn't get away too soon
We don't want the good times to end and we wish we could keep enjoying ourselves forever
I can't imagine anything that's better
This is the best way to spend our time and we wouldn't rather be doing anything else
The world is ours whenever we're together
We feel like we can conquer anything when we're together, nothing can stop our happiness
There ain't a place I'd like to be instead of
There's nowhere else we'd rather be than where we are, right here, right now
Groovin', down a crowded avenue
Having fun while walking down a busy street
Doin' anything we like to do
We have the freedom to enjoy whatever activity we want to, with no restrictions
There's always lots of things that we can see
The world is full of endless possibilities and opportunities for us to explore
We can be anyone we want to be
We have the power to create our own identities and live life on our own terms
And all those happy people we could meet just
We're open to meeting new people and sharing the joy of life with others
We'll keep on spending sunny days this way
We'll continue to enjoy ourselves and live in the moment, not worrying about tomorrow
We're gonna talk and laugh our time away
We'll spend our time having fun, laughing, and enjoying each other's company
I feel it comin' closer day by day
Our happiness and joy is increasing, day by day
Life would be ecstasy, you and me endlessly
If we could keep living life this way, with endless happiness and joy that we share, it would be truly amazing
Ah-ha-ha
Just a fun, playful vocalization that adds to the carefree, joyful vibe of the song
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edward Brigati, Felix Cavaliere
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@danielstump3204
the esquires -- man did they have the best singing voices