The Five Satins are an American doo wop group, best known for their song, "… Read Full Bio ↴The Five Satins are an American doo wop group, best known for their song, "In the Still of the Night".

The group, formed in New Haven, Connecticut, consisted of leader Fred Parris, Lou Peebles, Stanley Dortch, Ed Martin and Jim Freeman in 1954. With little success, the group reorganized, with Dortch and Peebles leaving, and new member Al Denby entering. The group then recorded "In the Still of the Night", which was originally released as the b-side to the single, "The Jones Girl". The single was released the following year, and "In the Still of the Night" ended up charting at number three on the R&B chart and number 25 on the pop charts. Parris entered the Army soon after, and the group reorganized again, with Martin, Freeman, Tommy Killebrew, Jessie Murphy and new lead Bill Baker. This lineup hit with another highly successful song, Billy Dawn Smith's "To The Aisle".

Upon Parris' return from the Army, a new lineup was assembled, consisting of Parris, Lou Peebles (who was in a previous incarnation of the Five Satins), Sylvester Hopkins, Richie Freeman and Wes Forbes. The group would be briefly known as "Fred Parris and the Scarlets", until the Baker-led group split up. At this point, they reverted to the Five Satins name, but had little success on the charts.

By the early 1970s the group was Parris, Peebles, Richie Freeman, Jimmy Curtis and Corky Rogers, and they continued recording into the 1980s, with Parris, Richie Freeman, Curtis and Nate Marshall. Meanwhile, Bill Baker started his own Five Satins group in 1981, with former Satin Sylvester Hopkins and Hopkins' brothers Carl and Frank. By the late 1980s, this group consisted of Baker, Harvey Potts, Jr., Anthony Hofler and Octavio DeLeon.

Fred Parris continues to perform. Bill Baker died in 1994.

Awards and recognition:
In 2003, the Five Satins were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.

Present day:
One of the original members of the Five Satins now works in the cafeteria at the University of New Haven. Jim Freeman lives in Norwalk, Iowa and owns a pest control company. Wes Forbes is a psychologist in the State of California, currently employed with Alliant International University as a Training Director

Fred Parris passed away in January of 2022.

The Time
The Five Satins Lyrics

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Until the time is through
Now and forever
Until the time is through
I can't believe it
I don't know where to start no baby
So many questions
Deep inside my heart
Bridge: Give me a moment before you go

There's something you ought to know
Chorus: Baby now and forever
Until the time is through
I'll be standing here
Waiting and never give up my faith in you
Trying to make it clear
Without your love I'd be half a man
Maybe one day you'll understand
Now and forever
Until the time is through
I'll be waiting...
How can I tell you so that you can see
Love has a meaning
When you are here with me(when you are here with me, baby)(bridge)(chorus)There is no one to comfort me
Here in my cold reality

I'm searching for words
What can I say to make you see? Baby now, until time is through, I'll be here girl (2x)(chorus)I will be here for you until the time is through

Overall Meaning

The Five Satins's song “The Time in 2-3” is a touching love ballad that expresses a man's unwavering commitment to his lover. The lyrics are simple, but they are full of emotion and sincerity. The chorus repeats the line "Until the time is through" to emphasize that the singer's love will last forever. He can't imagine a life without his lover, and he is willing to wait for her no matter how long it takes.

The verse starts with the line "I don't know where to start, no baby, so many questions deep inside my heart" which describes the singer's confusion and uncertainty as he tries to express his love. He then goes on to say "Without your love, I'd be half a man. Maybe one day you'll understand". Here he tries to convey how important his lover is to him and the incompleteness he feels without her. The bridge section implies that there is something that he needs to say to his lover before she leaves. The chorus repeats the lines “Baby now and forever, Until the time is through” to emphasize that the singer’s unwavering commitment to his love will last as long as he lives.

Line by Line Meaning

Until the time is through
I will continue to wait for you indefinitely

Now and forever
I will always feel this way about you

Until the time is through
I will never stop waiting for you

I can't believe it
I'm in disbelief that you're leaving me

I don't know where to start no baby
I'm unsure of how to proceed without you

So many questions
I have many unanswered questions about why you're leaving

Deep inside my heart
These questions are causing me great emotional pain

Give me a moment before you go
Please wait a moment so I can express how I feel

There's something you ought to know
I need to tell you something important

Baby now and forever
I will always love you

I'll be standing here
I'll be waiting for you