Gary Troxel (b. November 28, 1939, Centralia, Washington) and Gretchen Christopher (b. February 29, 1940, Olympia, Washington) were two high school students waiting for Christopher's mother to pick them up after school. They started singing and humming a song together, and liked it enough to ask Christopher's friend and singing partner, Barbara Ellis (b. February 20, 1940, Olympia, Washington), to join them as a trio to perform it.
They performed the song twice at school functions, and their classmates wanted recordings of it so they could learn the song. After six months, they got the track recorded. They sang it a cappella, then dubbed the instrumental accompaniment, consisting only of Latin-styled acoustic guitar and the rhythmic shaking of Troxel's car keys. "Come Softly to Me" was also recorded by Frankie Vaughan and The Kaye Sisters, who had a chart hit in the United Kingdom with the song. The Fleetwoods' version of "Come Softly To Me" can be heard on a portable radio at one point in the 1986 movie, Stand By Me, which was set in Washington state.
Bob Reisdorf, the owner of Dolphin Records (later changed to Dolton Records), was responsible for the changes to the group name and song title. He thought that the title was too risque and not commercial-sounding enough, so he had it changed to "Come Softly to Me". He also thought that the group's original name wasn't commercial-sounding enough. The new name of the group, The Fleetwoods, was based on the telephone exchanges in the areas where the three members lived, Fleetwood2-xxxx and Fleetwood7-xxxx.
The Fleetwoods continued to record into the 1960s, with a number of other successes, although none so big as "Come Softly to Me". Their second hit, "Mr. Blue," was one of the few recordings by a white singing group to make the rhythm & blues chart. The beginning of the end for the group came when Troxel was drafted into the U.S. Navy. Additionally, the British Invasion of the mid 1960s ended the public's taste for sweet, melodic music.
By the late 1970s, Troxel was working in a plywood plant, Ellis was managing a trailer park in Canada, and Christopher was a housewife and modern dance teacher. In 2000, Troxel and his wife Jenifer lost a landmark grandparents' rights case before the Supreme Court of the United States. The court held that under the United States Constitution, non-parents seeking custody or visitation rights of a child against the wishes of the child's parents must prove that the parents are not acting in the best interest of the child in refusing custody or visitation.
I Care so Much
The Fleetwoods Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Want to feel your warm, warm touch (want to feel that touch)
Honey, can't you see? (can't you see)
What you mean to me
Always out having fun (having so much fun)
With your heart on the run (always on the run)
Baby, come to me (come, come, come to me)
Never, never giving me a second glance
Never even trying me for a chance
Always out with a different girl
Why?
Why couldn't I be that girl?
I care so much (I care so much)
Want to feel that warm, warm touch (want to feel your touch)
Baby, come to me (come, come, come to me)
You and I were meant to be
In this song, The Fleetwoods express their longing for someone they love who seems to be more interested in other things and people than in a relationship with them. The singers are desperate to feel the warm touch of their beloved and to be recognized as important in his or her life. They are hurt by being ignored and disappointed by not having the chance to prove their worth.
The first verse starts with the repetition of the affectionate line "I care so much," followed by the desire for physical intimacy. However, it is not just the physical touch that they seek, but also the emotional connection that comes with it. The chorus emphasizes the singer's devotion by pleading with their lover to see what they mean to them.
The second verse reveals that their lover is always seeking excitement and adventure without giving them a second glance. The singer is sad because they know they can make their lover happy if they only give them a chance. The bridge, "Why couldn't I be that girl?" implies that the singers are comparing themselves to the other girls whom their lover is seeing, and wondering why they cannot be the chosen one.
In summary, the song portrays the heartache of unrequited love, where the singers are desperately in love with someone who does not reciprocate their feelings. They express their yearning for emotional and physical connection as well as their disappointment with being constantly overlooked.
Line by Line Meaning
I care so much
I have strong feelings for you
Want to feel your warm, warm touch
I desire physical intimacy with you
Honey, can't you see?
I am hoping you will notice my feelings
What you mean to me
You are very important to me
Always out having fun
You are frequently socializing and enjoying yourself
With your heart on the run
You do not want to commit to a serious relationship
Baby, come to me
I want you to pursue a relationship with me
You and I were meant to be
We are ideal for each other
Never, never giving me a second glance
You are ignoring my interest in you
Never even trying me for a chance
You have not considered pursuing a relationship with me
Always out with a different girl
You are frequently seen with different women
Why?
I am questioning why you are not interested in me
Why couldn't I be that girl?
I am wondering why I am not the woman you choose to be with
I care so much
I have strong feelings for you
Want to feel that warm, warm touch
I desire physical intimacy with you
Baby, come to me
I want you to pursue a relationship with me
You and I were meant to be
We are ideal for each other
Contributed by Owen I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Steve Erickson
It was the B side of "Come Softly to Me". Guess it was just another great B side that got neglected. If you get a chance, listen to the B side of Heart and Soul by the Cleftones "How Do You Feel". It's 10x better than the hit.
AblonPhadella Jaherst
how is this song so lost?!
Luiz Henrique P. Godoy
2020 ✌️
Caleb Kepley
I'm here