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.
Truly Do
The Fleetwoods Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey, baby, don't you pass me by
Remember the boy
Used to sing this song
When the summer nights were long
I love you
Truly do
Love you for your hair of brown
And the way you walk
When you go downtown
I love you
Truly do
Hey, lady, it's been a long, long time
Have that song on my mind
Traveled halfway around the world
Never found a prettier girl
I love you
Truly do
Took my heart like a bluebird flying
I hear your name
When the wind is sighing
I love you
Truly do
I love you
Truly do
I love you
Truly do
The Fleetwoods' song "Truly Do" is a heartfelt declaration of love from a man to a woman. The lyrics are a reminiscence of the good old days when the summer nights were long and the boy used to sing this song to the girl. The man reassures the woman not to cry and not to pass him by because he loves her truly. He loves her for her brown hair and the way she walks when she goes downtown. He has the song constantly on his mind after traveling halfway around the world but never finding a prettier girl than her. He declares that his heart was taken like a bluebird flying and he hears her name when the wind is sighing. The repetition of "I love you, truly do" at the end of each verse reinforces the man's feelings for the woman.
The lyrics of "Truly Do" showcases the nostalgic and romantic story of a man reminiscing about how he used to sing this song to his lover under the stars, and how his love for her has never faded, no matter where he went or how long he was gone. The song is a testament to the power of true love, and how it can transcend distance and time.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, baby, don't you cry
Don't worry or be sad, my love.
Hey, baby, don't you pass me by
Don't ignore me or forget about me.
Remember the boy
Think back to the young man who used to sing this song.
Used to sing this song
Would express his love through music.
When the summer nights were long
During warm, romantic evenings.
I love you
My feelings for you are incredibly strong.
Truly do
This is a genuine and honest emotion.
Love you for your hair of brown
Admire your beautiful, natural hair color.
And the way you walk
The grace and elegance in your movements.
When you go downtown
Watching you walk through the city.
Hey, lady, it's been a long, long time
It's been too long since I've seen you, my dear.
Have that song on my mind
Constantly thinking of you and this special song.
Traveled halfway around the world
Went far and wide in search of someone better.
Never found a prettier girl
No one could compare to your unique beauty.
Took my heart like a bluebird flying
You stole my heart and filled me with joy.
I hear your name
Your name echoes in my mind and heart.
When the wind is sighing
At times when nature is melancholic.
I love you
My adoration for you is unwavering.
Truly do
This sentiment is pure and heartfelt.
I love you
My feelings for you are incomparable.
Truly do
This is a true representation of my love.
I love you
My heart beats for you, my darling.
Truly do
I honestly and passionately adore you.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Travis Edmonson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ellie Pip
i’m so sad they took this off spotify and it’s not even on soundcloud
Teun Huisman
It’s back
BTN Storm
They took this off Spotify for some reason
Teun Huisman
It’s back on
taki
I know :( it’s one of my favorite songs. whyyy
Matthews Voth
It's there for me.
Though I am Canadian.
geoffrey laforce
BTN Storm same reason I’m here! It’s so dumb I never understand why Spotify randomly takes stuff off especially old stuff
freya person
this song is absolutely beautiful and just makes me happy
Alan Castillo
Such a beautiful song!!!
Nicholas Kania
Great fleetwoods track...up there with outside my window as my favs