1… Read Full Bio ↴Musical groups in three genres have shared the name The Four Aces.
1. The Aces, initially known as "The Four Aces" were a Jamaican vocal group who are best known for their work with Desmond Dekker, but who also recorded without him. The initial line-up of the Aces was Clive Campbell, Barry Howard, Carl Howard, and Patrick Howard. The group came to the attention of Dekker, who supported them when they auditioned for Leslie Kong at Beverley's studio in 1965. The producer employed the group as backing singers for Dekker, recording many hits with him including "The King of Ska" (where they were credited as His Cherry Pies), "Get Up Adinah" (on which they were credited as the Four Aces"), huge hits such as "007 (Shanty Town)" and "Israelites", and the winner of the 1968 Festival Song Contest, "Music Like Dirt". By 1967 the only remaining original member was Barry Howard, along with Winston Samuels. Dekker's international success led to overseas tours, but the Aces were not taken along, Samuels refusing to fly, stating "Rastas did not fly on iron birds", and Barry Howard having already decided to emigrate to the United States. Instead they stayed in Jamaica and recorded without Dekker. They had a Jamaican hit in 1970 with "Mademoiselle Ninette", and by 1971 the line-up had again changed, with Barry now rejoined by Carl Howard. A string of hits followed with "Reggae Motion", "Take a Look", "Oh I Miss You", Call Me Number One", "Be My Baby", and "Sad Sad Song", and they had a near hit in the pop charts in 1973 with "Working on it Night and Day". Little more was heard from the group until 1982 when they released "One Way Street".
2. An American singing quartet which was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001. The group is well-known for a plethora of hits, including: "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing", " Three Coins in the Fountain", "Stranger in Paradise", "Shangri-La", "Perfidia". All of the group's major hits were first performed by the original four members: Al Alberts (originally Albertini), Dave Mahoney, Lou Silvestri, and Rosario "Sod" Vaccaro. Although all were from Chester, Pennsylvania, Alberts and Mahoney actually met in the Navy. They formed a duo, with Alberts singing and Mahoney playing behind him. Later adding Vaccaro on trumpet and Silvestri on drums, the group played in the Philadelphia area. When they could not find a label which would release their record, "(It's No) Sin," Alberts started his own label, Victoria Records. "(It's No) Sin" sold a million copies! DECCA Records soon signed the group, billing them as The Four Aces Featuring Al Alberts. In 1956, Alberts left The Four Aces to try to make it as a soloist, but never made the charts. He was replaced as lead singer by Fred Diodati, another Philadelphia product. Over the years, as the remaining original members left, Diodati chose new singers to replace them. The right to "The Four Aces" name eventually landed in court. In 1975, Diodati was awarded the right to the name and continued to tour under it. The founding members, who again wanted to tour, were allowed to use the name, "The Original Four Aces, Featuring Al Alberts." The latter group retired in 1987. The Four Aces are still touring. (A link to their appearances is listed below.)
3. Cajun fiddler Leo Soileau was the second Cajun musician to record his works. This occurred in the late 1930s. The Four Aces was the name of his second string band (the first had been The Rhythm Boys). Soileau reitred from music in the 1940s with the demise of the string band sound.
Sin
The Four Aces Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ddu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lup, lup-ddu-lu
Ddu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lup, ah-ah
Take away the breath of flowers
(Ddu-lu-ooh-ooh-ooh)
It would surely be a sin
(Ddu-lu-ooh-ooh-ooh)
(Ddu-lu-ooh-ooh-ooh)
It's a sin
(Ddu-lu-ooh-oop)
Take away the violins, dear
(Ddu-lu-ooh-ooh-ooh)
From a lovely symphony
(Ddu-lu-lu-lu)
And the music deep within would cease to be
Is it a sin
To love you so?
To hold you close
And know you are leaving
Though you take away my heart, dear
Still the beating there within
I'll keep loving you forever
For it's no sin
Is it a sin
To love you so?
To hold you close
And know you are leaving
Though you take away my heart, dear
Still the beating there within
I'll keep loving you forever
For it's no sin
The Four Aces' "Sin" is a bittersweet love song that explores the idea of what is considered sinful in love. The opening lyrics ("Ddu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lup, lup-ddu-lu") serve as an upbeat rhythmic foundation for the song. The first verse contemplates the idea of taking away the breath of flowers, which would surely be a sin. This metaphor is used to suggest that taking away something as beautiful and essential as flowers' breath could be considered sacrilegious, and in the same vein, losing love can be likened to a similar feeling of desolation that comes with losing something beautiful.
The second verse takes a more musical approach, stating that taking away violins from a symphony would cause it to lose the music deep within. This metaphor shows that love can be likened to music, and though it may seem like the violins are insignificant, they actually add depth and emotion to the music. The final verse describes the intensity of the singer's love, and how even though the person they love is leaving, they will continue to love them forever because it is not a sin to love someone that intensely.
Overall, "Sin" is a mournful love song that examines the various aspects of love and what makes it sinful or not. The lyrics may seem simplistic at first glance, but they carry a deeper, more profound meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
Ddu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lup, lup-ddu-lu
An onomatopoeic intro that signifies the beginning of the song
Take away the breath of flowers
Removing the essence of nature's serenity
(Ddu-lu-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Repeating the sound of the intro, instrumental transition
It would surely be a sin
An act of wrongdoing for disrupting nature's beauty
Take the rain from April showers
Depriving life of its essential elements, disrupting a cycle of growth
It's a sin
An act of wrongdoing for disrupting nature's cycle of life
(Ddu-lu-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Repeating the sound of the intro, instrumental transition
Take away the violins, dear
Removing the beauty and elegance of a symphony
From a lovely symphony
Removing the beauty and elegance of musical harmony
And the music deep within would cease to be
Without the beauty of a symphony, music loses its depth and meaning
Is it a sin
A question of whether the act of loving is wrong or not
To love you so?
To feel such strong emotions towards someone
To hold you close
To feel the intimacy and comfort of being physically close to someone
And know you are leaving
To be aware that the feeling is fleeting or temporary
Though you take away my heart, dear
Despite losing all affection from the one they love
Still the beating there within
The love and emotions towards this person still remain
I'll keep loving you forever
A promise to never forget or lose the feelings they have for this person
For it's no sin
The act of loving this person is not wrong, it's pure and true
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chester Shull, George Hoven
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pmullen2510
I was in high school in 1951, and serving in Korea following graduation. I absolutely loved the 4 Aces, as the war wound down I eventually lived in a tent with five other guys and a stove in the middle for warmth. Somehow I acquired a single portable phonograph that played 45 rpm records. I wrote to the 4 Aces in Philadelphia, Pa (I think). Their manager was a guy named Bullets Durgeon I believe. He sent me about 20 45 rpm records, Decca Label. I still have them today, May 2023. So I’ve had them since 1953, 70 years. In later years, I actually went backstage, whether it be nightclubs, Twin Coaches for example in Pittsburgh, Pa. Palace Theater in Columbus, Oh, where I learned that Al Alberts had left the group, and Mahoney had the lead, he was very gracious in his conversation. I also was very, very fortunate to catch Al Alberts solo performance at the Horizon Room at the Greater Pittsburgh Airport. Again I went backstage, he vaguely remembered me before. He trusted me enough to drive him to a radio station in downtown Pittsburgh, KDKA where he was to be interviewed on the air by a disc jockey named Randy I believe. You won’t believe this, in route from the airport to downtown I invited Al to stop at a bar my friend owned. We stopped and he actually agreed to have a shot and beer with me. I remember him saying, you know this isn’t good for a singer, but being this is you and a Pittsburgh tradition. I could go on and on, but that’s enough. If you’ve read this far, thank you. There’s not too many 89 year old people around who would have any idea what I’m talking about.
@francisalanwormald6328
BACK AT 85 CAUSE THIS SONG MEANT SO MUCH TO ME AS A YOUNG TEEN...
@stuartpyle9747
My father played this on the piano every night when he got home from work - it's amazing to finally hear the original
@gildaguio4792
It makes me homesick of my teen years
@doclampton
Magnificent memories here. . .Many of us in the 1950s had this as "our song" with a lovely young woman. Though we may have parted then, the memories are indelible, like this song. Thanks for making it available.
@solsleuteltje
How does a lovely woman look? (smile ) I was born in 1959 and I love this songs so thx for posting it MrMemories
greeting from Belgium. we have the capital city of Europe and that's Brussels
@ignacioaltuna785
¡Gracias por tan lindo recuerdo! Realmente formidables estos Cuatro Ases, verdaderos aristócratas de los grandes cuartetos vocales de aquellos años cincuenta, distinguidos por su afinación, suavísimos contrapuntos, matices de voces, todo un amable bouquet de buen gusto y de fineza interpretativa, más el cadencioso ritmo bailable... ¿Meloso, sentimental, romanticón el disco? ¡Pero qué importa, si todo ello hace la vida y el canto más gratos y las relaciones entre los humanos mas llevaderas! Estarán siempre en un refinado salón de la fama, con sus tantos hits eternizados en las grabaciones, ocupando un alto sitial en las preferencias del público...
Chau! Desde BA, Nacho!
@josie930
all Four Aces songs are beautiful,
@noparatesq
Great song! 1951 I was still in high school! Those good old days.
@edlonas2310
one of my all time favorites.