The group took off after being signed to Capitol Records in 1952 at the insistence of high profile fan, Stan Kenton. They remained popular throughout the 50s and early 60s, releasing a wide array of successful albums, movie and television appearances and performing countless sold-out concerts. The band eventually lost mainstream attention with the emergence of the British pop bands of the 1960s, even though they managed to stay together even after the retirement of final original member Bob Flanigan in 1992.
As of 2001, the Freshmen have been composed of Bob Ferreira, Brian Eichenberger, Curtis Calderon, and Vince Johnson. Although the new lineup of the Four Freshmen have continued the legendary vocal tradition of the original band and perform many of the same standards, the current sound has more of a lounge sound rather than focusing primarily upon harmonies. This modernized sound has proven quite successful, as the group won Down Beat magazine's reader's poll award for Vocal Group of the Year in 2000, proving the quartet's prominence in the jazz world today.
IMAGINATION
The Four Freshmen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It makes the cloudy day sunny
Makes the bee think of honey
Just as I think of you
Imagination is crazy
Your whole perspective gets hazy
Starts you asking a daisy
Have you ever felt the gentle touch
And then a kiss, and then, and then
Find it's only your imagination again
Oh, well
Imagination is silly
You go around willy-nilly
For example, I go around wanting you
And yet I can't imagine that you want me too
Imagination is silly
You go around willy-nilly
For example, I go around wanting you
And yet I can't imagine that you want me too
The Four Freshmen's "Imagination" is a delightful and whimsical song that delves into the power of the imagination. The lyrics state that the imagination has the power to transform our perspective and make a cloudy day sunny, just as the thought of someone special (in this case, the listener) can do the same. The song reflects on the silliness of the imagination, as it can make us go around "willy-nilly" without a clear sense of direction. The feeling can be so strong that one may start asking a daisy what to do, indicating the depth of love and longing that is being felt.
The song lyrically captures the fleeting moments of touch and taste of the imagined reality that we yearn for. However, it also highlights the disappointment that comes with the realization that it is just an imagination in the end. Although it is a playful and quirky song, "Imagination" explores human emotions of love, desire, and longing in a clever and witty way.
Line by Line Meaning
Imagination is funny
The way imagination works is amusing
It makes the cloudy day sunny
Imagination can brighten up a gloomy day
Makes the bee think of honey
Imagination can associate anything with something else
Just as I think of you
My imagination is occupied with thoughts of you
Imagination is crazy
Imagination has the ability to alter your perception of reality drastically
Your whole perspective gets hazy
Imagination clouds your judgement and makes even simple decisions difficult
Starts you asking a daisy
You may begin to seek guidance from ordinary things when you rely too much on imagination
What to do, what to do
You may feel indecisive and uncertain due to your vivid imagination
Have you ever felt the gentle touch
Have you ever imagined physical sensations so vividly that they felt real?
And then a kiss, and then, and then
Your imagination can build on itself, creating a series of imagined events
Find it's only your imagination again
You may realize that what you thought was real was only a figment of your imagination
Oh, well
You may have a resigned attitude towards the disappointments of imagination
Imagination is silly
Imagination can seem foolish or trivial at times
You go around willy-nilly
Imagination can take you on a wild ride without a clear destination
For example, I go around wanting you
My imagination is preoccupied with thoughts of desire for you
And yet I can't imagine that you want me too
Despite my own imagination, I struggle to imagine that my desires are reciprocated
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RACHEL ODEN, ALEXANDER BENJAMIN RICHBOURG, ANDREA LYNN ROBINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ray Asper
At one time I had every one of their albums ... they're my all time favorite male vocal group. They got me through college days and many romantic evenings on the dance floor at various watering holes with juke boxes. Fantastic!
Jymster46
I love their music too. Thank you so much for your comments and for listening to this one!
Jim
Joao Alfredo
Magnífico conjunto vocal. Sonoridade sensacional. Grande influenciador dos músicos brasileiros que elaboraram a BOSSA NOVA. 31.3.20
Jymster46
I'm so glad you liked it! Thank you so much for watching and listening! Jim
Eugene Sedita
I had to look for an hour until I found this song. The only place it is apparently.
Jymster46
I agree, Larry. I just love their music. Thank you so much for listening to them! Jim
fernando cordova
this particular tune was tribute to the king sisters' "imagination" since it is basically the same arrangement note by note ... great renditions on both counts
Robert Howard
There was tremendous mutual admiration between these two sensational groups.
Jymster46
@ClassicDamsel Hi! Yes, Brian Wilson (of The Beach Boys) was heavily influenced by theses guys. They have a very complex and beautiful style of harmony, much like The Beach Boys. I love the music of both of those groups! Thanks so much for watching! Jim
ClassicDamsel
Yet another excellent video! They kind of remind me of The Beach Boys.