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.
If I Should Lose You
The Four Freshmen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The stars would fall from the sky
If I should lose you
The leaves would wither and die
The birds in May time
Would sing a mournful refrain
And I would wander around
With you beside me
The rose would bloom in the snow
With you beside me
No winds of winter would blow
I gave you my love
And I was living a dream
But living would seem in vain
If I lost you
"If I Should Lose You" by The Four Freshmen is a heart-wrenching ballad about the desperate fear of losing the one you love. The song opens with the lines "If I should lose you, the stars would fall from the sky. If I should lose you, the leaves would wither and die." These metaphors convey the magnitude of the loss the singer would feel if he were to lose his lover. The stars and leaves are both vast and abundant, suggesting that he couldn't imagine a world without his beloved.
The lyrics go on to paint a picture of a world without the singer's lover. May birds would sing a mournful tune, and the singer would wander aimlessly, hating the sound of rain. But with his lover beside him, everything would be different. Even the impossible becomes possible - the rose blooms in the snow, and no winds of winter would blow. They say that love conquers all, and apparently, it can even change the weather.
The chorus of the song speaks to the depth of the singer's love. "I gave you my love, and I was living a dream. But living would seem in vain if I lost you." Losing his lover would mean losing everything, including his reason for living. The song is a powerful reminder of the importance of holding onto the people we love and cherishing them every day.
Line by Line Meaning
If I should lose you
Losing you would have a catastrophic impact on my life.
The stars would fall from the sky
Your absence would make the world seem dark and hopeless.
If I should lose you
The thought of losing you is unbearable and terrifying.
The leaves would wither and die
Without you, everything would lose its vitality and beauty.
The birds in May time
The natural world would express its sorrow alongside me.
Would sing a mournful refrain
The sounds of nature would reflect my sadness and despair.
And I would wander around
I would be lost and aimless without you.
Hating the sound of rain
Even the simple things in life that I once enjoyed would now bring me pain.
With you beside me
Your presence is a source of joy and comfort in my life.
The rose would bloom in the snow
Your love makes impossible things possible.
With you beside me
I am strong enough to face any challenge that comes my way.
No winds of winter would blow
Your love is my shelter and protection from the harshness of the world.
I gave you my love
My love for you is genuine and deep.
And I was living a dream
Being with you has been a source of happiness and fulfillment in my life.
But living would seem in vain
Without you, life would lose all meaning and purpose.
If I lost you
The thought of losing you is unbearable and terrifying.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DONALD HOGAN, JERRY ROSS, MURRAY WECHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Brian Wilson was inspired by this group at an early age.