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.
Tangerine
The Four Freshmen Lyrics
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With her eyes of night and lips as bright as flame
Tangerine when she dances by
Senoritas stare and caballeros sigh
And I've seen toasts to Tangerine
Raised in every bar across the Argentine
Yes she has them all on the run
But her heart belongs to just one
Tangerine she is all they say
With mascara'd eyes, and chapeaux by Dache
Tangerine with her lips of flame
If the colour keeps, Louis Philippe's to blame
And I've seen clothes on Tangerine
Where the label says from Macy's Mezzanine
Yes, she's got the guys in a whirl
But she's only fooling one girl
She's only fooling Tangerine
The Four Freshmen's "Tangerine" opens with the mesmerizing description of a woman who is the personification of a tangy, citrusy tangerine fruit. In the following lines, the singer describes Tangerine's captivating features, with eyes as dark as night and lips as red-hot as flame. As she dances by, "senoritas" and "caballeros" can't help but stare and sigh after her.
The next verse of the song delves into some of the ways in which Tangerine lures and holds the attention of her admirers, with toasts being raised to her across every bar in Argentina. However, the chorus puts a spin on this narrative, revealing that while Tangerine has captured the hearts of many, she is only truly devoted to one person: herself. The final verse highlights some of the physical adornments she uses to attract more attention, including her fancy clothes and brand-name accessories, but again emphasizing that while she has many fooled, she only truly cares about herself.
Overall, "Tangerine" is a melancholic rumination on what happens when people fall for surface-level charms and appearances, essentially falling for an image or illusion rather than a person.
Line by Line Meaning
Tangerine, she is all they claim
They say Tangerine is everything that she actually is
With her eyes of night and lips as bright as flame
Her eyes are dark like night and her lips are as bright as fire
Tangerine when she dances by
When Tangerine dances, people take notice
Senoritas stare and caballeros sigh
Women and men both admire Tangerine and find her captivating
And I've seen toasts to Tangerine
People have raised glasses in honor of Tangerine
Raised in every bar across the Argentine
This happens in every bar in Argentina
Yes she has them all on the run
Everyone is drawn to her
But her heart belongs to just one
Despite all the attention she receives, Tangerine's affection is reserved for one person
Tangerine she is all they say
Tangerine is just as impressive as she's advertised to be
With mascara'd eyes, and chapeaux by Dache
She wears makeup and hats by famous designer Marcelle Dache
Tangerine with her lips of flame
Her lips are bright red like a flame
If the colour keeps, Louis Philippe's to blame
If her lipstick doesn't come off, it's because of high-quality cosmetics by Louis Philippe
And I've seen clothes on Tangerine
Tangerine wears stylish clothing
Where the label says from Macy's Mezzanine
Her clothes are from the Macy's Mezzanine department
Yes, she's got the guys in a whirl
Tangerine has the men entranced
But she's only fooling one girl
Despite her admirers, Tangerine's true desire is another woman
She's only fooling Tangerine
She's keeping up a facade to conceal her true self from others
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Johnny Mercer, Victor Schertzinger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ione Moreira
Cresci ouvindo meus irmãos mais velhos tocando nas vitrolas....amei desde sempre e até hoje acho que nada os superou.Morei nos EUA por 35 anos, e entendi bem o espirito deste grupo e sus músicas....coisas de Ginásio e Formatura...