The Four Preps was a popular … Read Full Bio ↴From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
The Four Preps was a popular music quartet most popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
The group originally consisted of Bruce Belland (born 22 October 1936, Chicago, Illinois), Ed Cobb, Marv Ingram, (originally named "Marvin Inabnett") and Glen Larson (born 1937), who later become one of the most prolific creators and producers in the history of American television.
They had a minor chart hit that year with "Dreamy Eyes" and between 1956 and 1964 reached the top 100 charts with 13 different songs. The following year they appeared with Lindsay Crosby on the top-rated television special, The Edsel Show.
Their biggest hit was "26 Miles (Santa Catalina)," which was written by Belland and Larson and reached #2.
For a short period, Don Clarke replaced Marv Ingram while Marv finished college at UCLA, but he rejoined the group in 1960.
In 1960 they also recorded a parody single, "More Money for You and Me," which included single parody verses of several popular songs by The Fleetwoods, The Hollywood Argyles, The Platters, The Four Freshmen, The Kingston Trio and Dion and the Belmonts. The title parody, sung to the tune of "Tom Dooley," went like this:
Hang down the Kingston Trio,
Hang 'em from a tall oak tree;
Eliminate the Kingston Trio;
More money for you and me.
In 1966, David Somerville, formerly of The Diamonds, joined the group replacing Cobb. Belland and Somerville continued occasionally to perform as a duo after the breakup.
Belland continued writing songs for other singers, as well as writing television show scripts, eventually becoming a network executive. Cobb became a record producer and sound engineer. Larson became one of the most influential television producers in history, creating Battlestar Galactica and Knight Rider.
In the 1980s, Belland, Cobb, Somerville, and Jim Pike (formerly of The Lettermen) eventually formed a new "Four Preps" group, and went on to perform. J
Yester, Belland, and Somerville continued performing as a trio, using their last names, doing songs that were associated with The Four Preps, The Diamonds, and The Association.
Belland's daughters, Tracey Bryn Belland and Melissa Brooke Belland, followed in their father's footsteps as singers, forming a group named Voice of the Beehive
Got a Girl
The Four Preps Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't know what to do
When she's with me
It's plain to see
There's someone else there too
I'm wondring my only scheme
Was park with the other cars
She was happy as could be
Her eyes were full of stars
There was Fabian, Avalon, Ricky Nelson
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Bobby Rydell and I know darned well
Presley's in there too
I asked her friend, her very best friend
To plan some strategy
So she'd forget her other pets
And concentrate on me
This little gal said, listen pal
Don't worry, she loves you
I know she does with her big hugs
My little gal is true
She's been to Fabian, Avalon, Ricky Nelson too
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Bobby Rydell and I know darned well
Presley's in there too
What a night in the moonlight
I long to hold her tight
I plan the days and everything I'd say
The evening goes just right
She said no one else will do
Hold me, we're alone
But as she spoke her locket broke
And I guess I might have known
Inside was Fabian, Avalon, Ricky Nelson too
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Bobby Rydell and I know darned well
Presley's in there too
The Four Preps’ song "Got a Girl" is a humorous take on a teenage boy’s attempt to win the attention of his girlfriend, who is a huge fan of popular male singers of the 1950s such as Fabian, Avalon, Ricky Nelson, Bobby Rydell, and Elvis Presley. The song is set in a time period where teenagers were idolizing these stars, and their images were found on everything from lunchboxes to t-shirts. The boy in the song feels like he’s competing with these celebrities for his girlfriend’s attention.
The opening lines of the song capture the confusion the boy feels when he’s with his girlfriend. Although they are together, he knows there is someone else there too - the other male stars that she obsesses over. The boy feels like he can only win his girlfriend’s affection by outcompeting these other famous singers. He tries to strategize with her best friend to get his girlfriend to forget about the other stars and focus on him, but it seems like she just can’t let them go.
As the song progresses, the boy becomes more and more determined to win his girlfriend’s heart. He plans a romantic evening under the moonlight, hoping it will be the perfect opportunity to make his move. However, when he tries to get intimate with his girlfriend, her locket breaks, revealing pictures of all the other male singers she loves. The boy takes this as a sign that he’ll never be able to compete with these celebrities for his girlfriend’s love.
Overall, the song is a lighthearted commentary on teenage dating and the competition that boys faced with their girlfriends' celebrity crushes in the 1950s. The lyrics are filled with references to popular male singers of the time, making it a fun nostalgia trip for anyone familiar with that era.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I got a girl, what a girl
I have a girlfriend, and she is amazing
I don't know what to do
I feel overwhelmed with emotions and don't know how to handle them
When she's with me
When we are together
It's plain to see
It is obvious
There's someone else there too
She is also thinking about other guys
I'm wondring my only scheme
I am wondering about my only plan
Was park with the other cars
To park my car with the others
And when I did I could see
And when I did, I could observe
She was happy as could be
She was as happy as possible
Her eyes were full of stars
She was really enjoying herself
There was Fabian, Avalon, Ricky Nelson
There were other popular guys there like Fabian, Avalon and Ricky Nelson
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Repetitive sound effect to express excitement
Bobby Rydell and I know darned well
Another popular guy Bobby Rydell, and I know for sure
Presley's in there too
Elvis Presley is also involved with her
I asked her friend, her very best friend
I requested her closest friend to help me out
To plan some strategy
To develop a plan
So she'd forget her other pets
So she would stop thinking about other guys
And concentrate on me
And focus on me
This little gal said, listen pal
This little girl told me
Don't worry, she loves you
Don't worry, she loves only you
I know she does with her big hugs
I am sure because of how she hugs you
My little gal is true
My girlfriend is loyal
She's been to Fabian, Avalon, Ricky Nelson too
She has been involved with other popular guys like Fabian, Avalon, and Ricky Nelson
What a night in the moonlight
What a romantic night under the moonlight
I long to hold her tight
I desire to embrace her firmly
I plan the days and everything I'd say
I plan out what I would say and do
The evening goes just right
The night goes smoothly
She said no one else will do
She said that no one else can compare to me
Hold me, we're alone
Embrace me, we are the only ones here
But as she spoke her locket broke
As she spoke, her locket broke open
And I guess I might have known
I suppose I should have expected it
Inside was Fabian, Avalon, Ricky Nelson too
Inside her locket were pictures of Fabian, Avalon, Ricky Nelson along with me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Repetitive sound effect to express excitement
Bobby Rydell and I know darned well
Another popular guy Bobby Rydell, and I know for sure
Presley's in there too
Elvis Presley is also included
Contributed by Nathan P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ThePyramidone
Just discovered this song while it was being played on Sirius Satelite Radio - amazing song - one that my aunts danced to I'm sure. Incidently, Bobby Rydell passed away this week - Rest in Peace
@davidwalsh3439
A great song but very much of its time.
@Ro-Zizz
sekkund