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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

I Ain't Never
The Four Preps Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

{Welllllllllll, I ain't never
I ain't never
A-seen nobody like you
No no no}
Never, have I ever
{A-seen nobody like you}

{You call me up to say you'll meet me at nine

I have to hurry hurry that I'm there on time
I walk right up and knock on your door
The landlord says she ain't here no more}

{I ain't never}, oh darling
{A-seen nobody like you}
Boo-hoo but I love you
Yeah I love you
{I love you just the same}

{You tell me sweet things that you don't mean
You got me a-livin' in a honey dream
You make me do things I don't wanna do}
My friends'll say, "Webb what's wrong with you?"

{I ain't never}, oh darling
{A-seen nobody like you}
Boo-hoo but I love you
Yeah I love you
{I love you just the same

I love you just the same
I love you just the same}

Overall Meaning

The Four Preps's song "I Ain't Never" is a track that speaks to a person not being able to find someone quite like the person they are singing about. The lyrics suggest that the singer is in love with this person, but their affection is not being returned as it should be. The song starts off with the singer expressing that they have never seen someone like the person they are singing about, which shows that this person is unique and special in their eyes.

As the song goes on, the lyrics explain that the singer is willing to do anything for the person they love, including getting to their meeting place on time, even if they have to rush. However, when the singer reaches the person's door, they find out that the person has moved out. The line "landlord says she ain't here no more" suggests that the person has left without any warning or explanation, leaving the singer heartbroken and confused.

The chorus repeats itself a few times, reminding the listener that the singer has never seen anyone like the person they are singing about. The second verse speaks on how the person who the singer is in love with says sweet things that they don't mean, leading the singer to have high hopes and expectations, only to be let down. The verse also expresses how this person makes the singer do things they don't want to do, which confuses the singer even more. The chorus repeats once more, ending the song on a note of denial and acceptance of the singer's unrequited love.

Line by Line Meaning

Welllllllllll, I ain't never
I must confess that I have never

I ain't never
I have never

A-seen nobody like you
Encountered someone like you before

No no no
Absolutely not

Never, have I ever
In all my life, I've never

A-seen nobody like you
Come across anyone quite like you

You call me up to say you'll meet me at nine
You give me a ring and say let's meet at nightfall

I have to hurry hurry that I'm there on time
I have to rush to make sure I arrive on time

I walk right up and knock on your door
I approach your doorstep and knock on the door

The landlord says she ain't here no more
The owner tells me you're not around here anymore

I ain't never
I have never