1. The Gaylords were an Ame… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists by this name:
1. The Gaylords were an American singing trio that had charting success during the 50s. They are perhaps best known for the hit "Tell Me You're Mine".
2. The Gaylords was a Scottish pop band originating from the east end of Glasgow, originally formed in 1961 as The Gaylords, and then later billed as Dean Ford and The Gaylords, recording four singles for Columbia (EMI). In 1966 they changed the band’s name to The Marmalade. The Gaylords (named after the notorious post war Chicago Gaylords street gang) were originally formed by Pat Fairley and Billy Johnston in Baillieston, a suburb east of Glasgow, in 1961. Their initial line-up included Tommy Frew on drums and lead guitarist Pat McGovern, fronted by vocalist Wattie Rodgers. William Junior Campbell joined on his fourteenth birthday on 31 May 1961 replacing McGovern, and Rodgers was then himself replaced, initially by two new lead vocalists, Billy Reid and Tommy Scott, although Reid soon departed leaving Scott as the sole frontman. Bill Irving, from local Baillieston group the Cadillacs, then took over from Johnston on bass.
The group began gathering notice and in 1963 Pat Fairley and Junior Campbell spotted Thomas McAleese, singer with local group The Monarchs, at the Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow, and it was not long before he replaced Scott as lead singer. Thomas then adopted the stage moniker Dean Ford, and they then became known as Dean Ford and The Gaylords. Raymond Duffy, from Glasgow group the Escorts, then came in on drums after Frew departed. For a few months, they had an organist, Davey Hunter. By early 1965, Graham Knight, from the local group the Vampires, had displaced Irving on bass.
Becoming popular in Scotland, and under the management of Billy Grainger, in early 1964 they were championed by Scottish music journalist Gordon Reid, which led to them being signed to Columbia (EMI) by Norrie Paramor after auditions at Glasgow's Locarno Ballroom. They went on to record four singles, including a cover of the 1963 Chubby Checker US hit "Twenty Miles", which was a big seller locally but failed to chart nationally. The Columbia releases, although uncredited, were all produced by Bob Barratt, EMI staff producer, with Norrie Paramor as executive. Paramor played the celesta on "What's The Matter With Me"; the b-side of "Twenty Miles". In 1965, they played a long stint in Germany at the Storyville in Cologne and also in Duisburg. By this time The Gaylords had attained status as one of the top groups in Scotland, borne out in music poll results, but were ambitious, and so on their return from Germany to London in early 1965, they decided to try for success in the UK as a whole, and remained in London, where they changed management and agency representation, as Billy Grainger wished to remain in Glasgow.
On the recommendation of the Tremeloes, who had played with them in Glasgow, The Gaylords were invited to join the London-based agency Starlite Artistes, owned and managed by Peter Walsh. They then began to build up a club reputation as a tight, close harmony band and in 1966, finding themselves in the middle of the 1960s swinging London scene, they decided to update their image and instrumentation. On the advice of their new manager, they changed the band name to The Marmalade.
Dean Ford died in January 2019.
3.The Gaylords are a four-piece Scottish alternative rock band from Cumbernauld, previously known as the Celestians.
Little Shoemaker
The Gaylords Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Making a pair of shoes
Lei scarpini de bailar, bailar
Bailaremos tutusi
Lei scarpini de bailar, bailar
Bailaremos con cosí
In the shoemaker's shop this refrain would never stop
At his bench, there was he, just as busy as a bee
Little time to lose for the boots and shoes
But his heart went pop inside the little shop
When a lovely girl set them all a-whirl
She had come to choose some pretty dancing shoes
And he heard her say in a charming way
Shoes to set my feet a-dancing, dancing
Dancing, dancing all the day
Shoes to set my feet a-dancing, dancing
Dancing all my cares away
Then he tapped and he stitched for his fingers were bewitched
Then he sewed a dream into every seam
Making shoes, oh, so neat just like magic on her feet
And he hoped she'd know that he loved her so
But she danced, danced, danced as though she were entranced
Like a spinning top all around the shop
On her dainty feet she whirled into the street
And he heard her say as she danced away
Lei scarpini de bailar, bailar
Bailaremos tutusi
Lei scarpini de bailar, bailar
Bailaremos con cosí
Shoes to set my feet a-dancing, dancing
Dancing all my cares away
All my cares away
"The Little Shoemaker" is a song that tells the story of a shoemaker who falls in love with a woman who visits his shop to buy shoes for a dance. The lyrics are written in a mix of Italian and English and are filled with tapping and stitching sounds that evoke the hard work of the shoemaker. The song begins with the shoemaker tapping and sewing away, making a pair of shoes for a dance. A woman enters his shop and he falls in love with her at first sight. He makes her a pair of shoes that fit her dainty feet perfectly and hopes that she will know how much he loves her. She dances away, leaving the shoemaker heartbroken.
The song is a classic love story, told through the art of shoemaking and dancing. The tapping and stitching sounds of the shoemaker's work create a rhythm that is both catchy and meaningful. They form the backdrop for the shoemaker's love for the woman who dances away, leaving him to stitch and tap into the night.
Overall, "The Little Shoemaker" is a charming song that tells a lovely love story in a unique way.
Line by Line Meaning
Tap, tap, stitch and tap
The sound of the shoemaker's work as he taps and stitches away at his bench.
Making a pair of shoes
The shoemaker is creating a pair of shoes, working diligently to make them perfect.
Lei scarpini de bailar, bailar
The girl is looking for a pair of dancing shoes, and the shoemaker speaks to her in Italian.
Bailaremos tutusi
The shoemaker is excited to help the girl dance and envisions himself dancing with her.
In the shoemaker's shop this refrain would never stop
The shoemaker works tirelessly in his shop, with the sound of his work becoming a constant refrain.
As he tapped away, working all the day
The shoemaker occupies himself with his work, tapping and stitching away throughout the day.
At his bench, there was he, just as busy as a bee
The shoemaker is hard at work at his bench, much like a bee working industriously at its hive.
Little time to lose for the boots and shoes
The shoemaker is focused on his work, with little time to waste on anything else.
But his heart went pop inside the little shop
Despite his busy work, the shoemaker's heart is stirred when the girl comes into his shop.
When a lovely girl set them all a-whirl
The girl's presence in the shoemaker's shop causes everything to come alive and spin around.
She had come to choose some pretty dancing shoes
The girl's purpose in visiting the shoemaker's shop is to find a pair of shoes for dancing.
And he heard her say in a charming way
The shoemaker hears the girl speak with charm and is captivated by her voice.
Shoes to set my feet a-dancing, dancing
The girl is looking for shoes that will allow her to dance energetically and joyfully.
Dancing, dancing all the day
The girl envisions herself dancing for hours and hours with her new shoes.
Then he tapped and he stitched for his fingers were bewitched
The shoemaker is so entranced by the girl that he works on her shoes with enchantment in his fingers.
Then he sewed a dream into every seam
The shoemaker imbues the shoes with all of his hopes and dreams for the girl.
Making shoes, oh, so neat just like magic on her feet
The shoemaker takes great care in creating the shoes so that they will fit the girl perfectly and feel magical on her feet.
And he hoped she'd know that he loved her so
The shoemaker secretly loves the girl and hopes that she will feel the same way about him, though he doesn't directly express it.
But she danced, danced, danced as though she were entranced
The girl is so excited about her new shoes that she dances energetically and joyfully, as if under a spell.
Like a spinning top all around the shop
The girl moves around the shop swiftly, spinning like a top in her new shoes.
On her dainty feet she whirled into the street
The girl dances out of the shop and into the street, continuing to enjoy her new shoes.
And he heard her say as she danced away
The shoemaker hears the girl express her joy at having found the perfect dance shoes and knows that she has no idea of his true feelings for her.
Lei scarpini de bailar, bailar
The girl continues to speak in Italian, caught up in the excitement of her new shoes and dancing.
Bailaremos con cosí
The girl expresses her joy at the prospect of dancing with the same Italian phrase as earlier.
Shoes to set my feet a-dancing, dancing
The girl reiterates that her new shoes have transformed her into a dancing machine.
Dancing all my cares away
The girl is so caught up in her dancing that she forgets all her cares and worries.
All my cares away
Dancing in her new shoes brings the girl a sense of peace and freedom from her worries and problems.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Francis Lemarque, Geoffrey Parsons, James John Phillips, Rudi Revil
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Seventh Mist
My brother and I played this song in our grandparents' basement on their old Philco 78 rpm turntable when we were kids in the 60s. What a great memory.
Lilian Gardner
Same here.
DE A
Omg... I can't believe I found this song from when I was little. I loved listening to it! Beautiful memories!
Sara Grant
So many thanks for the " Little shoemaker"! It was my first song I remember my father taught me and I used to perform it singing and dancing as a very little girl (about 3yrs old perhaps!)on the family gatherings, lol! Nostalgic and magic! Cheers!
Andrea Everson
I wore this record out. My mom would play it all the time.
John Smith
When I was small (about 6-7 years old) I remember hearing this song on the radio along with other music that was before rock and roll. Loved it.
Lee Bondy
I don't remember what year this song came but u knoe it in the early 50's. I was about 5 or 6. I kept playing it over and over till i couldn't sing anymore. I think i wore my vocal chords out.
jim young
I've had this song in my head since I first heard it a long time ago.
Jennie Anderson
What wonderful memories this little song brings back!!! I remember dancing all around our playroom, to it!!! 💃🏽✨✨✨
blsdaniel Munster
A favorite of my father. I lost him seven years ago but just recovered this. God bless YouTube.