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.
Ramona
The Gaylords Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where the mountains high
Seem to kiss the sky
Someone is out yonder, o'er the hills
Waiting patiently, Waiting just for me
Ramona, I hear the mission bells above
Ramona, they're ringing out our song of love
To always remember the rambling rose you wear in your hair
Ramona, when day is done you'll hear my call
Ramona, we'll meet beside the water fall
I dread the dawn when I awake to find you gone
Ramona I need you my own
Let's wander out yonder o'er the hills
By a babbling brook
Where we'll find a nook
To build our own love nest, o'er the hills
Darling of my heart, Never more to part
Ramona, I hear the mission bells above
Ramona, they're ringing out our song of love
I press you, caress you, and bless the day you taught me to care
To always remember the rambling rose you wear in your hair
Ramona, when day is done you'll hear my call
Ramona, we'll meet beside the water fall
I dread the dawn when I awake to find you gone
Ramona I need you my own
The Gaylords's Ramona is a classic love song that paints a picture of a man wandering and searching for his love, Ramona, in the hills where the mountains seem to kiss the sky. He sings about someone waiting patiently for him just over the hills, and how much he needs her. The song is filled with imagery of nature, from the babbling brook to the rambling rose in her hair. The lyrics evoke a feeling of longing, and the mission bells ringing out their song of love add to the romanticism of the song.
The repeated chorus of “Ramona, I hear the mission bells above, Ramona, they're ringing out our song of love” adds to the nostalgic nature of the song, while the verse “I press you, caress you, and bless the day you taught me to care” speaks to the depth of the singer’s emotions. The song finishes with a promise to find a love nest where they’ll never have to part, and the singer’s proclamation that he needs Ramona as his own.
Overall, Ramona is a beautifully written and nostalgic song that captures the essence of love and longing. The imagery of wandering hills, babbling brooks, and mission bells ringing out their song of love all add to the romanticism of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I wander out yonder o'er the hills
I am walking out into the hills and mountains
Where the mountains high
The mountains are very tall
Seem to kiss the sky
They look like they are touching the sky
Someone is out yonder, o'er the hills
There is someone waiting for me out in the hills
Waiting patiently, Waiting just for me
They are waiting patiently for me to arrive
Ramona, I hear the mission bells above
I can hear the church bells ringing in the distance
Ramona, they're ringing out our song of love
The bells are playing a song that reminds me of our love
I press you, caress you, and bless the day you taught me to care
I hold you close, cherish you, and thank you for showing me how to love
To always remember the rambling rose you wear in your hair
I will never forget the beautiful rose you wear in your hair
Ramona, when day is done you'll hear my call
At the end of the day, I will reach out to you
Ramona, we'll meet beside the water fall
We'll meet by the waterfall
I dread the dawn when I awake to find you gone
I fear waking up to find out you're not here with me
Ramona I need you my own
I need you, my love, to be with me always
Let's wander out yonder o'er the hills
Let's go out together into the hills
By a babbling brook
Alongside a lovely small stream
Where we'll find a nook
We will find a cozy spot
To build our own love nest, o'er the hills
We will make a place for ourselves to love each other in the hills
Darling of my heart, Never more to part
You are the love of my life and we will never be separated
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: L. Wolfe Gilbert, Mabel Wayne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
tatubert82
I remember singing this song in high school .. I was 15 yrs. old & shook all the way through it but they clapped .. no boos!! What sweet memories these songs bring back to me!! Thank you & bless you!! tess
Francis Alan Wormald
AT 82 I so recall this fine & funny Group...I still play my C/D with their very best numbers!!!...I lucky to still be enjoying!!
Karen Benning
Ronnie Gaylord, Burt Bonaldi, and my Uncle Don Rea. All three talented men have passed on but what a wonderful gift of music they left the world!
Dim Man
Dear Karen please correct the biography of your Uncle Don Rea because it's appear to be alive and it's be 91 y.o. Thanks!
David M. Scott
They had such a romantic sound and very unique as compared to the other groups. They had powerful voices. The only other quartet that had that vocal strength was Al Alberts and The Four Aces. How lucky you were have your uncle Don as part of the wonderful music of that era.
murp h
Ronnie Gaylord ___ wonderful voice
David M. Scott
This came out when I was about 14 and really interested in pop music as it was all like this in the early 50’s .. romantic and Quartets where in Big. I remember a neighbour who was about 18 and part of a one. They all dressed in light green sport coats, dark green “draped pants” shirts and bow ties. How I envied him. When I started grade seven there were four seniors .. grade nine.. who would harmonize at recess and after lunch.
The 50s were a great time to be a teen as the world was recovering from WW2 and booming and life was not complicated for us lucky enough to have a good stable family life. I still listen to this music and still play in groups at 80 👍🏼
MultiSweener
My dad introduced me to this. Thanks Dad.
TheAloweWolf
Very Nice Song! I like!
TheSteamtramman
They look like the market spivs we used to have in London.....but it's a servicable version!!