After The M… Read Full Bio ↴The Halos were an American doo wop group from The Bronx.
After The Mellows broke up, Arthur Crier formed The Halos. The original group consisted of J. R. Bailey (1st tenor), Harold Johnson (2nd tenor), Al Cleveland (baritone), and Arthur Crier (bass). Al Cleveland was from Pittsburgh and was in New York trying to make it as a singer. As fate would have it, he had been having absolutely no luck and was standing on Broadway waiting to catch a bus to go back home. Arthur and Carl Spencer had been doing some demo work and needed a third voice. As they left the Brill Building, they saw Cleveland and asked him if he could sing!
This Halos group recorded "Nag" (#25 Billboard Hot 100 in 1961) (with J.R. Bailey doing the “nagging sounds”). The flip (b-side of "Nag"), "Copy Cat", was actually a previously-recorded duet between Arthur and Carl, which had been done for Morty Craft.
J.R. Bailey decided that he didn't want to travel and was replaced by Phil Johnson, former lead of The Duvals on Kelit and Club. (Bailey later joined The Cadillacs)
While the Halos were riding on the charts with "Nag", Morty Craft decided to release two sides that the group had cut at the same session. L-O-V-E and Heartbreaking World. However, since the group already had a record going for them, Craft decided to call them the Craftys.
Several more singles followed, none of which reached the same level of chart success. However, the group continued to be busy on the studio scene, cutting several singles with singer Cammy Carol and adding doo wops and harmonies to two early Phil Spector productions, Curtis Lee's "Pretty Little Angel Eyes" and Gene Pitney's "Every Breath I Take". While The Halos would never achieve true stardom, Arthur Crier's influence as a musician certainly paid off for his family -- Crier's son Sabu Crier was a member of the group GQ, and Crier's grandson Keith Sabu Crier Jr. would become a major R&B star under the stage name Keith Sweat.
The Halos, besides doing their own material, became a very prolific backup group, interchanging members from session to session. The group often included Carl Spencer, Bobby Spencer, J.R. Bailey, and Gary Morrison. Some of their background work included Curtis Lee (Pretty Little Angel Eyes), Barry Mann (Who Put The Bomp), Ben E. King (Don't Play That Song), Connie Francis, Tommy Hunt, Bobby Vinton, the Coasters, Brian Hyland, Johnny Nash, Dion, Little Eva, Gene Pitney (Every Breath I Take), Shirley & Lee, Johnny Mathis, and many others too numerous to mention.
Hélium
The Halos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It is (this) party
It is (this) business
And it isn't
You set me up; I'm leveled now
And my shoes are worn and cracked from the wide, hard ground
"Put back the pieces and pull yourself together, man
(Son, you won't make it)
They can find him in broken spirits on a broken bed,
Dreaming of lead,
In the basement of a house where dreams go to die
The grass outside my tiny window shows evidence of prying eyes,
And I still don't care how bad they want you...
"Save his soul. Sort his goals."
Kneeling by the bedside light each night
While I lie in the next room,
Praying, "Please get me out of here alive."
"Oh, you're so morose...
And when you fail, I need to know. "
"We lock the doors at night, for fear that we are in your sights."
Son you won't make it
The lyrics of The Halos's song Helium are deeply emotional and thought-provoking. The song is about the struggles of an individual who is trying to find a way out of a difficult situation. The opening line "it is magnificent, it is party, it is business, and it isn't" is an ambiguous statement, which can be interpreted in different ways. It could mean that the singer is in a situation that seems glamorous and exciting on the surface, but underneath, it is causing him pain and suffering.
The line "You set me up; I'm leveled now, and my shoes are worn and cracked from the wide, hard ground" suggests that the singer was set up by someone, causing him to fall and hit rock bottom. He is now struggling to get back up and move forward with his life but is faced with many challenges. The following lines, "Put back the pieces and pull yourself together, man, we've got so much further to go" and "Son, you won't make it," indicate that the singer is receiving mixed messages from those around him. Some people are telling him to keep going and not give up, while others are telling him that he will never make it.
The second half of the song describes the singer's living situation. He is living in a basement, where dreams go to die, and is surrounded by people who are trying to save him but do not understand him. The line "we lock the doors at night, for fear that we are in your sights" suggests that the singer is viewed as a threat by those around him. The chorus, "Son, you won't make it," is repeated several times, reinforcing the idea that the singer is facing an uphill battle and might not succeed.
Line by Line Meaning
It is magnificent
This thing that we're doing is amazing and impressive.
It is (this) party
This is a good time, a celebration of sorts.
It is (this) business
This is serious and important; it's not just for fun.
And it isn't
But there's also something wrong here, something off.
You set me up; I'm leveled now
You've done something to hurt me, and I'm completely destroyed by it.
And my shoes are worn and cracked from the wide, hard ground
I've been walking a tough road for a long time, and it's taken a toll on me physically and emotionally.
"Put back the pieces and pull yourself together, man
We've got so much further to go"
(Son, you won't make it)
People are urging me to keep going and keep trying, but there's a deep sense of doubt that I'll be able to succeed.
They can find him in broken spirits on a broken bed,
Dreaming of lead,
In the basement of a house where dreams go to die
I'm in a really bad place right now, feeling hopeless and stuck in a place where nothing good ever happens.
The grass outside my tiny window shows evidence of prying eyes,
And I still don't care how bad they want you...
I know people are watching and judging me, but I'm still willing to risk it all for the person I care about.
"Save his soul. Sort his goals."
Kneeling by the bedside light each night
While I lie in the next room,
Praying, "Please get me out of here alive."
I'm desperate for someone to save me, but I'm trying to cling onto hope and keep fighting for myself.
"Oh, you're so morose...
And when you fail, I need to know. "
People around me are being unsupportive and almost sadistic in their desire to see me fail.
"We lock the doors at night, for fear that we are in your sights."
Son you won't make it
There are people who are afraid of me and what I might do, even though I don't think I have what it takes to make it through this.
Contributed by Eli N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Eli Rascal
Two years later. I just lost my brother in a car crash. Still the song that is helping put the pieces back together. Y’all will never know how much this song means to me. Thank you again.
ElSteveFFF
Love this song! I wish they were more well known! Have loved them since '08!
RavenSith
I saw these guys at a chiodos show. They absolutely blew me away. It was a pleasure meeting them. I bought their EP on the spot.
joseph garcia
damn i saw this band two years ago they were so so good and intense live it felt good to hear them and they are really nice dudes as well ha i hope they go far
maca
life changing tune... lost 3 members of my family a while ago.... just heard this tune.. and now im pulling back the piece's..... this tune gave me the boost i needed...... thanks halo's
CalFin
Honestly why are these guys not more recognised, there fucking awesome!
Eli Rascal
One of my favorite bands for a while, always said i would tour with them and I'm not giving up now. Having a bad day? Listen To helium
1JustLostTheGame
My brother knows the vocalist to halos pretty well. There absolutely amazing.
joseph garcia
yea i actually met them and saw them 2 years ago they were wesome i have been in love with them since
castro kevin
Very good