The band was formed in 1994 after drummer Al Sobrante left the previous incarnation, The Ne'er Do Wells. Sobrante was replaced by drummer Julie, formerly of Red #9. Julie remained with the band through the recording of the first Lookout! Records album Welcome To My Mind. The title track was a minor hit on college radio and modern rock stations.
Julie left the band for personal reasons and was replaced by Evan from Benicia. The band was asked to open for Green Day during the 1994 Dookie tour, along with Pansy Division. Evan left the band after the tour and was replaced by Danny Seelig from the Phantom Surfers.
The band won a category in the 1996 Bay Area Music Awards ("Bammies") for "Outstanding Alternative Pop/Rock Group" and embarked on a tour in the United States and even a tour in Japan with the Mr. T Experience. While on U.S. tour with The Queers, Jess and Danny both quit the band onstage after a fight. They returned to record the second album And A Whole Lotta You, but both were soon replaced with Steve Faine, previously of Decal and The Stimmies; and Gary Gutfeld of Redemption 87.
The 1998 album Get Down followed but the band never quite recovered from the loss of Hilliard, who was really the heart and soul of the band. John Denery got married and moved to Hawaii, while Chris Imlay became an art director for such magazines as Gearhead and MacAddict. The band played a couple of shows in 2005, but the future of The Hi-Fives is unknown.
Love You Better
The Hi-Fives Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby
That's the only thing I've plenty of
Baby
Dream awhile, scheme awhile, baby
We're sure to find, ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba
Happiness and I guess
All those things you, have ba-ba-ba-be-boo
Gee, I'd like to see you looking swell, ba-baby
Ba-ba-ba-be-boo
Diamond bracelets
Woolworth does not sell, baby
My little ba-ba-bay-ba-doe
Till that lucky day
Lucky day, you know darned well
Ba-be-bay, ba-ba-ba
I can't give you anything but love
The Hi-Fives's song Love You Better is a classic example of a retro "doo-wop" love song. The opening stanza speaks of the limits of the singer's offerings, but explains that the one thing they can offer without measure is love. The singer says they have plenty of love to give, although they may not have material possessions or riches to offer. The next stanza goes on to express the singer's desire to see their love looking great with diamond bracelets and in good health, but they cannot give these things until the day of luck arrives. The song is full of playful phrases and repeated sounds like "ba-ba-ba", which give it a fun, charming quality.
The lyrics of Love You Better are sweet and straightforward, emphasizing the simple pleasures of love, such as dreaming and scheming together to find happiness. The song reflects the social and political trends of the 1950s in the United States, where it was common for romantic love to be expressed through light-hearted, fun songs like this one. The upbeat, lively tune of the song encourages its listeners to dance and sing along, creating an atmosphere of joy and happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't give you anything but love
I may not have material possessions to offer, but I can give you love
Baby
Term of endearment for the person being addressed
That's the only thing I've plenty of
Love is the one thing that I have in abundance
Dream awhile, scheme awhile, baby
Let's dream and plan for a better future together
We're sure to find, ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba
We will definitely discover
Happiness and I guess
We will find happiness, I assume
All those things you, have ba-ba-ba-be-boo
All the things you want, yeah yeah yeah
Gee, I'd like to see you looking swell, ba-baby
I would love to see you looking your best
Ba-ba-ba-be-boo
Sound effect indicating affection or attraction
Diamond bracelets
Expensive luxury items
Woolworth does not sell, baby
I can't afford to buy you extravagant gifts
My little ba-ba-bay-ba-doe
Another term of endearment for the person being addressed
Till that lucky day
Until the day when I am able to provide more materially
Lucky day, you know darned well
The day when I can give you more is the lucky day we both long for
Ba-be-bay, ba-ba-ba
Sound effect indicating affection or attraction
Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ben - Moderator
on Welcome to My Mind
Lyrics have now been updated - thanks Tehya
Tehya
on Welcome to My Mind
these aren't even the right lyrics? someone probably put lyrics for a different song with the same title.