The group consisted of:
Gene Puerling, bass-baritone, arranger and leader
Bob Strasen, baritone
Bob Morse, baritone and occasional soloist
Clark Burroughs, tenor
The Hi-Lo's tower among the most innovative and influential close harmony quartets of the postwar era, expanding the parameters of traditional pop via sophisticated, jazz-inspired arrangements that profoundly shaped the rock & roll generation who followed in the group's wake. So named for their expansive vocal range, the Hi-Lo's formed in Hollywood in early 1953 -- bass baritone Gene Puerling and baritone Bob Strasen first teamed in the Milwaukee-based Four Shades, while baritone Bob Morse and tenor Clark Burroughs previously collaborated as members of the Encores, a short-lived ensemble led by session vocal legend Randy Van Horne. After bandleader (and future film composing icon) Jerry Fielding recommended the Hi-Lo's to the fledgling L.A. label Trend, the group cut its debut EP in April 1953, scoring a minor local hit with "Georgia." "Love Me or Leave Me," recorded in support of singer Herb Jeffries, soon followed on Olympic.
While Burroughs' astounding lead vocals enabled Puerling the flexibility to create daring, stunningly complex arrangements some distance removed from the current chart fare, Trend resisted the Hi-Lo's more radical impulses, and in mid-1954 the quartet exited the label in frustration. They soon signed with Starlite, teaming with orchestral arranger and conductor Frank Comstock at the now-legendary Gold Star Studios, a facility famed for its singularly rich acoustics -- their debut album Listen! followed by year's end, trailed in 1955 by The Hi-Lo's, I Presume.
Although commercial success continued to elude the Hi-Lo's, the quartet emerged as a critical favorite, and successive LPs including Under Glass and On Hand further expanded their palette, with Puerling's increasingly challenging and beautiful arrangements over time incorporating elements of contemporary pop, barbershop, calypso and musical theater. In late 1956, the Hi-Lo's signed to Columbia, where their label debut Suddenly It's the Hi-Lo's sold in excess of 100,000 copies thanks to promotion via television's Nat King Cole Show; -- Rosemary Clooney then invited the group to join the cast of her syndicated variety show, and together they cut an album, Ring Around Rosie. A third Columbia date, Now Hear This, followed in 1957, the same year the Hi-Lo's made their feature film debut in Calypso Heat Wave.
Despite their growing media profile, the quartet's albums remained cult favorites at best, however, and Columbia A&R chief Mitch Miller consistently pressured Puerling to simplify his approach in favor of a more radio-friendly formula. The Hi-Lo's resisted, and while 1958's Marty Paich-produced And All That Jazz was their most consistent and rewarding release to date, sales were disappointing, and a year later Bob Strasen announced his resignation.
With the addition of tenor Don Shelton, the Hi-Lo's cut Broadway Playbill in 1960. It too failed to chart, and when the same fate met its follow-up This Time It's Love, Columbia cut its losses and let the group go. Avowed fan Frank Sinatra telegrammed the Hi-Lo's in 1962, inviting them to join his fledgling Reprise label; their two Reprise albums, The Hi-Lo's Happen to Folk Songs and The Hi-Lo's Happen to Bossa Nova, both aimed squarely at commercial trends and fell wide of the mark, and their tenure with the company proved brief. Don Shelton left the lineup in 1964 to join the Chicago vocal group the J's with Jamie, and the Hi-Lo's soldiered on, briefly adding singers Frank Howren and Milt Chapman before the commercial onslaught of rock & roll's British Invasion finally spelled their demise in 1965. While Bob Morse opened an antiques store, Clark Burroughs teamed with wife Marilyn in a folk-rock duo, and Gene Puerling assembled a new group, Singers Unlimited, recruiting Shelton as well as newcomers Len Dresslar and Bonnie Herman.
As the Hi-Lo's were celebrated as a seminal influence on West Coast harmony pop acts including the Beach Boys and the Mamas & the Papas, Singers Unlimited went on to cut a series of LPs for the German label MPS, which in 1977 suggested Puerling organize a Hi-Lo's reunion: Back Again hit retail a year later, its release announced with an appearance at the 1978 Monterey Jazz Festival. Now followed in 1980, and the group continued touring throughout the decade to come, finally calling it quits in 1994. Bob Morse died in 2001.
~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
Afterward, Puerling, Shelton and Burroughs still appeared very occasionally as the Hi-Lo's in and around Southern California. An accomplished reed player, Shelton has been a member of Clare Fischer's bands. Clark Burroughs is semi-retired and can sometimes be heard on film soundtracks.
On March 25, 2008, Gene Puerling died just shy of his 79th birthday.
Fools Rush In
The Hi-Lo's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I used to say
A game I thought I'd never play
"Romance is a game for fools"
I said and grinned
Then you passed by
And here am I
Throwing caution to the wind
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread
And so I come to you, my love, my heart above my head.
Though I see the danger there
If there's a chance for me, then I don't care
Mm-mm-mm-mm
Fools rush in where wise men never go
But wise men never fall in love, so how are they to know?
When we met, I felt my life begin
So open up your heart and let this fool rush in
Fools rush in where wise men never, never, never go
Eh, but wise men never fall in love, so how are they to know?
Ah, when we met, girl, I felt my life begin
So open up your heart and let this fool rush in
Just open up your heart and let this fool rush on in
Just open up your heart because I-I-I-I-I-I-I am coming in
Open up your heart and let this fool rush in!!
The Hi-Lo's song, Fools Rush In, portrays the idea of romance and how it's usually perceived as a foolish game, but sometimes, people are willing to take that risk and throw caution to the wind for the sake of love. The singer initially mocks the idea of romance by saying it is a game for fools, a game he had no intention of playing. However, when he sees the woman who he falls in love with, he changes his mind and becomes the "fool" who rushes in.
The song's chorus talks about the consequences of being impulsive in love as it says, "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread," emphasizing that people who are reckless in love tend to endure more risks. Even though he sees the danger in falling in love, he doesn't mind given the possibility of a relationship with the woman he loves. The line "But wise men never fall in love, so how are they to know?" shows how someone who makes a conscious decision about romance may never know the true rewards of being in love.
The singer doesn't want to overthink the situation and wants to experience the love he's found. The final lines of the song encourage the woman to open up her heart, allowing the singer to rush in headfirst. This song captures the universal experience of falling in love despite the risks and the potential to be hurt.
Line by Line Meaning
Romance is a game for fools
I thought I was too smart for love, but now I may be proven wrong
A game I thought I'd never play
I never thought I would fall in love, but here I am
Romance is a game for fools, I said and grinned
I used to mock love and romance, but now I am considering it seriously
Then you passed by, And here am I
I fell in love with you when I saw you, and now I cannot resist the temptation to pursue you
Throwing caution to the wind
I am taking a risk by following my heart and pursuing you
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread
People take risks in love that they wouldn't take anywhere else
And so I come to you, my love, my heart above my head.
My heart is leading me to pursue you with abandon, despite the risks involved
Though I see the danger there
I am aware of the risks and potential for heartbreak, but I cannot resist my feelings for you
If there's a chance for me, then I don't care
I am willing to take a chance on love, even if it means risking my heart
Fools rush in where wise men never go
People in love take risks and make decisions that may seem foolish to outsiders
But wise men never fall in love, so how are they to know?
Those who are too cautious to pursue love may miss out on the rich rewards of a meaningful relationship
When we met, I felt my life begin
I knew from the moment I saw you that you were the one for me and that my life would never be the same
So open up your heart and let this fool rush in
I am committing myself to you and I am willing to take a risk on love
Just open up your heart and let this fool rush on in
I am asking you to take a chance on me and let me show you the depth of my love
Open up your heart and let this fool rush in!!
I am expressing my passion for you and urging you to take the leap of faith with me
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Johnny Mercer, Rube Bloom
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind