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.
Once Again
The Hi-Lo's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanna hold you again like before
When we love each other
Baby like no other
So darlin' if you love me
I'll take care of you
And you know it's true
Just like you did when you left without me
You broke my heart
Now it's torn apart
So if I give you one more try
Will you ever make me cry
Girl I, I need to know
If you'll ever feel the same
'cause I, I never changed
My feeling for you
Music
Girl I need to know
If you'll ever feel the same
'cause I, I never changed
My feeling for you
Now that you know how I feel about you
I gotta know how you been without me
'cause I wanna know
I feel I can't move on
'cause baby I love you
The lyrics of The Hi-Lo's's song "Once Again" convey a longing to rekindle a past love. The singer expresses a deep desire to feel the love and hold their partner again, reminiscing about a time when their love was unmatched. The lyrics suggest that their love was unique and special, insinuating that the singer will take care of their partner if they reciprocate the love.
However, there is also a sense of doubt and hesitation in the lyrics. The singer questions whether their partner will ever abandon them again, just as they did in the past. The heartbreak caused by the previous departure has left the singer's heart shattered. Despite this fear, the singer contemplates giving their love another chance, unsure if their partner will make them cry once more.
The singer openly expresses their vulnerability and need for reassurance from their partner. They yearn to know whether their partner will ever feel the same love they once shared, emphasizing that their own feelings have never changed. The lyrics imply that the singer believes their love is still intact and hopes that their partner feels the same way.
Overall, "Once Again" explores themes of nostalgia, longing, doubt, and the desire to reconnect with an old love. It captures the complexities of relationships and the yearning to recapture what was lost.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna feel your love once again
I long to experience the warmth and affection of your love one more time
I wanna hold you again like before
I desire to embrace you tightly, just like we used to
When we love each other
During the time when our love was strong and reciprocal
Baby like no other
In a unique and exceptional way, my dear
So darlin' if you love me
Therefore, my love, if you truly care for me
I'll take care of you
I will ensure your well-being and happiness
And you know it's true
You are fully aware and acknowledge the sincerity of my words
I got to know if you'll ever desert me
I must ascertain whether you will ever abandon me
Just like you did when you left without me
Similar to the time you departed without me, causing great pain
You broke my heart
You shattered my fragile emotions
Now it's torn apart
Now my heart is damaged and in pieces
So if I give you one more try
Therefore, if I grant you another chance
Will you ever make me cry
Will you ever cause me to shed tears of sadness
Girl I, I need to know
My dear, I truly need to have clarity
If you'll ever feel the same
Whether you will ever experience the same emotions as before
'cause I, I never changed
Since I, myself, have never altered my feelings
My feeling for you
My profound emotions directed towards you
Now that you know how I feel about you
Now that you are aware of the depth of my sentiments towards you
I gotta know how you been without me
I must learn about your experiences and life in my absence
'cause I wanna know
Because I have a strong desire to understand
I feel I can't move on
I sense that I am unable to progress and let go
'cause baby I love you
Because, my dear, I am deeply in love with you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
C Es
Great variation of this song. The adaption from Portuguese to English is perfect!