The Hilltoppers were an American popular music singing group with a series … Read Full Bio ↴The Hilltoppers were an American popular music singing group with a series of hits; "Tryin", "PS I Love You", "I'd Rather Die Young", "To Be Alone", "Love Walked In", "From the Vine Came the Grape" and "Till Then", all top 10s, making The Hilltoppers one of the top US vocal groups of the 1950s.

Originally the group was a trio formed at Western Kentucky State College (now Western Kentucky University), Bowling Green, Kentucky. The original members were three students; Jimmy Sacca (born July 26, 1929, Lockport, New York, died March 7, 2015, in Lexington, Kentucky); Donald McGuire (born October 7, 1931, Hazard, Kentucky, died September 7, 2018, in Lexington, Kentucky); and Seymour Spiegelman (October 1, 1930 – February 13, 1987). Spiegelman was born in Seneca Falls, New York. They took their name from the nickname of the Western Kentucky athletic teams.

They later added a pianist, Billy Vaughn (April 12, 1919 – September 26, 1991). Vaughn was born in Glasgow, Kentucky. Vaughn was eventually to become famous in his own right as an orchestra leader.

In 1952 they recorded a song, "Trying", written by Vaughn. A local disc jockey sent a copy to Randy Wood at Dot, and he agreed to distribute the record. It became a Top 10 hit single. They went on to record a number of additional hits until their break-up. Their 1953 release, "P.S. I Love You," sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

Spiegelman died in New York City, NY. Vaughn died in Escondido, California. Sacca and McGuire both died in Lexington, Kentucky.

Hit records
Year Title Chart positions US CB UK
1952 "Trying" 7 5 —
1953 "Must I Cry Again" 15 22 —
"I Keep Telling Myself" 26 39 —
"If I Were King" 22 26 —
"I'd Rather Die Young (Than Grow Old without You)" 8 12 —
"P.S. I Love You" 4 5 —
"Love Walked In" 8 11 —
"To Be Alone" 8 14 —
1954 "'Till Then" 10 7 —
"Alone"(Jimmy Sacca, solo) — 28 —
"From the Vine Came the Grape" 8 3 —
"Time Will Tell" 27 38 —
"Poor Butterfly" 12 14 —
"Wrapped Up In a Dream" — 37 —
"Sweetheart (Will You Remember" 24 25 —
"If I Didn't Care" 17 18 —
"Time Waits for No One" 25 26 —
1955 "D-A-R-L-I-N'" — 16 —
"The Door Is Still Open to My Heart" — 22 —
"The Kentuckian Song" 20 22 —
"Only You (And You Alone)" 8 3 3
"Searching" 81 43 —
"My Treasure" 31 37 —
1956 "Ka-Ding-Dong" 38 17 —
"Tryin'" — — 30
1957 "Marianne" 3 2 20
"I Love My Girl" 75 45 —
"I'm Serious" 74 — —
"A Fallen Star" 58 24 —
"The Joker (That's What They Call Me)" 22 20 —

Trying
The Hilltoppers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm tryin' to forget you
But try as I may
Your still my every thought, dear
Every day
No use tryin' to forget you
'Cause I realize
That I'm tryin' to forget you
With tears in my eyes

And those teardrops only remind me
That I love you more and more
So I'll put my foolish pride behind me
And go knockin', knockin' at your door
And I'll be tryin' to impress you
Hopin' to possess you
Now I know I haven't a chance, dear
There's no denyin'
But you can't blame a fellow for tryin'

And those teardrops only remind me
That I love you more and more
So I'll put my foolish pride behind me
And go knockin', knockin' at your door
And I'll be tryin' to impress you
Hopin' to possess you
Now I know I haven't a chance, dear

There's no denyin'
But you can't blame a fellow for tryin'

Overall Meaning

The Hilltoppers' song "Trying" is a heartfelt ballad about a person's struggle to forget someone they once loved. The lyrics convey a sense of resignation, as the singer acknowledges that no matter how hard they try to forget their former love, they are unable to do so. The line "Your still my every thought, dear / Every day" captures the intensity of their feelings, while the repetition of "I'm tryin' to forget you / With tears in my eyes" further emphasizes their pain and longing.

Despite their best efforts to move on, the singer cannot help but be reminded of their love for the other person whenever they cry. The verses suggest a path forward, with the singer resolving to put their pride aside and try to win back the other person's affections. They admit that they may not have a chance, but they cannot help but try.

Overall, "Trying" is a touching reflection on the difficulties of letting go of love, and the pain that comes with it. The Hilltoppers' smooth vocal harmonies and understated instrumentation add to the emotional power of the song.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm tryin' to forget you
I am attempting to erase you from my memories

But try as I may
Although I am giving it my all

Your still my every thought, dear
You are constantly on my mind, my love

Every day
Each and every day that passes by

No use tryin' to forget you
It's pointless to even try

'Cause I realize
Because I am aware

That I'm tryin' to forget you
Even though I'm attempting to forget you

With tears in my eyes
While tears trickle down my face

And those teardrops only remind me
The tears serve as a reminder to me

That I love you more and more
That my love for you is constantly increasing

So I'll put my foolish pride behind me
I will forget any arrogance I may have and move on