The Ink Spots were a vocal group in the 1930s and 1940s … Read Full Bio ↴(1934-1954)
The Ink Spots were a vocal group in the 1930s and 1940s that helped define the musical genre that led to rhythm and blues and rock and roll, and the subgenre doo-wop. They gained much acceptance in both the white community and black community largely due to the ballad style introduced to the group by lead singer Bill Kenny. They were inducted into the Rock & Roll hall of fame in 1999.
Their songs usually began with a guitar riff, followed by the tenor Bill Kenny, who sang the whole song through. After Kenny finished singing, the bass would either recite the first half, or the bridge of the song, or would speak the words, almost in a free form, that were not part of the song, commonly using the words "Honey Child", or "Honey Babe", expressing his love for his darling in the song. This was followed by Kenny, who finished up singing the last refrain or the last half of the song. On some songs Deek Watson would sing the lead rather than Bill Kenny. This was mostly on the uptempo "Jive" songs.
The Ink Spots formed in the early 1930s in Indianapolis. The founding members were :-
Orville "Hoppy" Jones (b. 17 February 1902, Chicago, Illinois – d. 18 October 1944, New York City) (bass) (Played cello in the manner of a stand up bass)[1]
Ivory "Deek" Watson (b. 18 July 1909, Mounds, Illinois – d. 4 November 1969, Washington, D.C.) (tenor) (Played guitar and trumpet)
Jerry Daniels (b. 14 December 1915 – d. 7 November 1995, Indianapolis, Indiana) (tenor) (Played guitar and ukulele)
Charlie Fuqua (b. 20 October 1910 – d. 21 December 1971, New Haven, Connecticut)
(baritone) (Played guitar)
*** BILL KENNY ***
The voice that made them famous Bill Kenny (Mr. Ink Spot) was born June 12th 1914 in Philadelphia PA, and died Mar 23rd 1978 in New West Minister, British Columbia. When Bill Kenny joined the group in 1936 they were mostly a "Jive" ensemble, performing swinging uptempo songs. It wasn't until The Ink Spots 1939 recording of "If I Didn't Care" that Bill Kenny's voice began being regularly featured on Ballads, which it was until The Ink Spots disbanded in 1954. Hits that feature Bill Kenny include "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire", "We Three", "The Gypsy", "Address Unknown", "With My Eyes Wide Open I'm Dreaming", "So Sorry", "Bless You", "My Prayer", "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall", "It's A Sin To Tell A Lie", It Isn't A Dream Anymore", and dozens of others. Bill Kenny has been listed as an influence by such great artists as Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Johnny Mathis, Sonny Till, Clyde McPhatter and many others. Bill Kenny is often noted as the father of Doo Wop for his high tenor singing and his introduction of the popular "Top & Bottom" format used by virtually every Doo Wop group in the 50's and 60's.
Since Bill Kenny broke up The Ink Spots in 1954 there have been well over 500 black vocal Quartets calling themselves The Ink Spots none of which have or had any original members. There are even groups still touring as The Ink Spots today. It is largely accepted that if the group didn't contain Bill Kenny then the group was/ is a fake.
Cold Cold Heart
The Ink Spots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That you're my every dream
Yet you're afraid each thing I do
Is just some evil scheme
A memory from your lonesome past
Keeps us so far apart
Why can't I free your doubtful mind
And melt your cold, cold heart
Another love before my time
Made your heart sad and blue
And so my heart is paying now
For things I didn't do
In anger unkind words are said
That make the teardrops start
Why can't I free your doubtful mind
And melt your cold, cold heart
You'll never know how much it hurts
To see you sit and cry
You know you need and want my love
Yet you're afraid to try
Why do you run and hide from lies
To try, it just ain't smart
Why can't I free your doubtful mind
And melt your cold, cold heart
There was a time when I believed
That you belonged to me
But now I know your heart
Is shackled to a memory
The more I learn to care for you
The more we drift apart
Why can't I free your doubtful mind
And melt your cold, cold heart
The Ink Spots's song "Cold Cold Heart" is a poignant ballad that expresses the pain of unrequited love. The first stanza sets up the premise of the song - the singer loves someone deeply, but this person thinks of everything the singer does as an "evil scheme." We learn that this is because of a past memory that keeps them apart. The singer wishes to "free your doubtful mind" and "melt your cold, cold heart." The second verse delves deeper into the cause of this person's coldness - it is because of another love that made their heart "sad and blue." The singer is paying for the consequences of something they did not do. The third verse includes a plea to stop running away from love: "You know you need and want my love, yet you're afraid to try." The chorus ends with a lament that the more the singer cares, the more they drift apart.
"Cold Cold Heart" is an example of the Ink Spots's signature sound - a doo-wop style vocal harmony that was popular in the 1930s and 1940s. The group was known for their smooth, crooning style and the song's lyrics fit that aesthetic perfectly. The low-key instrumentation and tempos in the song also match the melancholic tone of the lyrics. The song is written in the key of C.
Line by Line Meaning
I tried so hard, my dear, to show
I put in effort to show you that you are everything to me.
That you're my every dream
You are the only thing I desire.
Yet you're afraid each thing I do
You are suspicious of everything I do.
Is just some evil scheme
You think I have ulterior motives.
A memory from your lonesome past
There is a memory from your past that is keeping us apart.
Keeps us so far apart
This memory is creating distance between us.
Why can't I free your doubtful mind
I don't understand why I can't help you move past this memory.
And melt your cold, cold heart
And help you open up to me once again.
Another love before my time
You had a previous love before we met.
Made your heart sad and blue
This previous love caused you pain and sorrow.
And so my heart is paying now
I am paying for this pain and sorrow now.
For things I didn't do
Even though I wasn't the one who caused it.
In anger unkind words are said
We say hurtful things to each other when we are angry.
That make the teardrops start
These hurtful words lead to tears.
You'll never know how much it hurts
You will never truly understand how much it pains me.
To see you sit and cry
To witness you cry and be upset.
You know you need and want my love
You know that you desire and require my love.
Yet you're afraid to try
But you are hesitant to give it a chance.
Why do you run and hide from lies
Why do you avoid the truth?
To try, it just ain't smart
It's not wise to avoid it and not try.
There was a time when I believed
I used to believe that we belonged together.
That you belonged to me
That we were meant to be together.
But now I know your heart
But now I realize that your heart
Is shackled to a memory
Is still attached to a painful memory.
The more I learn to care for you
The more I fall in love with you.
The more we drift apart
But the further apart we become.
Why can't I free your doubtful mind
I am still unsure why I cannot help you move past your pain.
And melt your cold, cold heart
And help you be open and trusting with me again.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network
Written by: Hank Williams, Sr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind