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.
Don't Tell A Lie About Me Dear
The Ink Spots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I won't tell the truth about you
Why tell a lie, ′till you see, dear
If all of those things are true
Honest and truly, I love you
Remember, you loved me too
So, don't tell a lie about me, dear
Don′t go out and tell a lie about me, honey
And I′ll grant ya
I sure won't tell the truth about you
I want to know
Why tell a lie until you see, honey child
If all them things you talk about is really true
Honest and truly darling, I love you
And I can remember the time
When you used to say
That you loved me too
So, don′t tell a lie about me, dear
And I won't tell the truth about you
The Ink Spots's song "Don't Tell A Lie About Me Dear" is a plea for honesty and integrity. The lyrics suggest that the singer has been the target of malicious rumors or gossip, and he's warning his subject not to spread lies about him. He promises that he won't spread the truth about the subject, either, indicating that there may be something unflattering they could reveal. By implying that both parties may have secrets or flaws, the song seems to recognize the complexity of human relationships and communication.
The repetition of the phrase "don't tell a lie" highlights the importance of honesty and trust in any relationship. The use of endearments such as "dear" and "honey" adds a personal touch to the song and suggests that the singer is speaking directly to someone he cares for deeply. The line "why tell a lie until you see, dear, if all of those things are true?" suggests that the singer is willing to hear the truth about himself if it's presented honestly and constructively.
The song's gentle melody and harmonies reflect the soothing nature of the message. The Ink Spots were known for their smooth and mellow vocal style, and "Don't Tell A Lie About Me Dear" is a quintessential example of their sound.
Line by Line Meaning
Don′t tell a lie about me, dear
Please do not spread untrue rumors about me, my love.
And I won't tell the truth about you
I will not reveal any secrets or negative information about you in return.
Why tell a lie, ′till you see, dear
Before spreading any rumors or lies, please wait until you have confirmed if they are actually true.
If all of those things are true
In case the rumors are actually true, then there would be no need to lie about them.
Honest and truly, I love you
I truly and sincerely love you.
Remember, you loved me too
I want you to recall that you too have expressed your love for me in the past.
Don′t go out and tell a lie about me, honey
My darling, please refrain from telling any false information about me to others.
And I′ll grant ya
And in return for this favor,
I sure won't tell the truth about you
I assure you that I will keep your secrets and not tell anyone anything negative about you.
I want to know
I am interested in understanding
Why tell a lie until you see, honey child
What is the reason for spreading false information without verifying if it is true, my dear?
If all them things you talk about is really true
If the rumors that you spread are truly based in reality,
And I can remember the time
I still recall the specific moments
When you used to say
When you expressed to me in the past
That you loved me too
That you also loved me sincerely
So, don′t tell a lie about me, dear
In conclusion, please do not spread false rumors about me, my love.
And I won't tell the truth about you
And I will keep our secrets safe and not reveal anything negative about you in return.
Writer(s): James Cavanaugh, Frank Weldon, John Redmond
Contributed by Ian J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.