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.
Prisoner Of Love
The Ink Spots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too weak to break the chains that bind me
I need no shackles to remind me
I'm just a prisoner of love
For one command I stand and wait now
From one who's master of my fate now
I can't escape for it's too late now
What's the good of my caring if someone is sharing those arms with me
Although she has another, I can't have another for I'm not free
She's in my dreams awake or sleeping
Upon my knees to her I'm creeping
My very life is in her keeping
I'm just a prisoner of love
What's the good of my caring if someone is sharing those arms with me
Although she has another, I can't have another for I'm not free
She's in my dreams awake or sleeping
Upon my knees to her I'm creeping
My very life is in her keeping
I'm just a prisoner of love
The Ink Spots' "Prisoner of Love" is a song that delves into the emotions of someone who is deeply in love with someone who does not reciprocate the same feelings. The lyrics paint a picture of someone who is in a state of helplessness and feels trapped by their love for this person. They are bound by the power that their lover holds over them, and they cannot break free from it.
The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest of it. The singer is alone, and he feels weak. He is unable to overcome the chains that bind him to his love. These chains are emotional, rather than physical, and serve to remind him that he is a prisoner of love. Despite this, he waits for his love's command, ready to do anything she asks of him. He believes that the person he loves is in control of his fate and accepts that he cannot change his situation.
The singer's situation is made worse by the fact that the person he loves is with someone else. He is unable to accept the possibility that someone else could be with her, and he cannot move on, as he is not free. He cannot help but dream of her both awake and asleep, and he admits that his very life is in her keeping. He is at the mercy of his feelings for her and cannot break away from them.
Overall, "Prisoner of Love" is a song that accurately captures the feelings of someone who is deeply in love with someone who does not feel the same. The lyrics effectively convey the sense of helplessness and entrapment that the singer feels.
Line by Line Meaning
Alone from night to night you'll find me
I am always alone and nobody is with me
Too weak to break the chains that bind me
I don't have enough strength to escape from the controlling force that holds me back
I need no shackles to remind me
I'm not physically tied up, but my emotional attachment is so strong that it's like being in chains
I'm just a prisoner of love
I am completely under the spell of love and have no control over it
For one command I stand and wait now
I am obediently waiting for the slightest sign of affection from the one I love
From one who's master of my fate now
The person I love has complete control over my life and destiny
I can't escape for it's too late now
I am too deeply in love to break free, even if I wanted to
What's the good of my caring if someone is sharing those arms with me
It doesn't matter how much I love someone if they are already in a relationship with someone else
Although she has another, I can't have another for I'm not free
Even though the person I love is not available, I cannot love someone else because I am still under the spell of love
She's in my dreams awake or sleeping
My love interest is always on my mind, whether I'm awake or asleep
Upon my knees to her I'm creeping
I am willing to do anything, no matter how low, to gain the love and affection of the person I love
My very life is in her keeping
My happiness, well-being, and existence itself is completely tied to the love and affection of the person I love
I'm just a prisoner of love
I have no control over my feelings of love and am completely captive to its power
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JOEL DIAMOND, L. RUSSELL BROWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@carlosa.sanchez896
Great song by a legendary group. It's part of the soundtrack for the psychological thriller,
"Delirium", used somewhat tongue in cheek, considering how it applies to the plot.
@ellenpearljackson5219
My dad taught me to enjoy and appreciate this beautiful group call The ink spots what a beautiful song
@mchapman132
My favorite group. They were fabulous.
@smithsonite
I loved this group when I was young.Still do. Feel like crying.
@catlover34fl
I love the Ink Spots. If only they had music like this today. It's all noise and gimmicks today. I have a few 78s of the Ink Spots that were in my late mother's collection. They were her favorite singing group especially during the second world war in the early 1940s.
@requiem165
There is still music like this being made today, just look for it
@ChristopherScottDixon
TY for the upload, magnificent as always! :-)
@robotubetwob
I want to live in the traverse between this and James Brown's version.
@ellenpearljackson5219
I feel the same way that you do I love both versions
@NukeABagel
I cant listen to this song without thinking of that awkward part of Eric Andre singing the first line