(1934-1954)

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.

Sincerely Yours
The Ink Spots Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sincerely yours, I sign my heart
Sincerely yours, while we're apart

A friend should whisper things
Let rumors fly
Believe my heart
For darling hearts never lie

Sincerely yours, my love I send
Sincerely yours, until the end
And should you feel as I do
Drop me this line
Sincerely yours, you're mine

Sincerely yours honey, I sign my heart
Sincerely yours, while we're apart

A friend should whisper things
Just let the rumors fly
Believe my heart like you've always done
Remember, hearts never lie

Sincerely yours, my love I send
Sincerely yours, until the end
And should you feel as I do

Drop me this line
Sincerely yours, you're mine

Overall Meaning

The Ink Spots' "Sincerely Yours" is a romantic ballad about the feeling of separation from a loved one. The singer is expressing their love by signing their heart to their loved one. They are hoping that their loved one will believe their heart and trust them instead of listening to rumors that might fly when they are not together.

Throughout the song, the singer emphasizes the importance of trusting one's heart, stating that "darling hearts never lie." They urge their significant other to drop them a line if they feel the same way, signaling that they are still truly theirs.

The chorus repeats the phrase "sincerely yours" twice, becoming the signature phrase that the singer uses to communicate their feelings. The words "sincerely yours" are used in a traditional sense, as if the singer is signing a letter to their significant other.

Overall, the song captures the bittersweet feeling of being separated from a loved one and the desire to keep that love alive. The Ink Spots' smooth, soothing vocals and simple instrumentation make for a timeless ballad that is still loved today.

Line by Line Meaning

Sincerely yours, I sign my heart
Dearest love, I am completely devoted to you and pledge my heart to you

Sincerely yours, while we're apart
Even during times of physical distance, my affection for you remains strong

A friend should whisper things
True friends should share secrets with one another

Let rumors fly
Don't worry about gossip, it is meaningless and not worth your attention

Believe my heart
Trust in my love and sincerity

For darling hearts never lie
True love is always honest and sincere

Sincerely yours, my love I send
I send all of my love to you with genuine sincerity

Sincerely yours, until the end
I am yours completely and will be dedicated to you forever

And should you feel as I do
If you feel the same way about me

Drop me this line
Let me know, reach out to me

Sincerely yours, you're mine
I am yours, and you are mine, forever and always

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOSEPH E MALLOY, RICARDO PAGAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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