Jimmy Castor (June 23, 1947 – January 16, 2012) was an American pop and fun… Read Full Bio ↴Jimmy Castor (June 23, 1947 – January 16, 2012) was an American pop and funk musician. A master of novelty/disco funk, saxophonist Jimmy Castor started as a doo wop singer in New York. He wrote and recorded "I Promise to Remember" for Wing With the Juniors in 1956, a group whose roster included Al Casey Jr., Orton Graves, and Johnny Williams. Castor replaced Frankie Lymon in the Teenagers in 1957 before switching to sax in 1960. He appeared on several soul-jazz and Afro-Latin sessions and had a solo hit with "Hey Leroy, Your Mama's Callin' You" on Smash in 1966. Castor also played sax on Dave "Baby" Cortez's hit "Rinky Dink." He formed the Jimmy Castor Bunch in 1972 and signed with RCA. Their first release, It's Just Begun, launched Castor's next phase with the song "Troglodyte (Cave Man)." It was a Top Ten R&B and pop smash. Castor continued the trend in 1975 with "The Bertha Butt Boogie" and later recorded "E-Man Boogie," "King Kong," "Bom Bom," and "Amazon." The Castor band included keyboardist/trumpeter Gerry Thomas, bassist Doug Gibson, guitarist Harry Jensen, conga player Lenny Fridle Jr., and drummer Bobby Manigault. Thomas left to join the Fatback band. Castor recorded as a solo performer from 1976 until 1988. He had one of his bigger hits in many years with a 1988 revival of "Love Makes a Woman," which paired him with disco diva Joyce Sims. Castor had his own label, Long Distance, in the '80s. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide.

Discography

Most Popular albums

1972 It's Just Begun
1995 The Everything Man: The Best of the Jimmy Castor Bunch

Album

1981 Remembers Yesterday
1980 C
1977 Maximum Stimulation
1976 E Man Groovin'
1975 Super Sound
1975 Butt of Course
1973 The Everything Man
1973 Dimension III
1972 Phase Two
1972 It's Just Begun
1967 Hey Leroy

Box Set/Compilation

It's Just Begun/Phase Two
2002 16 Slabs of Funk
2000 Jimmy Castor Bunch
1995 The Everything Man: The Best of the Jimmy Castor Bunch
1995 Hey Leroy, Your Mama's Calling
1976 Best of the Jimmy Castor Bunch
Single/EP
2002 It's Just Begun/Troglodyte Cave Man
1972 Luther the Anthropoid/Party Life

Also Appears On

Original Solid Gold Hits, Vol. 2
2006 Soul Power Instrumentals
2005 Salsoul Presents: Latin Funk Flavas
2004 Salsoul Presents: The Definitive 12" Masters, Vol. 2
2004 Salsoul Presents: The Salsoul Acappellas
2002 Doo Wop Underground

I Promise
The Jimmy Castor Bunch Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I promise to love you no matter what you do
I want you, I need you
I love you through and through
I promise, promise to be true

I promise to remember the meaning of romance
If I've done something wrong
Give me one more chance

I promise, promise to be true

My darling, I have promised to give you my heart
Oh darling, promise me we will never part
I know I'm not a king and I'm not very wise
But one thing you must realize

I promise to remember the meaning of romance
If I've done something wrong
Give me one more chance
I promise, promise to be true

My darling, I have promised to give you my heart
Oh darling, promise me we will never part
I know I'm not a king and I'm not very wise
But one thing you must realize

I promise to remember the meaning of romance
If I've done something wrong

Give me one more chance
I promise, promise to be true

Overall Meaning

The Jimmy Castor Bunch's song "I Promise To Remember" is a heartwarming vow of love and loyalty from the singer to his beloved. The lyrics express the singer's deep affection for his partner, promising to love them unconditionally, to always be true, and to remember the meaning of romance. The repetition of the phrase "I promise" emphasizes the importance and sincerity of his vows. The lyrics also portray the singer's vulnerability, admitting that he is not perfect but willing to learn from mistakes and asking for forgiveness.

One interesting aspect of this song is that it was released in 1967, during the height of the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War protests. The lyrics can be seen as a soothing antidote to the social and political unrest of the time, offering a message of hope and love. Another interesting fact is that the song's melody and arrangement borrow heavily from doo-wop and R&B styles of the 1950s, reflecting the influence of these genres on the emerging soul and funk music of the 1960s.

"I Promise To Remember" was also covered by several other artists, including Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers, who first released the song in 1955. The popularity of the song led to its use in several films and TV shows, including the 1973 film "American Graffiti" and the TV series "The Wonder Years."

Line by Line Meaning

I promise to love you no matter what you do
I commit to loving and caring for you regardless of your actions or behavior.

I want you, I need you
I desire and depend on you for my emotional fulfillment.

I love you through and through
My love for you is complete and unconditional, covering all aspects of your personality and character.

I promise, promise to be true
I vow to remain faithful and loyal to our relationship.

My darling, I have promised to give you my heart
My dear, I have pledged to entrust my emotions and love to you.

Oh darling, promise me we will never part
Sweetheart, grant me the assurance that we will always be together and never separate.

I know I'm not a king and I'm not very wise
I acknowledge that I am not a royalty or a highly intelligent person.

But one thing you must realize
However, there is one important thing I want you to understand.

I promise to remember the meaning of romance
I commit to keeping the passion and affection in our relationship alive and well.

If I've done something wrong
In case I have made any mistake or misstep.

Give me one more chance
Please grant me another opportunity to make things right.

I promise, promise to be true
I swear again to stay committed and honest in our relationship.

I promise to remember the meaning of romance
I commit to keeping the passion and affection in our relationship alive and well.

If I've done something wrong
In case I have made any mistake or misstep.

Give me one more chance
Please grant me another opportunity to make things right.

I promise, promise to be true
I swear again to stay committed and honest in our relationship.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIMMY CASTOR, JIMMY SMITH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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