The group was formed in late 1950s by Mike Barnett, Dick Stewart and Tony Butala. They auditioned for Jackie Barnett, chief comedy writer for the Jimmy Durante TV show. They landed the part to impersonate The Rhythm Boys, the vocal group that traveled with Paul Whiteman and his orchestra in the late 1920s, and gave Bing Crosby his initial fame. The "Newcomers of 1928" review opened on 28 February 1958 at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas, Nevada. This review also starred Paul Whiteman, Buster Keaton, Rudy Vallée, Harry Richmond and Fifi D'Orsay. They played to sell-out audiences and were held over for many weeks. This review also played a six week review at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida, with Butala being the only consistent Letterman. Barnett and Russell were replaced by Gary Clarke and Jerry Paul. When the review ended, Butala landed a job as singer/bass player in a lounge group, "Bill Norvas and the Upstarts", with Gary Clarke. After a few months, Clarke left the group and was replaced by Jim Pike. Pike and Butala decided to leave the Upstarts and resume the Lettermen although they had not yet decided to use the Lettermen name. Pike envisioned a group where each member was an excellent soloist as well as a competent group singer. Pike recommended the third Letterman should be Bob Engemann, a singer that Pike had met when he attended Brigham Young University a few years earlier. Both had come to Los Angeles, California, and sang together in different combinations until Engemann had go into the National Guard for 6 months. At that point, Pike joined Bill Norvis and met Butala. This combination first recorded in late 1959.
They secured a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records through Bob Engemann's older brother, Karl Engemann, who was a record producer there, and for whom Pike had released a record earlier called "Lucy D", which was not successful. Pike, Butala and Engemann as "The Lettermen" released two singles in 1960. The A-sides were "Two Hearts" and "There Hearts Were Full Of Spring". They were not successful. Karl Engemann moved on to Capitol Records as President of A&R. He got them out of their contract at Warner Bros., and made an appointment with Nick Venet, a producer at Capitol and they were signed.
There was another "Lettermen" group in the late 1950s and early 1960s that recorded for Liberty Records, (which was a major label at the time). They were an R&B group with five members, and their single was called "Hey Big Brain". But the "Lettermen" of Pike, Engemann and Butala had the first hit record, so they were entitled to exclusively use the "Lettermen" name. There was also a group in the mid 1950s called The Lettermen Trio, but had no record success.
The Lettermen were unknown until they signed with Capitol Records in 1961. Their first single for Capitol, "The Way You Look Tonight," succeeded on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart, and their next, "When I Fall in Love," reached the Top 10 in late 1962. They had several other Top 10 hits, such as the 1965's, "Theme From A Summer Place". In late 1967 Bob Engemann resigned, and was replaced by Jim Pike's younger brother, Gary Pike. The hits continued with the 1968 medley "Goin' Out of My Head"/"Can't Take My Eyes Off You", and in 1968 with "Put Your Head on My Shoulder", plus 1969's "Hurt So Bad", which reached number 12. The last successful single was in 1972, "Love" a solo by Pike.
The Lettermen have had 32 consecutive Billboard Magazine chart albums, 11 gold records, five Grammy nominations, an Andy Award, and a Cleo Award. In 1976, Jim Pike left the group and sold the Lettermen name to Butala.
In 1981 Gary Pike left the Lettermen, and today Jim and Gary Pike, along with Ric de Azevedo, sing The Lettermen hits, billed as Reunion.
In 1961, The Lettermen started performing live concerts doing over 100 shows a year, an unbroken string that continues to the present now amounting to 46 years.
Over the decades, the group has had various line-ups, replacing members who left for various reasons with new people to maintain a trio. Tony Butala, who (as of 2007) is still a member, has stated that the group ethos is that of three strong soloists that harmonize, and that the group encourages individual singing and songwriting.
They pride themselves in welcoming audience member photographs during the show, unlike many recording acts.
Come Back Silly Girl
The Lettermen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I made you cry for I had been untrue
And now I cry for you
Won't you come back silly girl, come back to me?
Come back silly girl, can't you see I'm in love? Oh oh
Your mother tells me that you're not at home
Oh I'm so lost and alone
Won't you come back silly girl, come back to me?
Come back silly girl, can't you see I'm in love?
Come back, my love, come back, my love
Don't know how long I can go on this way
I think of you most everyday
I only hope and pray
That you'll come back silly girl, come back to me
Come back silly girl, can't you see I'm in love?
Come back silly girl, can't you see I'm in love?
Come back silly girl, can't you see I'm in love?
Come back silly girl, can't you see I'm in love?
The Lettermen's song "Come Back Silly Girl" is a heart-wrenching plea from a man who realizes too late that he has wronged the one he loves. The singer expresses his feelings of sadness and regret for causing the woman to cry, admitting that he had been unfaithful. He now finds himself feeling lost and lonely, constantly thinking of her and hoping that she will return to him. The chorus repeatedly asks the woman to come back to him, emphasizing how much he loves her.
The lyrics convey a sense of remorse for the mistakes made in a relationship, and a yearning for forgiveness and reconciliation. The man seems to recognize the value of the love he shared with his partner, and is willing to do whatever it takes to win her back. The emotion in the singer's voice is palpable, making it easy for listeners to empathize with the situation.
Overall, "Come Back Silly Girl" is a poignant and relatable song about the ups and downs of love, and the importance of cherishing the people we care about most.
Line by Line Meaning
I go round moping and I go around blue
I am depressed and sad because of what I did to you.
I made you cry for I had been untrue
I hurt you and caused you to cry because I was not faithful to you.
And now I cry for you
I feel remorse and sadness because I miss you so much.
Won't you come back silly girl, come back to me?
Please come back to me, my love.
Come back silly girl, can't you see I'm in love? Oh oh
I still love you deeply and long for your return, silly girl.
Your mother tells me that you're not at home
I have been trying to reach you, but your mother tells me that you are not there.
Each time I call you on the telephone
I have been calling you repeatedly but cannot seem to get through to you.
Oh I'm so lost and alone
I feel hopeless and alone without you by my side.
Don't know how long I can go on this way
I cannot keep living without you, it is becoming unbearable.
I think of you most everyday
You consume my thoughts each and every day.
I only hope and pray
All I can do is hope and pray that you will come back to me.
That you'll come back silly girl, come back to me
I long for your return, silly girl, please come back to me.
Come back silly girl, can't you see I'm in love?
My love for you is real and I need you back in my life.
Come back silly girl, can't you see I'm in love?
I will never stop loving you, please come back to me.
Come back silly girl, can't you see I'm in love?
I am begging you to come back because I am still deeply in love with you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jim Hilliker
Another good one by The Lettermen. A friend of mine has this on his regular playlist on his oldies channel. Once, when I was shopping at a grocery store, and I found myself humming the music to this, and singing some of the words. I wasn't aware a woman had been watching me. She walked up to me and said, "That's a good old song.". I was a bit surprised xx and said, "Yes, it is." And I walked away. So, these records of the past mean something in various ways, depending on your memories of hearing a song. Thanks for the post.
sstavsky
I wonder if the title of the Goffin-King song, "Go Away, Little Girl" was inspired by "Come Back, Silly Girl." It's ironic that Steve Lawrence's version of "Come Back, Silly Girl" was not a hit, but "Go Away, Little Girl" was his biggest, reaching #1.
Phil Goulding
My ringtone! From my fave trio.
Raymond Malcuit
THE LETTERMEN VERSION OF THIS SONG, WENT TO NUMBER 17 ON THE BILLBOARD HOT-100 CHART IN 1962.
Michael Ginesi
One of their best and they had many. Don't make them like this anymore!
Brock White
A junior high favorite to dance to!
tony kondo
Brings back great memories I would go back in a second
Jim Phillips
This song came out when I was in high school i listen to it on my way over to Vietnam in 1970
Condy Love
My favorite lettermen song
Jim Phillips
I listen to this on my way over seas to war 1970