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.
O
The Lettermen Lyrics
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It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
The Lettermen's "O Holy Night" is a Christmas song that speaks about the birth of Jesus Christ, the savior of the world. The first stanza starts with "O Holy Night! The stars brightly shining; It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth." The song emphasizes the night on which Jesus Christ was born, which was a holy night. The world was in sin and error, but the coming of Christ brought hope to the people. The second stanza speaks about the three wise men who were led by faith to find the baby Jesus in a manger. The birth of Christ is a symbol of love, peace, and hope for humanity, as represented in the lyrics, "Truly He taught us to love one another, His law is love and His gospel is peace."
The entire song is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the most important figure in Christianity. The lyrics are a reminder of the significance of Christmas, which is not just about exchanging gifts or having fun, but also about celebrating the birth of a savior who brought hope to the world. This song is a call to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, which is love and peace.
Line by Line Meaning
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
The night of Christ's birth is illuminated by a radiant display of stars.
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Tonight marks the long-awaited arrival of the beloved Savior.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
The world was in a prolonged period of despair, wrought with sin and the consequences of its mistakes.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
Upon the Savior's arrival, the Spirit felt rejuvenated and reinvigorated with hope.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
The world feels a tingling sense of hope, relieving its weariness and bringing joy to its heart.
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
A new day is dawning, full of glory and wonder.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
Drop everything and fall to your knees in reverence and awe as you listen to the glorious sound of angels' voices.
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
Tonight is a night like nothing else, as divine as the occasion calling for celebration and praise.
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Tonight is an unforgettable occasion worthy of repeating its significance again and again.
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
Illuminated by the light of faith, we approach the manger with a sense of peaceful calmness.
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
Our hearts radiate with love and hope as we stand at the foot of Christ's cradle.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Brighter than any other, a star shines sweetly across the world.
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
Wise men from far-off lands journey through the desert to pay homage to the newborn King.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
The mighty King of all Kings lies humbly in a manger.
In all our trials born to be our friends.
Christ was born to be a friend to us all, especially in our moments of trial and hardship.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Christ understands our every need, never judging or alienating us for our weaknesses and shortcomings.
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
In awe and acknowledgement of his power, we bow before our King.
Truly He taught us to love one another,
Christ's message is clear: love one another with all your heart.
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Christ's law is one of love and his message brings about a sense of peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
Christ brings freedom and liberation to those in bondage, for we are all brothers in his eyes.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
In the name of Christ, oppression will disappear and be replaced by the joy of living freely and truthfully.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
We lift our voices together in a beautiful hymn of joy and gratitude.
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
With all of our beings, we give thanks and sing praise to the holy name of Christ.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
Christ is our Lord, worthy of eternal praise and glory.
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
May we always remember and proclaim the incredible power and glory of Christ, today and forevermore.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Ultra Tunes, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Adolphe Charles Adam
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jan Hotz
The most beautiful rendition of this Christmas song ever~their sweet and glorious Harmony is simply unmatchable!
Fred Pickett
My Favorite Christmas song By Anybody.
Jan Hotz
Amen!