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.
Valentine
The Lettermen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
no way to speak
I would still hear you
If there were no tears
no way to feel inside
I'd still feel for you
and even if the sun refused to shine
even if romance ran out of rhyme
until the end of time
you're all I need, my love, my valentine
All of my life
I have been waiting for
all you give to me
you've opened my eyes
and showed me how to love unselfishly
I've dreamed of this a thousand times before
but in my dreams I couldn't love you more
I will give you my heart
untill the end of time
you're all I need, my love, my valentine
and even if the sun refused to shine
even if romance ran out of rhyme
you would still have my heart
until the end of time
cause all I need is you my valentine
oh
you're all I need, my love, my valentine
The Lettermen's song "Valentine" is a beautiful love song that talks about love and commitment that lasts forever. The song speaks about how love doesn't need words and how they would still feel their love even without tears. The first verse talks about how nothing can tear their love apart, even if the sun refused to shine or if romance were to run out of rhyme. The singer makes a strong commitment to their Valentine that they will have their heart until the end of time.
In the second verse, the singer expresses their gratitude towards their partner, stating that they have been waiting for them all their life. The partner has opened their eyes to love unselfishly and has taught them how to love in a way they have never experienced before. The singer goes on to dream about their love a thousand times, but in their dreams, they couldn't love their partner more than they already do. They end the song reiterating that they only need their Valentine in their life.
Overall, "Valentine" is a beautiful tribute to the power of love and the strength of commitment. It speaks of a love that is not based on material things, but on the depth of emotion that the singer has for their Valentine.
Line by Line Meaning
If there were no words
Even if we couldn't speak to each other, our love would still exist.
no way to speak
Communication isn't necessary for our love to exist.
I would still hear you
I can feel your presence and love without hearing your voice.
If there were no tears
Even if we couldn't express our emotions through tears, I would still care deeply for you.
no way to feel inside
Our ability to feel and express emotions does not define our love.
I'd still feel for you
Regardless of circumstance, my love for you is unwavering and constant.
and even if the sun refused to shine
If the world changes and becomes difficult, my love for you would still persist.
even if romance ran out of rhyme
Even if romance becomes predictable, my love for you remains strong and unchanging.
you would still have my heart
No matter what, my heart belongs solely to you.
until the end of time
My love for you is eternal and will last forever.
you're all I need, my love, my valentine
You are everything to me, my love.
All of my life
My entire existence has led me to you.
I have been waiting for
My entire life has been leading up to the moment when I would meet you.
all you give to me
Your love and care for me is everything that I need.
you've opened my eyes
You showed me a kind of love and affection I never knew existed.
and showed me how to love unselfishly
You taught me how to love someone without expecting anything in return.
I've dreamed of this a thousand times before
I have always envisioned a love like ours, even before we met.
but in my dreams I couldn't love you more
My dreams never prepared me for how much I would love you in real life.
I will give you my heart
I promise to give you all of my love and care.
cause all I need is you my valentine
You are the only one I need in my life.
you're all I need, my love, my valentine
You are everything to me, my love.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JIM BRICKMAN, JACK KUGELL, JACK DAVID KUGELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind