In early 1951, the Moonglows, mostly featuring Fuqua on lead vocals, began recording, first for Freed's Champagne record label and then for Chicago's Chance Records, achieving local success in the midwest with a bluesy sound. By mid 1954, the group had become more polished (as evidenced by their Lester-led cover of Doris Day's "Secret Love"), and signed with the bigger Chess Records label. Their first Chess record was also their first R&B hit, the Fuqua-penned "Sincerely" (1954), with a lead vocal by Lester (and covered for the pop market by The McGuire Sisters). "Sincerely" was followed by a series of original R&B hits in 1955 and 1956, including "Most of All", "In My Diary" (later recorded by The Spinners), "When I'm With You" (all led by Lester) and the uptempo "See Saw" (featuring Fuqua). 1957 saw the release of the Fuqua led "Please Send Me Someone to Love" (originally by Percy Mayfield in 1950).
Through this period, the group perfected their patented, breathy, "blow harmony," which inspired countless 1950s doo-wop groups and 1960s soul groups, and even the 1970s The Chi-Lites.
Generally, Fuqua sang lead on the uptempo and blues-based tunes, while Lester was the group's romantic lead. Occasionally, on songs like "We Go Together" (1956), they sang a duet lead. Fuqua and Lester also "Moonlighted" on the Checker Records label as the "Moonlighters", recording a local hit "Shoo-be-doo (My Lovin' Baby)" in 1955. The group appeared in Rock Rock Rock a movie produced by, and starring Alan Freed. The last recording by the original five was the hit "10 Commandments of Love" (released in early 1958). It featured Fuqua on lead, with Billy Johnson doing the spoken recitation. By 1957, Fuqua had begun to re-assert himself as lead vocalist and manager, with Lester being pushed to the background. This created a great deal of friction within the group.[citation needed]
Also in 1957, a Washington, D.C. based group known as The Marquees was struggling to make it. The members were Marvin Gaye, Reese Palmer, Chester Simmons, and James Knowland. They decided to give an impromptu audition to Fuqua, as the Moonglows had come to town for a concert. Fuqua was so impressed with them that he decided to fire the entire group and take on the Marquees as the "New Moonglows." Fuqua recorded with these four (later including fifth member Chuck Barksdale), as Harvey & The Moonglows through 1960, when the group dispersed. Gaye went on to a huge solo career.
Fuqua produced the Spinners in the early 1960s, even singing on a few of their records (but not 1961's "That's What Girls are Made For", which featured Bobby Smith imitating Harvey's style). Fuqua became a staff writer and record producer for Motown Records through the 1960s, and later road-managed Smokey Robinson. Lester returned to his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky and opened a nightclub. Barnes moved to Mississippi and retired from professional singing after an automobile accident in 1969.
Meanwhile, in 1964, Pete Graves restarted the Moonglows with Doc Green of The Drifters, George Thorpe, and Bearle Easton. This group recorded briefly for Lana Records, Times Square Records, and Crimson Records.
Yet another new Moonglows formed in 1970, featuring Lester and a Louisville group called the Aristocrats, who consisted of Lester's cousin Gary Rodgers, plus Albert Workman, Robert Ford, and Billy McPhatter (son of Clyde McPhatter). This group performed once in 1971 at a show in New York, but the Aristocrats decided to return to Louisville. Dallas, inspired by the reception his group received, reunited with Harvey Fuqua and Pete Graves, plus new members Doc Williams and Chuck Lewis, and the Moonglows were back.
They recorded an LP released on RCA Records in 1972, charting their last single, "Sincerely '72", a funky re-working of their 1954 hit.
This line-up split up after 1972, and Lester began singing with local Louisville singers again, including at times Rodgers, Ford, Robert Lee Davis, Bruce Martin, and Peter Lawford. This group recorded a mostly a cappella, live album Moonglows in 1979.
Lester died in his hometown of Louisville from cancer in 1980, and Billy McPhatter returned to the group, with Rodgers taking over most of the leads in what was now billed as "Bobby Lester's Moonglows." McPhatter was later replaced by Bobby Lester, Jr. Harvey reunited with the remainder of his 1972 Moonglows in 1983 for a Grammy performance (minus Lester, and Barksdale who had rejoined The Dells, and plus guitarist Johnson), and they toured until 1986 as Harvey & the Moonglows.
In 2000, Bobby Lester's Moonglows, consisting of Rodgers, Martin, Lawford, and Gene Kelly, appeared on the PBS special Doo Wop 50, backing up Harvey Fuqua on "Sincerely" and "10 Commandments of Love." Fuqua, now in his mid-70s, still sings occasionally, sometimes backed up by Lester's Moonglows, sometimes a 50s R&B group called the Magnificents, and sometimes by local "pick-up" groups. Fuqua also produces and manages gospel acts. Reese Palmer is a member of The Legendary Orioles, as well as leading a new version of The Marquees. Chuck Barksdale is still with the Dells. Billy Johnson died in Los Angeles in 1987, Gary Rodgers died in 2005, and Prentiss Barnes died in 2006.[1].
Harvey Fuqua passed away in 2010.
The Moonglows were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. They were also inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2000. "Sincerely" was named one of The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll.
Just a Lonely Christmas
The Moonglows Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What a glad one it would be,
If only my loved one would come back to me.
Seems like she's been gone a thousand
Years, as the days and nights roll by.
Oh yes, she's gone away, oh tell me why.
While sitting by my window,
Watching her snowdrops fall,
Just a lonely, lonely Christmas, for you I yearn.
Each night and day I pray, for your return.
The Moonglows's song "Just A Lonely Christmas" is a heart-wrenching ballad about missing and yearning for a lost love during the holiday season. The singer is experiencing a lonely Christmas as they think about their loved one who has gone away. They express their desire for their loved one to return and make the holiday season merry and bright once again. The lyrics describe how it feels like their loved one has been gone for a thousand years, highlighting the pain and loneliness that the singer feels without them.
The singer seems to be haunted by memories of their loved one as they sit by the window and watch the snow fall. They long for their loved one's return as they pray each night and day. The song's overall tone is melancholic and nostalgic, reflecting the depth of the singer's longing for their lost love. It speaks to the universal experience of missing someone during the holidays, making it a poignant reminder of the power of love and loss during a time of year when feelings are heightened.
Line by Line Meaning
Just a lonely, lonely Christmas.
I am spending Christmas alone and feeling extremely lonely.
What a glad one it would be, if only my loved one would come back to me.
If only my partner would return to me, this Christmas would be a happy one.
Seems like she's been gone a thousand years, as the days and nights roll by.
It feels like my partner has been gone for an incredibly long time, as each day and night passes slowly.
Oh yes, she's gone away, oh tell me why.
My partner has left and I am struggling to understand why they would do so.
While sitting by my window, watching her snowdrops fall, just wishing that my baby would come back again.
As I sit alone by the window watching the snow fall, I can only hope and dream that my partner will return to me.
Just a lonely, lonely Christmas, for you I yearn.
I am longing for my partner to return and make this Christmas less lonely.
Each night and day I pray, for your return.
Every day and night I find myself praying for my partner to come back to me.
Writer(s): Freed, H. Fuqua
Contributed by Gianna N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nesi Ani
JUST WONDERFUL !
43moondog
A classic.
Choock5219
Outstanding!!
TONE B HURT
TERRIFIC! Gets me in the seasonal mood! Nothing like a good ole 78!
Joseph worth
BOUGHT THIS 78 BACK IN 74 AT DOWNSTAIRS RECORDS NYC,FROM ROY ADAMS FOR 40 DOLLARS,I WAS 17 YEARS OLD ,MY FIRST BIG PURCHASE
thebigfist
It should be worth at least 500-1000 bucks, from collectors, given the rarity of Moonglows recordings from `53, especially with the Moonglows being an all-time top 5 Classic R&B/Doo-wop group, and the fact that its on a 78 record.
Teresa Carella
GREAT!!
Diamond Dave
I often wonder what 2 people would vote thumbs down on a beautiful Christmas record? Some humans, ain’t human.
Stink Fistula
@Steve they be Trumpers
Steve
There's another possibility...theyre not Christians.