Theirs is one of the most dis… Read Full Bio ↴THE TRADITION CONTINUES ...
Theirs is one of the most distinctive and recognizable sounds in the music industry. The four-part harmonies and upbeat songs of The Oak Ridge Boys have spawned dozens of country hits and a #1 pop smash, earned them Grammy, Dove, CMA and ACM awards and garnered a host of other industry and fan accolades. Every time they step before an audience, the Oaks bring 15 years of hits and 50 years of tradition to bear on a stage show widely acknowledged as among the most exciting anywhere. And, each remains as enthusiastic about the process as they have ever been.
"When I go on stage, I get the same feeling I had the first time I sang with The Oak Ridge Boys," says lead singer Duane Allen. "This is the only job I've ever wanted to have."
"Like everyone else in the group," adds bass singer extraordinaire Richard Sterban, "I was a fan of the Oaks before I became a member. I'm still a fan of the group today. Being in The Oak Ridge Boys is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream."
The two, along with tenor Joe Bonsall and baritone William Lee Golden, comprise one of country's truly legendary acts. Their string of hits includes the pop chart-topper "Elvira," as well as "Bobbie Sue," "Dream On," "Thank God For Kids," "American Made," "I Guess It Never Hurts To Hurt Sometimes," "Fancy Free," "Gonna Take A Lot Of River" and many others. They've scored ten gold, three platinum and one double platinum album, one double platinum single, and had more than a dozen national #1 singles.
The Oaks represent a tradition that extends back to 1943, before Hank Williams had a career. The original group, based in Knoxville, TN, began performing country and gospel music in nearby Oak Ridge where the atomic bomb was being developed. They called themselves the Oak Ridge Quartet, and they began regular Grand Ole Opry appearances in the fall of '45. In the mid-'50s, they were featured in Time magazine as one of the top drawing gospel groups in the nation.
By the late '60s, with more than 30 members having come and gone, they had a lineup that included Duane Allen, William Lee Golden, Noel Fox and Willie Wynn. Among the Oaks' many acquaintances in the gospel field were Bonsall, a streetwise Philadelphia kid who embraced gospel music wholeheartedly, and Sterban, who was singing in quartets and holding down a job as a men's clothing salesman. Both admired the distinctive, highly-popular Oaks.
"They were the most innovative quartet in gospel music," says Bonsall. "They performed gospel with a rock approach, had a full band, wore bell-bottom pants and grew their hair long ... things unheard of at the time."
The four became friends, and when the Oaks needed a bass and tenor, in '72 and '73 respectively, Sterban and Bonsall got the calls. The group remained a highly popular mainstay on the gospel circuit, and it was there they refined the strengths that would soon make them such an across-the-board attraction.
"We did a lot of package shows," said Bonsall, "and there was an incredible amount of competition. You had to blow people away to sell records and get invited back."
Their gospel sound had a distinct pop edge to it, and while it made for excitement and popularity, it also ruffled purist feathers and left promoters unsure about the Oaks' direction. Then, in 1975, the Oaks were booked to open a number of dates for Roy Clark, whose manager was floored by their abilities.
"He came backstage and told us we were three-and-a-half minutes ' meaning one hit record ' away from being a major act," says Bonsall. "He said we had one of the most dynamic stage shows he'd ever seen, but that we had to start singing country songs."
They took his advice, and the result was a breakthrough.
"Those who came to country music with or after the New Traditionalists of the mid-'80s cannot possibly imagine the impact the Oaks had in 1977 when they lit up the sky from horizon to horizon with "Y'All Come Back Saloon," said Billboard's Ed Morris, who added "... the vocal intensity the group brought to it instantly enriched and enlivened the perilously staid country format. These guys were exciting."
Within a year, Paul Simon would tap them to sing backup for his hit "Slip Slidin' Away," and they would go on to record with George Jones, Brenda Lee, Johnny Cash, Roy Rogers, Billy Ray Cyrus and others. They would appear before three presidents, produce one of the first country music videos ("Easy," in 1977, which wasn't released in the U.S. but hit #3 in Australia), take part in the first headline tour of the USSR, and become one of the most enduringly-successful touring groups anywhere.
They did it with a consistently upbeat musical approach and terrific business savvy.
"We always look for songs that have lasting value and that are uplifting," says Allen. "You don't hear us singing 'cheating' or 'drinking' songs, but 'loving' songs, because we think that will last. We also don't put music in categories, except for 'good' or 'bad.' When we get through with it, it's probably going to sound like an Oak Ridge Boys song no matter what it is."
They proved their business acumen in any number of ways, including such steps as declining the chance to sit on the couch during their many appearances on the Tonight Show.
"We said, 'If you're going to give us four minutes on the couch with Johnny, we'd rather have four minutes to give you another song that lets people know what got us here,'" says Allen. "We didn't get here talking; we got here singing," They also proved themselves to be capable and tireless advocates of charitable and civic causes, serving as spokesmen and/or board members of fundraisers for the Boy Scouts of America, the National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse, Feed The Children, and many more.
The group's first personnel change in many years occurred in 1987 when Steve Sanders, who had been playing guitar in The Oaks Band, replaced William Lee as the baritone singer. Late in '95, Steve resigned from the Oaks and exactly one minute after midnight on New Year's Eve, Duane, Joe and Richard surprised the packed house at Holiday Star Theatre in Merrillville, IN, by welcoming William Lee on stage and back in group. The hitmakers were finally together again!
The Oaks' high-energy stage show remains the heart and soul of what they do, and they refine it several times a year, striving to keep it fresh well into the future.
"We're not willing to rest on our laurels," Golden says. "That gets boring. As a group, we do things constantly to challenge ourselves, to try to do something different or better than the last time we did it."
"I feel like I can do what I do on stage just as good now as I could 20 years ago," says Bonsall. "in fact, if anything, I'm in better shape now than I was 20 years ago. I plan to be rockin' my tail off out there as long as I'm healthy and don't look stupid doing it. The people who come out, who bring their families to see us, deserve everything I've got."
"We've experienced a lot of longevity," adds Sterban, "and I think the reason is the love we have for what we do - the desire, the longing to actually get up there and do it. We love to sing together ... to harmonize together. It's what our lives are all about."
Heaven On Earth
The Oak Ridge Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Figured I could either go crazy or give her a call
So I give her a call
Nothing like the sound of her voice, oools me off, calms me down
Makes me wanna climb on the hood of my Chevy and shout
I do believe friends, I do believe I've found
Heaven on earth, heaven on earth
She looks that look, smiles that smile
I love the way she loves me while
She's holdin' my hand, kissin' my kiss
I guess the only question is
What did I ever do, look at me
What did I ever do to deserve
Heaven on earth?
Don't know how many million people or how many million souls
Are out there searchin' for their very own true blue love
To have and to hold.
In the meanwhile here I stand, livin' large, top of the world.
Got me a woman, when she walks my way I say
Here comes my girl, man, I say her comes my girl.
Heaven on earth, heaven on earth
A home grown helping of heaven on earth
She looks that look, smiles that smile
I love the way she loves me while
She's holdin' my hand, kissin' my kiss
I guess the only question is
What did I ever do, look at me
What did I ever do to deserve
Heaven on earth?
She's holdin' my hand, kissin' my kiss.
I guess the only question is
What did I ever do, look at me
What did I ever do to deserve
Heaven on earth.
Heaven on earth, heaven on earth
A home grown helping of heaven on earth
She looks that look, smiles that smile
I love the way she loves me while
She's holdin' my hand, kissin' my kiss
I guess the only question is
What did I ever do, look at me
What did I ever do to deserve
Heaven on earth?
Woo Heaven on earth, heaven on earth
A home grown helping of heaven on earth.
My girl, that's her, heaven on earth.
Heaven on earth, heaven on earth
A home grown helping of heaven on earth
She looks that look, smiles that smile
Here she comes.
Woo Heaven on earth, heaven on earth
A home grown helping of heaven on earth.
The Oak Ridge Boys’s song “Heaven on Earth” is a sweet love song that talks about finding true love and happiness. The singer of the song is stuck in traffic and feeling frustrated but decides to call his girlfriend. Her voice has a calming effect on him, and he realizes that he has found “Heaven on Earth” in her. The lyrics explain that he feels lucky to have found such a loving and wonderful partner in the world.
As the song continues, the singer describes his love for his girlfriend and how he feels on top of the world with her by his side. He is grateful for having such a loving partner that makes him feel so special. The lyrics express the singer’s appreciation for finding his true love among the millions of people in the world who are in search of true love.
The song’s melody and chorus are catchy, and the lyrics are easy to relate to for anyone who has ever found true love. "Heaven on Earth" is a beautiful love song that reminds us that true happiness can be found with the right person by our side.
Line by Line Meaning
Traffic's bumper to bumper, cars and trucks wall to wall
There is heavy traffic on the road with cars and trucks everywhere.
Figured I could either go crazy or give her a call
The singer was feeling frustrated in the traffic and decided that he needed to call his loved one to calm down.
Nothing like the sound of her voice, oools me off, calms me down
The singer feels so much better after hearing his loved one's voice which relaxes him in the midst of the chaotic traffic.
Makes me wanna climb on the hood of my Chevy and shout
Talking to his loved one makes him happy and he feels like shouting out about his happiness to the world.
Heaven on earth, heaven on earth
The feeling the singer has because of his loved one's love and companionship is so amazing that it feels like heaven on earth.
A home grown helping of heaven on earth
The singer's loved one is like a gift from the heavens, making his life so much better and happier.
She looks that look, smiles that smile
The singer is in awe of the beauty and warmth his loved one emanates through her smile and expression.
I love the way she loves me while
The singer is thankful for the way his loved one loves him unconditionally without any reservations.
She's holdin' my hand, kissin' my kiss
The singer cherishes every moment he spends with his loved one, from holding hands to exchanging kisses.
I guess the only question is
The singer has nothing to complain about because everything is going so well for him because of his loved one.
What did I ever do, look at me
The singer is surprised and grateful for his good fortune and wonders what he did to deserve such a wonderful relationship.
Don't know how many million people or how many million souls
The singer is aware that there are countless people searching for true love in the world but he considers himself lucky to have found his true love already.
Are out there searchin' for their very own true blue love
The singer acknowledges that everyone is searching for true love and companionship, and he feels lucky to have found it himself.
In the meanwhile here I stand, livin' large, top of the world.
The singer feels like he is on top of the world and enjoying life to the fullest because of his relationship with his loved one.
Got me a woman, when she walks my way I say Here comes my girl, man, I say her comes my girl.
The singer is excited to see his loved one every time she comes near him and he can't help but express his joy to others around him.
Woo Heaven on earth, heaven on earth
The singer reiterates that he feels like he is in heaven on earth because of the joy his loved one brings to his life.
My girl, that's her, heaven on earth.
The singer identifies his loved one as the source of his happiness and joy, and describes her as being like heaven on earth.
Here she comes.
The singer is filled with anticipation and excitement every time he sees his loved one approaching.
Contributed by Emily I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
JDouglas
on King Jesus
There are rumors that this was created in a recording studio. I think it's possible, but I can remember buying the album in 1974 just to listen to the live version of King Jesus. I still have the album after 50 years. Ahh, you're in store for a great singin' tonight. . . is a precious memory I have of that album.