The Platters formed in Los Angeles, CA, USA in 1953 and were initially managed by Ralph Bass. They had a contract with Federal Records but experienced little record success until they met music entrepreneur and songwriter Buck Ram. He added lead vocalist Tony Williams (who gave the Platters their distinctive sound) and female vocalist Zola Taylor. Under Ram's guidance, the Platters recorded seven singles for Federal in an R&B/gospel style, scoring minor regional hits on the West Coast. One song recorded at Federal, "Only You (And You Alone)", originally written by Ram for the Ink Spots was deemed unreleasable by the label.
Despite lack of chart success, the Platters were a profitable touring group--so successful that The Penguins, fresh from their No. 2 single Earth Angel, asked Ram to manage them too. With the Penguins as a bargaining chip, Ram persuaded Mercury Records into a 2-for-1 deal. In order to sign the Penguins, he insisted, the label also take the Platters. Ironically, the Penguins never had a hit for the label.
Convinced by Tony Williams that "Only You" had potential, Ram had the group re-record it during their first Mercury session. Released in the summer of 1955, it became the group's first Top Ten hit on the pop charts, and topped the R&B charts for seven weeks. It has since become one of the most played records in any genre and the song has been covered by innumerable artists. Ironically, the follow-up, The Great Pretender, with lyrics written by Ram in the washroom of the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, exceeded the chart success of their début and became the Platters' first national No.1 hit. The Great Pretender was also the act's biggest R&B hit, with an 11-week run at the top of that chart. In 1956. The Platters appeared in the first major rock n roll movie, Rock Around the Clock, and performed both "Only You" and "The Great Pretender"[2] and they sang "You'll Never Never Know" in The Girl Can't Help It, produced the same year.
The Platters' unique vocal style touched a nerve in the music-buying public, and a string of hit singles followed, including two more Top 100 No. 1 hits, one Hot 100 No. 1 hit, and more modest hits such as "I'm Sorry" (No. 11) and "He's Mine" (No. 23) in 1957, "Enchanted" (No.12) in 1959, and "The Magic Touch" (No.4) in 1956. The Platters hit on a successful formula of updating older standards, such as "My Prayer", "Twilight Time", "Harbor Lights", "To Each His Own", "If I Didn't Care" and Jerome Kern's "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes". This latter release caused a small controversy after Kern's widow expressed concern that her late husband's composition would be turned into a "rock n roll record". It topped both American and British charts in a tasteful Platters-style arrangement.
The group was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in its inaugural year of 1998. The Platters were the first rock n roll group to have a Top Ten album in America. They were also the only act to have three songs included on the American Graffiti soundtrack that sparked an oldies revival in the early to mid-1970s: "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", "The Great Pretender" and "Only You (and You Alone)".
Many groups have toured bearing the name The Platters but only one member of the original line-up, Herb Reed, was still touring and performing with Herb Reed's Platters in 2008.
Zola Taylor died on April 30th 2007 of pneumonia whilst recovering from surgery.
Earth Angel
The Platters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will you be mine
My darling dear
Love you all the time
I'm just a fool
A fool in love with you
Earth Angel, Earth Angel
Love you forever
And ever more
I'm just a fool
A fool in love with you
I fell for you
And I knew
The vision of your lov-lovliness
I hope and I praye
That someday
I'll be the vision of your hap-hapiness
Earth Angel, Earth Angel
Please be mine
My darling dear
Love you all the time
I'm just a fool
A fool in love with you
I fell for you
And I knew
The vision of your lov-lovliness
I hope and I praye
That someday
I'll be the vision of your hap-hapiness
Earth Angel, Earth Angel
Please be mine
My darling dear
Love you all the time
I'm just a fool
A fool in love with you
The Platters' classic hit "Earth Angel" is a timeless love song that has captured the hearts of many listeners since its release in 1954. The song features a slow and romantic melody with a simple and straightforward message of unrequited love. The song's lyrics revolve around the singer's love for his "Earth Angel," expressing his deep devotion for her, and hoping that she will be his forever.
The lyrics of "Earth Angel" convey a deep sense of emotional attachment and longing for someone. The singer tells his lover that he will always love her and that he is willing to be a fool for her. He falls for her charm and beauty, and he hopes that he can someday be the vision of her happiness. The song's message is simple, yet powerful, making it a popular choice for weddings, slow dances, and romantic occasions.
One of the most interesting facts about "Earth Angel" is that it was recorded by The Penguins before The Platters. The Penguins' version was not successful initially, but The Platters' version became a smash hit, reaching number one on the R&B chart and number eight on the pop chart in the US. The song has since become one of the most beloved and recognizable doo-wop songs of all time.
Line by Line Meaning
Earth Angel, Earth Angel
The person being addressed is compared to an angel from heaven.
Will you be mine
The singer is asking the person to start a romantic relationship with him.
My darling dear
The singer expresses affection and endearment towards the person being addressed.
Love you all the time
The artist intends to love the person being addressed for eternity.
I'm just a fool
The artist acknowledges his own foolishness for falling in love with the person being addressed.
The one I adore
The singer expresses his strong feelings of admiration and love towards the person being addressed.
Love you forever
The singer intends to love the person being addressed forever with the same passion and intensity.
And ever more
The artist intends to love the person being addressed for all eternity.
I fell for you
The artist admits to falling in love with the person being addressed.
And I knew
The artist had an instant realization that he was in love with the person being addressed.
The vision of your lov-lovliness
The singer is enthralled by the beauty and appeal of the person being addressed.
I hope and I praye
The artist expresses a strong desire and hope for a positive future with the person being addressed.
That someday
The singer looks forward to a specific time in the future.
I'll be the vision of your hap-hapiness
The singer will bring happiness and joy to the person being addressed through his love.
Please be mine
The singer pleads for a positive response from the person being addressed.
Contributed by Joshua H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Trevor Stickel
"This is for all you lovers out there".
Always loved this track. ❣️ #BackToTheFutureForever
Catalina G.M
Es tan hermosa.... debió ser una época mágica.
Julio Jones
Title: the platters
Picture: the penguins
Song: Marvin berry and the starlighters
Clay Baack
I lost access to this account ever since my grandfather passed, i apologize, i wont be able to make any changes or corrections.
Thy Yu
@Clay Baack I’m sorry about that man. God bless you
Ronny Müller
RIP Sonny Turner (September 24, 1939 – January 13, 2022)
Szybki Paweł
Prettyness for th times xD
Erik Painter Handball
Nice video Erik from handball.
Leonard Dixon
Not the Platters!!
nixnut07
Marvin Berry & The Starlighters