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.
I don't know why
The Platters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't know why I just do
Well I don't know why you thrill me like you do
I don't know why you, just do
You never seem to want my romancing
Ah, the only time you hold me is when we're dancing
I don't know why I love ya like I do
I don't know why I just do
I don't know why I love you like I do
I don't know why I just do
I don't know why you thrill me like you do
I don't know why you, just do
You never seem to want my romancing
Ah, the only time you hold me is when we're dancing
I don't know why I love you like I do
I don't know why I just do
I don't know why I love ya like I do
I don't know why I just do
I don't know why you thrill me like you do
I don't know why but you do
You never seem to want my romancing
Ah, the only time you hold me is when we're dancing
I don't know why I love ya like I do
I don't know why I just do
The Platters' song "I Don't Know Why" is a classic love ballad that revolves around the confusion and bewilderment that often comes with falling in love. The singer expresses their perplexity by repeating the titular phrase, "I don't know why," and questioning why they are so enamored with their beloved.
Throughout the song, the singer describes how their love interest thrills them and makes them feel alive, but also confesses that they are often left wanting more. The only time the singer receives any physical affection is when they are dancing with their beloved, and they express frustration that their romantic overtures seem to go unreciprocated.
Despite this, the singer cannot deny the depth of their feelings and the inexplicable pull that their beloved has on them. The essence of the song lies in its honest and relatable depiction of the highs and lows of being in love, and the mystery of why we sometimes fall for someone despite all odds.
Overall, "I Don't Know Why" provides an insightful glimpse into the complexity of human relationships and the power of love to confound and captivate us.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know why I love ya like I do
I cannot explain the reason for the intensity of my affection towards you
I don't know why I just do
I have no logical explanation for my spontaneous feelings towards you
Well I don't know why you thrill me like you do
I cannot comprehend the source of the excitement and pleasure you bring to me
I don't know why you, just do
I cannot understand why you affect me in such an inexplicable manner
You never seem to want my romancing
You never seem to reciprocate my attempts at love and affection
Ah, the only time you hold me is when we're dancing
The only time you show any physical affection towards me is when we're dancing together
I don't know why I love ya like I do
I cannot explain the reason for the intensity of my affection towards you
I don't know why I just do
I have no logical explanation for my spontaneous feelings towards you
I don't know why I love you like I do
I cannot explain the reason for the intensity of my affection towards you
I don't know why you thrill me like you do
I cannot comprehend the source of the excitement and pleasure you bring to me
I don't know why you, just do
I cannot understand why you affect me in such an inexplicable manner
You never seem to want my romancing
You never seem to reciprocate my attempts at love and affection
Ah, the only time you hold me is when we're dancing
The only time you show any physical affection towards me is when we're dancing together
I don't know why I love ya like I do
I cannot explain the reason for the intensity of my affection towards you
I don't know why I just do
I have no logical explanation for my spontaneous feelings towards you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MIKE DEL FERRO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@martinhillersweden
She's incredible and is surely a great part of the Platters success! Cute and with a wonderful voice!
@timparcher2001
God, I love that woman's voice!
@wntjst
Wow! Zola knocks this song out of the park! Tony Williams was fabulous but this lady should have sung more leads in that group!
@warrensmith1786
What a voice she has my heart 🎼🔊💟💟😍🤩
@aliciagamboa2385
Linda canción con la incomparable voz de Zola Taylor. Muchas gracias.
@edlovesolia1553
ELA TINHA UMA VOZ MUITO CARACTERISTICA .DOFERENTE .ALIÁS TODOS TINHAM . SAUDADES
@marcelmartinez124
maravillosa voz de Zola Taylor.....
@ritache-mponda7165
Zola's voice was definitely special
@foxvienna1
One talented lady, simply georgus.
@aleksinfroid4644
One of my dementia buddies at the home sang this for me today!