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.
Twilight Time
The Platters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out of the mist your voice is calling, it's twilight time
When purple colored curtains mark the end of day
I'll hear you, my dear, at twilight time
Deepening shadows gather splendor as day is done
Fingers of night will soon surrender the setting sun
I count the moments darling till you're here with me
Here, in the afterglow of day, we keep our rendezvous beneath the blue
Here in the same and sweet old way, I fall in love again as I did then
Deep in the dark your kiss will thrill me like days of old
Lighting the spark of love that fills me with dreams untold
Each day I pray for evening just to be with you
Together at last at twilight time
Here, in the afterglow of day, we keep our rendezvous beneath the blue
Here in the sweet and same old way, I fall in love again as I did then
Deep in the dark your kiss will thrill me like days of old
Lighting the spark of love that fills me with dreams untold
Each day I pray for evening just to be with you
Together at last at twilight time
Together at last at twilight time
The lyrics to The Platters' "Twilight Time" create an ethereal and romantic atmosphere, describing the beauty of the falling night and the longing for a loved one's company. The opening lines, "Heavenly shades of night are falling, it's twilight time / Out of the mist your voice is calling, it's twilight time," create a sense of magic and mystery as the singer describes a voice coming to them from the mist. The use of words like "heavenly" and "twilight" add to the dreamlike mood of the song.
The second verse builds on this mood, with the singer describing how the "deepening shadows gather splendor as day is done" and the "fingers of night will soon surrender the setting sun." The sense of anticipation for the singer's lover to join them is palpable as they count the moments until they can be together, creating a sense of longing and desire. As the song progresses, the lyrics describe the passion and intensity of the singer's love, with the lines "Deep in the dark your kiss will thrill me like days of old / Lighting the spark of love that fills me with dreams untold" creating a sense of romantic intensity.
Line by Line Meaning
Heavenly shades of night are falling, it's twilight time
The sky is turning dark as evening approaches, signifying the beginning of twilight.
Out of the mist your voice is calling, it's twilight time
The singer hears his beloved's voice through the mist, indicating that it's now twilight.
When purple colored curtains mark the end of day
As the sky turns a purple hue, it means that the day is coming to a close.
I'll hear you, my dear, at twilight time
The singer expects to hear his beloved's voice during twilight.
Deepening shadows gather splendor as day is done
As the day comes to an end, the shadows become more prominent and beautiful.
Fingers of night will soon surrender the setting sun
The darkness of night will soon take over as the sun sets.
I count the moments darling till you're here with me
The singer eagerly awaits his beloved's arrival during twilight.
Together at last at twilight time
The singer and his beloved will finally be together during the twilight hours.
Here, in the afterglow of day, we keep our rendezvous beneath the blue
The singer and his beloved have a meeting place during twilight, which is a special time of day.
Here in the same and sweet old way, I fall in love again as I did then
The singer and his beloved are reunited during twilight, reminding him of how much he loves her.
Deep in the dark your kiss will thrill me like days of old
The singer anticipates his beloved's kiss during the darkness of twilight, which excites him.
Lighting the spark of love that fills me with dreams untold
Her kiss ignites the passion and love that he feels for her and fills him with intense emotions.
Each day I pray for evening just to be with you
The singer looks forward to the end of each day so that he can be together with his beloved during twilight.
Together at last at twilight time
The singer and his beloved finally get to spend time together during the special hours of twilight.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Unison Rights S.L.
Written by: Artie Dunn, Al Nevins, Morty Nevins, Buck Ram
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@arlopear7136
Am I dead?
Why would you say that?
Cuz you are.
I've always loved this song but yeah Wandavision brought me here
@jarvis1777
5cary M0nst3rs
They picked the perfect song and now it gives me spooky vibes like the harmonizing and the beat the lyrics is totally off but the trailer give me spooky vibes and I love it
@adriannemichaels5237
Same! The trailer just reawakened my love for this song as it’s been a long time since I’ve listened to this.
@toastiy0
*laughs in witch*
@l3k446
Your profile is giving people the wrong finger😂😂😂😂
@Cartibetter5
Bro I swear people who r not marvel fans be like wtf I’m not dead lmao😂
But I am a marvel fan🙂
@baru4214
Thank you Only Up ^^
My grandma was so happy when I was humming this and she remembered the song
@melgoy2094
grew up in Los Angeles in the 60s and 70s. This was played in my house as a kid. My parents bought all the Lps. I still have them from the 50s. This music brigs the tears to my eye as they danced to this music when I was a kid.
@hammerhead222
David! It's Twilight Zone Time!
@insaneduderone8501
My mom would play this song on the piano when I was a kid. It brings back old wonderful memories God rest her soul.