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.
When I Fall in Love
The Platters Lyrics
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Maybe I am living in the past
But when I meet the right one
I know that I'll be true
My first love will be the last
When I fall in love it will be forever
Or I'll never fall in love
Love is ended before it began
And too many moonlight kisses
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun
When I give my heart it will be completely
Or I'll never, never, never give my heart
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I give my heart to you
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I give my heart to you
The Platters' classic hit "When I Fall In Love" is a ballad that speaks about the singer's yearning for true and everlasting love. The lyrics suggest that the singer is old-fashioned and believes in the sanctity of love. The song begins with the singer admitting that he may be living in the past, as he is hopeful about finding lasting love. He believes that when he meets the right one, he'll be committed to that one person forever. It's clear that he's been searching for a long time, looking for the perfect person who he can give his heart to.
The song's chorus highlights the singer's sentimental longing for a love that will last forever. He states that when he falls in love, it will be forever, or he won't fall in love at all. He recognizes that we live in a world where love is often ephemeral and fleeting. He's afraid that love is often ended before it even begins, as if the flame of passion is extinguished by the sun. Nevertheless, he remains hopeful.
The singer says that when he decides to give his heart, it will be entirely and unreservedly. He won't hold back any emotions, as he wants to pledge his love entirely to the right person. The song's final lines suggest that he is waiting for the person who will reciprocate his strong emotions. When he can feel that the other person feels the same way too, he'll give his heart to them.
Overall, "When I Fall In Love" is a beautiful ballad that speaks to the universal theme of love and the desire for something that will last forever. It's a sweet and innocent love song that highlights the singer's deep emotional connection to the concept of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe I'm old fashioned, feeling as I do
I might be considered outdated in my way of thinking and emotions
Maybe I am living in the past
Perhaps I am stuck in a time and era that has long passed
But when I meet the right one
However, when I encounter the perfect person
I know that I'll be true
I am confident that I will be loyal and committed
My first love will be the last
The first person I love will be the only one I love forever
When I fall in love it will be forever
My love will endure eternally if I do decide to fall in love
Or I'll never fall in love
Otherwise, I will never allow myself to fall in love
In a restless world like this is
In today's turbulent and constantly changing society
Love is ended before it began
Romantic relationships often finish before they even start
And too many moonlight kisses
Countless romantic gestures and whispered sweet nothings
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun
Efforts to keep the love aflame seem to drift away when subjected to daylight
When I give my heart it will be completely
If I decide to surrender my heart, I will do so wholeheartedly
Or I'll never, never, never give my heart
Alternatively, I will not surrender my heart to anyone altogether
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
The instant I sense that you reciprocate my feelings
Is when I give my heart to you
That is when I concede my love to you
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edward Heyman, Victor Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind