The single sold well in both the R&B and pop music fields, but subsequent singles failed to further their career. Ray-O-Vacs lead vocalist Harris left the group and signed a contract to record as a solo artist for RCA Records; Harris was eventually replaced by Herbert Milliner, who was spotlighted on their final Decca release, "Hands Across the Table," from 1951. The next year brought new attempts to find success within the pop music field. The Ray-O-Vacs issued "When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano," which had been a hit for the Ink Spots years before, but it too failed to ignite any sales. Decca eventually dropped the Ray-O-Vacs from their roster. They were soon signed to Jerry Blaine's Jubilee label. In November, their first release -- "Start Loving Me" b/w "What Can I Say?" -- was issued in both 78- and 45-rpm formats. During February of 1953, the group performed in Philadelphia (well-received shows at both Pep's and the Club Bill & Lou).
The following month, they learned that founding member and former lead singer Lester Harris had died. He was 33 years old. A few months later, in May, The Pittsburgh Courier, a black and mostly urban newspaper, conducted a prestigious readers poll. The Courier's readers picked the Ray-O-Vacs as the best small-combo attraction (beating out Paul Gayten and Louis Jordan's groups) and this award somewhat seemed to make up for the group's lack of success. That same month, the Gale Agency signed the group to its talent representative roster, and by the fall the Ray-O-Vacs performed during the Operation Music Show, which presented the winners of the Pittsburgh Courier poll and helped to benefit the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
In April of 1954, Jubilee decided to move the Ray-O-Vacs to its Josie subsidiary, hoping their association with other Josie acts (the Cadillacs and the Five Notes) would help them score with the public. The first release for the Josie label was "Riding High," and featured a lead vocal by Milliner. It failed to ignite interest in the group. During the following summer, Josie tried again with a new single; "Daddy" featured a lead vocal by Babe Hutton, while "I Still Love You" was led by Herb Milliner, although the single's label credits the group as Flap McQueen & the Ray-O-Vacs. In 1956, the small independent Kaiser label issued "Crying All Alone" b/w "Party Time" and later that same year, "Wino" b/w "Hong Kong." The next year, they were shuffled over to the Atlantic subsidiary label Atco, which re-released this same single. It would end up being the final release by the Ray-O-Vacs.
Party Time
The Ray-O-Vacs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I might get my hopes up
Might start believing in things I can't see
I might start to sway
May even tap my feet
If I see there's more than I have settled for
It's party time
Don't have to struggle anymore
Shot so far down the road
Looking back through my mind's eye
Somehow I made it through the toughest time
Now baby it's party time
Like an arrow
Held back for such a long time
Stretched beyond what I thought I could stand
Launched further than I could imagine
I'm making up for lost time getting busy living
And it's party time
The wait is over
Don't have to struggle anymore
Shot so far down the road
Looking back through my mind's eye
Somehow I made it through the toughest time
Now baby it's party time
It's party time
The wait is over
Don't have to struggle anymore
Shot so far down the road
Looking back through my mind's eye
Somehow I made it through the toughest time
Now baby it's party time
Now baby it's party time
The Ray-O-Vacs's song Party Time is an uplifting and motivational tune that encourages listeners to celebrate life's victories and embrace the good times after a period of struggle. The opening lines of the song suggest that the singer is wary of getting his hopes up because he might be disappointed if things don't work out. However, he is also open to the possibility that his fortunes could change, and he might start believing in more than he has settled for. As the song progresses, the singer recognizes that the wait is finally over, and he no longer has to struggle. The hardships he faced seemed insurmountable, but somehow he made it through the toughest of times. Now, he wants to party and enjoy life to the fullest.
The song employs a theme of renewal and rebirth, like an arrow held back for such a long time, stretched beyond what he thought he could stand, and now launched further than he could imagine. He's making up for lost time and getting busy living. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the message that now is the time to celebrate life, and the wait is finally over.
Overall, Party Time is a feel-good song with a message of hope, perseverance, and joy. It encourages listeners to keep pushing through tough times and to celebrate the good times when they arrive.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't tell me things like that
I prefer to avoid hearing information that might raise my expectations
I might get my hopes up
Listening to things that are too good to be true might spark false expectations
Might start believing in things I can't see
My expectations may get me believing in things that might be difficult to prove
I might start to sway
When my hopes are raised, I may be influenced and start to dance or move to the music
May even tap my feet
I may get carried away and start tapping my feet unconsciously
If I see there's more than I have settled for
If I realize there's more to life than what I've been settling for, I may be motivated to seek more
It's party time
Now is the moment to celebrate and enjoy the fruits of my labor
The wait is over
After a period of anticipation, the time has come to celebrate
Don't have to struggle anymore
I no longer need to put in any more effort; things are now flowing smoothly
Shot so far down the road
I've traveled so far and accomplished so much
Looking back through my mind's eye
Recalling past hardships and experiences that have led me to this moment
Somehow I made it through the toughest time
Despite the challenges, I managed to overcome the obstacles and persevere
Now baby it's party time
It's time to celebrate and enjoy the fruits of my labor
Like an arrow
A metaphor used to describe how I've been held back for such a long time, ready to be launched forward
Held back for such a long time
I've been waiting for this moment for a long time, and it's finally here
Stretched beyond what I thought I could stand
I've been pushed beyond my limits and have grown stronger as a result
Launched further than I could imagine
I've achieved success beyond my wildest dreams
I'm making up for lost time getting busy living
I'm determined to live my life to the fullest and enjoy every moment
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Ronda Ray
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fantupomarsupialis5125
Sounds clear indeed
@paulriofski7982
Cool post, Choock! "Their failure to sell records contrasted with a readers' poll in the Pittsburgh Courier, a respected African American newspaper, in May of 1953, where the Ray-O-Vacs were picked out as Best Small Combo, beating out the competition of Paul Gayten and Louis Jordan." (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ray-O-Vacs)