1. The Regents were a doo-wop voc… Read Full Bio ↴At least 5 groups share this name:
1. The Regents were a doo-wop vocal group from New York in the late 1950s and early 1960s. They are best known for writing and recording the hit "Barbara Ann" in 1961, which reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #2 when later covered by the Beach Boys in 1965 on their album, Beach Boys' Party!.
2. The Regents were a UK-based punk/new wave group from the late 70's. They had a #11 hit in 1980 with the single '7 Teen'.
3. The Regents was a Barbershop Quartet.
4. Regents is a hardcore band from Baltimore, MD
5. A Finnish surf rock band. http://www.theregents.info
#1 The Regents a doo-wop vocal group from New York in the late 1950s and early 1960s, with original members:
Ernie Maresca (replaced by Don Jacobucci)
Chuck Fassert (brother of "Barbara-Ann" author Fred Fassert)
Guy Villari (born 11 August 1942, Bronx, NY; died 21 September 2017, Middletown, NY)
Sal Cuomo
Tony Gravagna
They formed in the Bronx, New York, in 1959. Group members included Guy Villari on lead; Sal Cuomo, first tenor; Chuck Fassert, second tenor; Don Jacobucci, sax player/baritone; Tony Gravagna on bass.
An earlier version of the group from 1957 was called The Monterays, and included Villari, Cuomo, Fassert and Ernie Maresca (who later had a hit with "Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out)", and also wrote songs such as the Regent's "Runaround" and "The Wanderer" recorded by Dion).
The group recorded demos in Bell Sound, Associated, and Regent Sound studios. They were signed to Seville Records as The Desires, however, none of the songs they recorded were released, until the group had success three years later as The Regents. The Regents' name came from a combination of recording a demo at Regent Sound studio, and the fact that Villari smoked Regents cigarettes.
In 1958 the group recorded Villari's "A Teenager's Love". At the same recording session they waxed "Barbara-Ann" in three takes. Shortly afterwards, Tony Gravagna, was installed into the group. Unable to secure a recording contract, they disbanded about a year later.
Eddie Jacobucci revived the Regents by accident. His group, the Consorts, lacked original songs for an audition, so they recorded a version of "Barbara-Ann". The owner of Cousins Records heard the track and decided to release the original version by the Regents. The original group reunited, and Cousins released "Barbara-Ann" in March 1961. It became a No. 1 record in New York; the demand was such that Cousins leased it to Roulette/Gee for worldwide distribution, and it reached #13 in the Billboard Hot 100. Their follow-up release, "Runaround", written by Maresca, went to #28 on the pop chart and #30 R&B. They released two more records for Gee, but after a royalties dispute with the record label, the group broke up.
They reformed in 1973 with Villari the only remaining original member. The group enjoyed success in concerts group and toured across the United States. In 1988 they were selected as one of only four "oldies" groups to appear on the Grammy Awards Show. The Cadillacs, The Flamingos and The Angels were the other three.
In 1995 a new group of Regents was formed. Along with Villari, Tony Valitutto, Frank Civatillo and Tony Cacace made up the vocals, while Richard Rogers, Joel DeRuggiero and Sal DiCicco provided the instrumentation.
Autumn Leaves
The Regents Lyrics
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The autumn leaves of red and gold
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sun-burned hands I used to hold
Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
But I miss you most of all my darling
C'est une chanson, qui nous ressemble
Toi tu m'aimais et je t'aimais
Nous vivions tous deux ensemble
Toi qui m'aimais moi qui t'aimais
Mais la vie separe ceux qui s'aiment
Tout doucement sans faire de bruit
Et la mer efface sur le sable les pas des amants desunis
The Regents' song Autumn Leaves is a poignant tale of lost love and the melancholic feelings associated with remembering that love. The lyrics are set against the backdrop of autumn, a season characterized by falling leaves of red and gold. The opening lines paint a vivid picture of the passing of time as the singer watches the falling leaves drift by the window likely due to the autumn winds. However, the sight of the falling leaves reminds the singer of both the happy memories of kisses shared during the summer but also of the warmth of the sun-burned hands that were once held. A sense of sadness and longing creep in as the memories of that love come flooding back, and the chorus punctuates that feeling with the line "But I miss you most of all my darling when autumn leaves start to fall."
The second half of the song consists of the lyrics in French. The message from these verses translates roughly to "This song that resembles us, you who loved me, I who loved you. We lived together, both of us. But life separates those who love. Gently, without making a sound. And the sea erases on the sand the steps of the lovers divided." This verse appears to be a reflection on the singer's lost love, and their thoughts turn to the transience of life and love, taking on an almost philosophical aspect. The lyrics paint an emotional and vivid image of love, loss, and the passage of time.
Line by Line Meaning
The falling leaves drift by the window
The Autumn leaves are falling and being carried away by the wind as they pass by the window
The autumn leaves of red and gold
The leaves of autumn have colors shining bright like gold and deep red
I see your lips, the summer kisses
I remember the warmth of your kisses from the summer as I look upon your lips
The sun-burned hands I used to hold
I long for the touch of your hands even in the midst of Autumn's cool breeze
Since you went away the days grow long
After you left, the days seem to drag on and never seem to come to an end
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
The cold winter season is approaching, and I will soon feel the harsh effects of it
But I miss you most of all my darling
Out of everything I miss the most, it's you, my beloved
When autumn leaves start to fall
My deepest emotions surface when Autumn's leaves begin to fall
C'est une chanson, qui nous ressemble
This song is very much like us
Toi tu m'aimais et je t'aimais
You loved me, and I loved you
Nous vivions tous deux ensemble
Together we shared our lives
Toi qui m'aimais moi qui t'aimais
You loved me and I loved you
Mais la vie separe ceux qui s'aiment
But life would tear apart the ones who love each other
Tout doucement sans faire de bruit
Silently and slowly it separates us
Et la mer efface sur le sable les pas des amants desunis
The sea will wash away the footprints of those who loved each other but were separated
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GIORGIO CANALI, FRANCESCO MAGNELLI, GIANNI MAROCCOLO, MASSIMO ZAMBONI, GIOVANNI LINDO FERRETTI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind