The Skyliners were best known for their 1959 hit "Since I Don't Have You". Covers by the Four Seasons, Trini Lopez, Chuck Jackson, Don McLean, Guns N' Roses, The Brian Setzer Orchestra, Ronnie Milsap, Art Garfunkel and Buckaroo Banzai kept the song in the public consciousness.
They also hit the Top 40 with "This I Swear" and "Pennies from Heaven". Other classics include "It Happened Today" (1959), "Close Your Eyes" (1961) and "Comes Love" (1962). The original group dissolved in 1963, but re-united eleven years later (without Jack Taylor), for what would become their last charted record, "Where Have They Gone?"
In 1965, Jimmy Beaumont recorded two notable singles for the Bang label: the first, "Tell Me"/"I Feel Like I'm Falling in Love", were medium-tempo soul-styled tracks. For his second Bang 45, "I Never Loved Her Anyway"/"You Got Too Much Going for You", Jimmy transformed into an impressive soul singer, sounding nothing like his previous more pop-styled efforts, leading some to question in later years, if it actually was his singing. These two tracks are now considered Northern Soul collectibles. The second 45 was also issued on UK London HLZ 10059 in 1966.
Jack Taylor was drafted in 1965. In 1975 Wally Lester and Joe Versharen left the group; they were replaced by new members, Jimmie Ross and Bob Sholes.
In 1978, the Detroit based record producer Don Davis — who produced Marilynn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., Johnny Taylor, the Dramatics, and the Dells — picked up one of his favorite groups (the Skyliners) to record in his United Sound Studios. They recorded the group's "comeback" album for the RCA subsidiary, Tortoise International Records.[6] The songs "Oh, How Happy" and "The Love Bug" were included, as was a hefty re-make of Dan Schafer's original RCA Victor single, "A Day Without You, Dear".
Janet Vogel committed suicide in 1980, Cathy Cooper joined the group as a replacement. She and Ross left two years later to form a duo, they were replaced by Rick Morris and Donna Groom.
Morris retired in 1993. Also in 1993, David Proch was singing with another group. At first listen the Skyliners' original lead singer, Jimmy Beaumont, invited Proch to join the group; Proch joined as a replacement. Also performing with the group at this time was Tom Sholes, brother of Bob Sholes. The two were local to the group, they attended St George High School in the Allentown neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The group became Beaumont, Groom, Proch, and Nick Pociask.
David Proch (at age 44) the third person to sing first tenor for the Skyliners, died on October 19, 1998, in a car accident. His car collided with a truck hauling asphalt on U.S. Route 30 near Ligonier, PA, about 45 miles east of Pittsburgh. Proch's place was taken by Dick Muse, a former member of The Laurels. Rick Morris replaced Muse in 2011. Frank Czuri replaced Morris in 2013.
Their longtime manager and producer Joe Rock, who also co-wrote "Since I Don't Have You", died on April 4, 2000, at age 63, after complications from quadruple bypass heart surgery.
Four of the original members have died:
Janet Vogel committed suicide on February 21, 1980, she was 37,
Joe Verscharen died of cancer on November 2, 2007, he was 67,
Wally Lester (b. Walter Paul Lester, Jr. on October 5, 1941 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) died of pancreatic cancer in Southport, North Carolina on April 21, 2015, he was 73,
Jimmy Beaumont died on October 7, 2017 age 76.
Until his death on October 7, 2017, Jimmy Beaumont performed with the Skyliners in their current line-up of Nick Pociask, Frank Czuri, and Donna Groom (whose husband, Mark Groom, has been the group's drummer/conductor for more than 25 years).
Chart hits
"Since I Don't Have You" (1959), U.S. No. 12, Cashbox No. 7
"It Happened Today" (1959), U.S. No. 59
"This I Swear" (1960), U.S. No. 26
"Pennies from Heaven" (1960), U.S. No. 24
"The Loser" (1965), U.S. No. 72
"Where Have They Gone" (1975), U.S. #100
Discography
The Skyliners (1959)
Close Your Eyes (1961)
Since I Don't Have You (1963)
Once Upon a Time (1971)
The Skyliners (1978)
Pennies from Heaven (1960)
The Skyliners were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002.
Believe Me
The Skyliners Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I told you, you're an Angel
Would you believe me? (believe me)
And if I, told you, I love you
Would you believe me? (believe me)
Oh, what, can I do?
Would you believe me? (believe me)
Would you believe me?
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do
Earth Angels are so hard to find
You're an earth Angel, so please, be mine
My, heart will give all my love to you
There's no one on earth, for me, but you
So, please, please, please, believe me
I live my life for you
And I shall, be your slave
'Till my life, on earth is through
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do
Believe me
Believe me, I beg you (please)
Believe me
Believe me, I beg you
The Skyliners' song "Believe Me" is a classic ballad about expressing intense love and devotion. The song speaks to a lover, asking if they would believe that they are an angel and if they would believe that the singer loves them. The song portrays the lover as an "earth angel" and expresses that they are so hard to find, but that the singer has found this person and wants to do everything in their power to convince them of their love. The singer makes a promise to be a slave to their lover until their life on Earth is through.
The repetition of "believe me" throughout the song emphasizes the singer's desperation for their lover to believe in their love. The use of "earth angel" also adds an ethereal and supernatural quality to the song, as if the lover is a gift from a higher power. The lyrics are simple yet powerful, expressing a timeless sentiment of love and devotion.
Overall, "Believe Me" is a beautiful and emotional song that speaks to the depths of human love and the need for validation and belief from one's partner.
Line by Line Meaning
If I told you, you're an Angel
Asking if the listener believes they are a special, divine being
Would you believe me? (believe me)
Asking if the listener trusts and has faith in the singer
And if I, told you, I love you
Expressing feelings of affection towards the listener
Oh, what, can I do?
Expressing helplessness and uncertainty in how to prove love
To let you know, I'll be
Wants to communicate that they will be there for the listener
Would you believe me? (believe me)
Asking again if the listener trusts and has faith in the singer
Earth Angels are so hard to find
Suggesting that the listener is rare and special like an Earth Angel
You're an earth Angel, so please, be mine
Asking the listener to be in a relationship with the artist
My, heart will give all my love to you
Promising to give the listener all of their love
There's no one on earth, for me, but you
Stating that the listener is the only person the artist cares for
So, please, please, please, believe me
Continuing to beg for the listener's trust and faith
I live my life for you
Sacrificing for the listener and putting them first
And I shall, be your slave
Willingness to do anything for the listener's happiness
'Till my life, on earth is through
Promise to serve and love the listener until the end of the singer's life
Believe me
Final plea for the listener's trust and faith
Believe me, I beg you (please)
Repeating the desperate request for the listener's belief in the artist
Writer(s): Richard Barrett
Contributed by Kennedy D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.