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.
Footsteps
The Skyliners Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Interesting Facts ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Footsteps, I hear, at the endin' of the day
Your footsteps, my dear
Though I know you're far away
Hey, hey, hey
Tiptoe, alone, till they come into my heart
We will never stay apart
Footsteps that haunt me and seem to tell me
That they'll be my guide, they'll be my guide
And if I follow, yes if I follow
They, will lead, me to, your side
Those little footsteps, I hear
Every mornin', noon and night
Your footsteps, my dear
Even though you're out of sight
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey...
The song "Footsteps" by The Skyliners is a love song that speaks of a person's longing for their beloved who is far away from them. The song speaks of "footsteps" that the singer hears, which may be imagined, but nevertheless seem to give him comfort, hope and direction. The song invokes romantic themes around separation, longing, and the hope of reunion. The lyrics make use of repetition and alliteration, as well as the metaphor of footsteps to convey the profundity of the singer's emotions.
The first stanza of the lyrics speaks of the singer hearing footsteps "at the endin' of the day". The footsteps are identified as belonging to the singer's beloved. The singer acknowledges that they are aware that their beloved is far away, yet these footsteps provide comfort and some form of connection. In the second stanza, the singer speaks of "tiptoe, alone, till they come into my heart" which implies that the footsteps are imagined or may be a figment of the singer's imagination. Nevertheless, the singer takes comfort in them and they seem to guide him towards his beloved.
The chorus of the song contains repetition and alliteration, as well as the metaphor of footsteps as a guide towards a destination. The singer speaks of the footsteps as "haunting me and seeming to tell me / that they'll be my guide, they'll be my guide". By following these footsteps, the singer believes that he will be led to his beloved. The final stanza speaks of the singer hearing these footsteps "every mornin', noon and night" even though his beloved is out of sight.
Overall, the song "Footsteps" conveys the romantic themes of separation and longing, while the footsteps act as a guiding compass towards hope and eventual reunion.
Interesting Facts about the song:
Interesting Facts
Note: This section uses generative AI, which can be inaccurate.
Line by Line Meaning
Footsteps, I hear, at the endin' of the day
I can hear your footfalls as the day comes to a close.
Your footsteps, my dear
Though I know you're far away
I can feel your presence even though you are distant from me.
Tiptoe, alone, till they come into my heart
I wait patiently and hopefully, until your footsteps reach me.
Those footsteps, that say
We will never stay apart
I feel reassured that we will always be together when I hear your footsteps.
Footsteps that haunt me and seem to tell me
That they'll be my guide, they'll be my guide
Your footsteps serve as a guiding light to me, leading me towards you.
And if I follow, yes if I follow
They, will lead, me to, your side
If I follow your footsteps, they will take me straight to you.
Those little footsteps, I hear
Every mornin', noon and night
I hear your footsteps at every hour of the day, reminding me of your love.
Your footsteps, my dear
Even though you're out of sight
Even though I can't see you, I can sense your presence through the sound of your footsteps.
Writer(s): Geoffrey Mcarthur, Jonathan Paul Shaban
Contributed by Leah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.