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.
If I Loved You
The Skyliners Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Time and again I would try to say
All I'd want you to know
If I loved you
Words wouldn't come in an easy way
Round in circles I'd go
Longing to tell you
I'd let my golden chances, pass me by
Soon you'd leave me
Off you would go in the misty haze
Never, ever, to know
How I loved you
If I, loved you
The lyrics of The Skyliners' song If I Loved You are a poignant reflection of the fear and apprehension that often comes with the realization of one's love for another person. The first verse sets the tone for the song, as the singer declares that if they truly loved the person they are addressing, they would make every effort to tell them exactly how they feel. However, despite this professed desire, the singer admits that they struggle to find the right words to express themselves. "Words wouldn't come in an easy way/ Round in circles I'd go/ Longing to tell you/ But afraid and shy." These lines reveal a deep sense of vulnerability and hesitation, as the singer fears rejection or ridicule if they were to open up completely to the object of their affection.
The second verse is even more heartbreaking, as the singer imagines their beloved departing and disappearing into the "misty haze". They worry that they will never have the chance to express their feelings, and that their love will remain unrequited and unacknowledged forever. This sense of longing and missed opportunity is palpable in the final lines of the song, as the singer laments, "Never, ever, to know/ How I loved you/ If I, loved you." The song ends on a note of unresolved tension and unfulfilled desire, leaving the listener with a sense of loss and regret.
Line by Line Meaning
If I loved you
If I truly had strong feelings for you
Time and again I would try to say
Repeatedly, I would attempt to express how I feel
All I'd want you to know
I desire for you to be aware of my emotions
Words wouldn't come in an easy way
I struggle to articulate my feelings
Round in circles I'd go
I would become flustered and confused
Longing to tell you
I want to communicate with you
But afraid and shy
My fear and timidness are obstacles
I'd let my golden chances, pass me by
I miss out on opportunities due to my hesitation and inaction
Soon you'd leave me
You would depart from me shortly
Off you would go in the misty haze
You would embark far away into the foggy horizon
Never, ever, to know
You would never find out
How I loved you
The depth of my affection for you
If I, loved you
If only I had the courage to express my love for you
Writer(s): Hammerstein Oscar 2nd
Contributed by Addison F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.