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.
Pennies From Heaven
The Skyliners Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don'tcha know each cloud contains pennies from heaven?
(You'll find your fortune fallin' all over town)
(Be sure that your umbrella)
Is upside down
Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers
If you want the things you love, you must have showers
There'll be pennies from heaven for you and me
(Ev'ry time it rains, it rains)â?¦Pennies from heaven
(Don'tcha know each cloud contains)â?¦Pennies from heaven?
(You'll find you fortune fallin') All over town
(Be sure that your umbrella) Is upside down
Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers
If you want the things you love you must have showers
(So when you hear it thunder) Don't run under a tree
There'll be pennies from heaven for you and for me
The song "Pennies from Heaven" by The Skyliners carries a beautiful message about hope and abundance during difficult times. The lyrics suggest that every dark cloud has a silver lining, and even rain can bring good things. The chorus asserts that every time it rains, it rains pennies from heaven, signifying that blessings can come unexpectedly and abundantly. This idea is further reflected in the lines, "Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers / If you want the things you love, you must have showers." Here, the song advises listeners to look for opportunities even in the midst of adversity and to turn their troubles into opportunities to grow and thrive.
The song's lyrics also convey the idea that one's attitude and perspective can make a significant impact on their circumstances. The call to keep an upside-down umbrella suggests that people should be open to receiving and accepting blessings, however small they may seem. Additionally, the line, "Don't run under a tree / There'll be pennies from heaven for you and for me," implies that people should avoid negative situations and instead focus on being positive and hopeful, even when things seem bleak.
Line by Line Meaning
Ev'ry time it rains, it rains pennies from heaven
Whenever it starts to rain, it's like money falling down from the sky
Don'tcha know each cloud contains pennies from heaven?
Every single cloud out there has the potential to bring wealth in the form of rain
(You'll find your fortune fallin' all over town)
Your good luck is spread out everywhere when it rains, not just in one location
(Be sure that your umbrella) Is upside down
Make sure to hold your umbrella with its open end facing upwards to catch all the pennies
Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers
Use the pennies you collect to buy yourself something nice that'll bring joy to your life
If you want the things you love, you must have showers
If you want to achieve your goals and dreams, sometimes you have to go through tough times
(So when you hear it thunder) Don't run under a tree
When you hear thunder, it's best to avoid running under a tree to stay safe and dry
There'll be pennies from heaven for you and me
We can all benefit from the good things that come our way if we're open to receiving them
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Arthur Johnston, Johnny Burke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@garyhoogenboomsr.1140
Ev'ry time it rains, it rains pennies from heaven
Don't cha know each cloud contains pennies from heaven?
(You'll find your fortune fallin' all over town)
(Be sure that your umbrella)
Is upside down
Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers
If you want the things you love, you must have showers
(So when you hear it thunder) Don't run under a tree
There I'll be pennies from heaven for you and me
(Ev'ry time it rains, it rains) â ¦Pennies from heaven
(Don't cha know each cloud contains)â ¦Pennies from heaven?
(You'll find you fortune fallin') All over town
(Be sure that your umbrella) Is upside down
Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers
If you want the things you love you must have showers
(So when you hear it thunder) Don't run under a tree
There I'll be pennies from heaven for you and for me
@frankp3
In the early 80's I heard this song on a Boston oldies show and fell in love. In 1982, I went into a Boston record store and bought this 45. I then went home and played it over and over again singing along until I lost my voice. 30 years later, I'm doing it again...thank you! :)
@jennifursun3303
first heard this in the late 60's at my late uncles home was playing pool with my brothers and the oldies radio was playing it was love at first hearing tooo
@wjmatos733
sad to admit...a little tear came into my eye hearing this... such great memories....wow.... this still holds up 54 years after it's release....lets see how many will still be listening to Katy Perry and the Bieber in 54 years Willie....
@SanBan-do7by
My favorite version also a great doo wop great classic
@RobertSilvestri86
One of my Dad's favorite songs.
@CheckMate657879
I can never listen to this song just once. It was one of my favorite childhood songs and always will be. The cool thing was to hear it as a child and listen to it decades later and hear what I liked as a child -- that Skyliner harmony. This song always made me feel happy when I was a child and felt the same when I heard it again after not hearing it for decades.
@mholub
WOW, CheckMate....GREAT post. I started to smile as soon as I heard the beginning of the song....I know what you mean. I too remember hearing this on the radio when I was a kid. How lucky we were to have grown up when we did. Most of the music today is simply GARBAGE!! It's "throw-away" stuff. Nothing classic about it!!
@jennifursun3303
@@mholub makes me smile tooo
@sauquoit13456
On this day in 1960 {April 22nd} the Skyliners appeared at the Spatz Show Lounge in Hamilton, Ohio...
Seventeen days later on May 9th, 1960 their covered version of "Pennies From Heaven" entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #100; ten weeks later on July 18th, 1960 it would peak at #24 {for 1 week} and spent 13 weeks on the Top 100...
Exactly one year earlier on April 22nd, 1959 their biggest hit, "Since I Don't Have You", was at #15 on the Top 100, the week before it was at #12 and that was its peak position on the chart...
Between 1959 and 1965 the Pittsburgh quintet had five Top 100 records; their three other charted records were, "This I Swear" {#26 in 1959}, "It Happened Today" {#59 in 1959}, and "The Loser" {#72 in 1965}...
@MyREDTAIL
RIP Jimmy Beaumont, You will be sadly missed by all of your Fans