Following his graduation from Fairfax high school in Los Angeles, Phil Spector became obsessed with a song, "To Know Him Is to Love Him", he had written for his group, The Teddy Bears. After a hasty audition at ERA Records who offered to finance a studio session, The Teddy Bears - Spector, Marshall Leib, lead singer Annette Kleinbard, and last minute recruit, drummer Sandy Nelson - recorded the song at Gold Star Studios at a total cost of $75. Released on ERA's Dore label in August 1958, it took a full two months before "To Know Him Is to Love Him" began to get air play.
The record eventually stayed in the "Hot Hundred" for twenty-three weeks, resided in the "Top Ten" for eleven of those weeks, and commanded the #1 chart position for three weeks. At age seventeen, Spector had written, arranged, played, sung, and produced the best-selling record in the country. Although subsequent releases by the Teddy Bears on the Imperial label were considered well-recorded soft pop, they did not sell, and within a year of their impressive debut, Spector had disbanded the group.
Spector was not the only Teddy Bear who went on to an illustrious career after the group broke up. Annette Kleinbard continued to write and record songs, and eventually changed her name to Carol Connors. Among her songwriting credits are the Rip Chords hit "Hey Little Cobra" and the Academy Award-nominated Rocky theme song "Gonna Fly Now."
Not to be confused with Swedish band Teddybears STHLM.
Oh Why
The Teddy Bears Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I sit alone and wonder why,
My arms won't free you,
My heart won't try
And I ask myself why... oh why?
You are gone but where?
I call your name in ev'ry prayer,
I walk alone where we walked together
I will cry again,
Your lips will lie again,
Stars will never shine
Until the day you're mine;
It would be divine
To find your lips so close to mine,
I loved you only,
Now I'm so lonely,
And I ask myself why... why... oh why?
The Teddy Bears' Oh Why is a touching song about a broken relationship. The opening lyrics express the singer's feelings of longing and sadness as they wonder why their former partner is no longer with them. The singer is stuck in a state of loneliness, unable to move on or let go of their lover. Despite their best efforts, they cannot seem to free themselves from the emotional bond they shared with the other person.
The following lines reveal a deep sense of regret, as the singer laments the loss of their partner and yearns for their return. The song captures the essence of heartbreak, showing how difficult it can be to come to terms with the end of a relationship. The singer's vulnerability and raw emotion make for a powerful and relatable song that strikes a chord with many listeners.
In conclusion, Oh Why by The Teddy Bears is a poignant and heartfelt song about heartbreak and the struggle to move on from a failed relationship. The lyrics are a testament to the enduring pain that comes from losing someone you love, and the desire to hold onto hope in the face of difficulty.
Line by Line Meaning
As the nights go by,
As time passes,
I sit alone and wonder why,
I am alone and questioning why,
My arms won't free you,
I am unable to let go of you,
My heart won't try
I cannot bring myself to move on,
And I ask myself why... oh why?
And I continue to question why,
You are gone but where?
You left me but where did you go?
I call your name in ev'ry prayer,
I pray for you and call your name,
I walk alone where we walked together
I revisit the places we used to go, but now I am alone,
And I ask myself why, why, oh why?
And I continue to question why,
I will cry again,
I know I will cry for you again,
Your lips will lie again,
Despite your lies, I will still want you,
Stars will never shine
The world will not be beautiful,
Until the day you're mine;
Until I am with you again,
It would be divine
It would be wonderful,
To find your lips so close to mine,
To be close to you and your lips,
I loved you only,
I only loved you,
Now I'm so lonely,
But now I am alone,
And I ask myself why... why... oh why?
And I continue to question why
Writer(s): Harvey Phillip Spector
Contributed by Leo C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bárbara
Choro toda vez que escuto ela, penso nas pessoas que não estão mais aqui, só resta saudades 😥❤
James McLean
Really beautiful unusual recording - fantastic effort by Annette Kleinbard - This recording deserved much better acceptance at the time and as a minimum placing very near if not at the top of the charts.
Steve Gross
SO MANY MEMORIES, GOOD AND BAD!
Charles Burns
I think it was a B side. Dumb.
Christian Landru
What a beautiful voice !
andrew mark
Annette is a wonderfull singer.
Michel Cassany
Bravo Annette pour cette sublime interprétation
elmer zu
I really enjoy the voice of the lead singer & the harmonizing all three members of the Teddy Bears. My long time favorite by this group is "To Know Him is to Love Him'....in fact it's the only song I know the Teddy Bears for, that was until the internet came along. THANKS4POSTIN'
Stephen Morse
Great melody, beautiful vocal.
coupe662
such a fantastic song, amazing!!!