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.
To know his is to love him
The Teddy Bears Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just to see him smile, makes my life worthwhile
To know, know, know him is to love, love, love him
And I do (and I do, and I, and I do, and I, and I do, and I, and I do, and I)
I'd be good to him, I'd bring love to him
Everyone says there'll come a day when I'll walk alongside of him
Yes, just to know him is to love, love, love him
Why can't he see how blind can he be?
Someday he will see that he was meant for me, oh oh, yes
To know, know, know him is to love, love, love him
Just to see him smile, makes my life worthwhile
To know, know, know him is to love, love, love him
And I do, yes I do, yes I do (and I do, and I, and I do, and I, and I do, and I, and I do, and I)
The Teddy Bears' song "To know him is to love him" was released in 1958 and written by Phil Spector, the founder of the legendary record label Philles Records. The lyrics express the deep love and admiration the singer feels for a man, and how just seeing him smile makes their life worthwhile. The first verse goes "To know, know, know him is to love, love, love him / Just to see him smile, makes my life worthwhile / To know, know, know him is to love, love, love him / And I do (and I do, and I)".
The second verse goes on to say "I'll be good to him, I'll bring love to him / Everyone says there'll come a day when I'll walk alongside of him / Yes, just to know him is to love, love, love him / And I do". The singer promises to be good to him and bring love to him, and feels confident that they will one day end up together.
However, the song also expresses the singer's frustration that the man cannot see that he was meant for her. The bridge goes "Why can't he see, how blind can he be / Someday he'll see that he was meant for me, oh yes". The lyrics suggest that the singer has been waiting for a long time for the man to realize his feelings for her.
Overall, "To know him is to love him" is a heartfelt and passionate declaration of love, with a tinge of sadness over unrequited love.
Line by Line Meaning
To know, know, know him is to love, love, love him
It's impossible not to love him once you truly know him
Just to see him smile, makes my life worthwhile
His happiness brings me so much joy and makes everything worth it
I'll be good to him, I'll bring love to him
I will treat him well and show him all the love he deserves
Everyone says there'll come a day when I'll walk alongside of him
People believe that there will be a time when we will be together
Why can't he see, how blind can he be
I don't understand why he doesn't realize how perfect we are for each other
Someday he'll see that he was meant for me, oh yes
Eventually he will understand that we are meant to be together
And I do (and I do, and I)
I truly love him with all my heart
Yes I do (and I do, and I) yes I do
I am absolutely certain that I love him
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Phil Spector
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vrajahari das
Lyrics
To know, know, know him
Is to love, love, love him
Just to see him smile
Makes my life worthwhile
To know, know, know him
Is to love, love, love him
And I do
I'll be good to him
I'll bring love to him
Everyone says there'll come a day
When I'll walk alongside of him
Yes, just to know him
Is to love love love him
And I do
Why can't he see
How blind can he be?
Someday he will see
That he was meant for me, oh
To know, know, know him
Is to love love love him
Just to see him smile
Makes my life worthwhile
To know, know, know him
Is to love love love him
And I do
Roy and Jacqueline
To know, know, know him
is to love, love, love him.
Just to see him smile,
makes my life worthwhile.
To know, know, know him
is to love, love, love him.
And I do (and I do, and I, and I do, and I, and I do, and I, and I do, and I)
I'd be good to him,
I'd bring love to him.
Everyone says there'll come a day
when I'll walk alongside of him.
Yes, just to know, know, know him
is to love, love, love him.
And I do (and I do, and I, and I do, and I, and I do, and I, and I do, and I)
Why can't he see?
How blind can he be?
Someday he will see
that he was meant for me,
oh oh, yes
To know, know, know him
is to love, love, love him.
Just to see him smile,
makes my life worthwhile.
To know, know, know him
is to love, love, love him.
And I do, yes I do, yes I do (and I do, and I, and I do, and I, and I do, and I, and I do, and I)
Merry CHRISTmas!!
💖💓💝💘💗💖
💛💙💛💙💛💙
🎉🎅🏻🤶🏻🛷🍫🎂
❄️☃️🎄🎊🎈🍰
👸🏻💖👑🇬🇧💝👸🏻
🥰🇯🇲🏴🕊️🔥✝️
KY Stars
She has the voice of an angel. Because she is one. STILL performing today at age 80 in 2022.
Sundae Express
That's an amazing achievement for someone who worked with Phil Spector! I'm amazed she even made it through this performance in one piece.
真子博孝
looks like my late mother when she was young😂💓
TONE B HURT
Hers is one of the most dynamic voices I've ever heard and felt.
KY Stars
@Sundae Express Isn't that the truth. I wonder how he was at that time? surely not like he was later.
lehec123456
@Sundae Express C'mon...
Paracog Steadham
This was the first song I fell in love with on the radio as a kid. Later, as a piano player, I marveled at the changes on that beautiful bridge, so sophisticated for a teenager to have composed. I'll remember the genius and ignore the tragedy, which is, after all far more common in this life.
Steve King
Her voice and beauty takes you to that special place ❤❤️
Vicki Goodman
I love this band. I couldn't believe when she said she was in high school!!!! She is/was absolutely adorable!! The way she smiles when she sings and her eyes sparkle. Yes, this is another treasure. So glad youtube is here!
Mark J. Rockman
That "absolutely adorable" singer is Carol Connors (real name: Annette Kleinbard). Also, the guitarist on the right, the one who was singing ba-da-da da-da-da as a backup voice, was none other than Phil Spector, who later became one of the foremost rock-n-roll producers in the industry. (Later, he was convicted of the murder of an actress, and he died in prison.)