The music journalist Ron Wynn has noted that "the Trammps' prowess can't be measured by chart popularity; Ellis' booming, joyous vocals brilliantly championed the celebratory fervor and atmosphere that made disco both loved and hated among music fans." The first disco-related track they released was "Love Epidemic" back in 1973. That made them trailblazers of its pop and soul fueled sound.
The history of the Trammps grew from a 60s-era group, called "The Volcanos", which later became "The Moods". With a number of line-up changes by the early 1970s, the band membership included gospel-influenced lead singer, Jimmy Ellis, drummer and bass singer, Earl Young, with brothers, Stanley and Harold 'Doc' Wade. Members of the Philadelphia recording band, MFSB played with the group on records and on tour in the 70s with singer, Robert Upchurch joining later. The group was produced by the Philadelphia team of Ronnie Baker, Norman Harris and Young, all MFSB mainstays who played on the recording sessions and contributed songs.
Their debut chart entry came via an upbeat cover version of the standard, "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart", which became a Top 20 US R&B chart hit in 1972.
Their first few recordings were released on Buddah Records, including "Hold Back The Night" which was a hit in the UK and on the Billboard R&B chart in 1973, before a re-release saw it climb the U.S. Hot 100 two years later. Several R&B hits followed during a stay with Philadelphia International subsidiary, Golden Fleece (run by Baker-Harris-Young) before they signed to Atlantic Records.
Their single "Disco Inferno" (1976), which was included on the Grammy Award winning Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in 1977,[3] reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in May 1978.[4]
Other major hits included "Hold Back the Night" (1975) (UK #5) and "That's Where the Happy People Go" (1976). In late 1977, the Trammps released the song "The Night the Lights Went Out" to commemorate the electrical blackout that affected New York City on July 13, 1977.
Their signature song, "Disco Inferno", has been covered by Tina Turner and Cyndi Lauper. In addition, Graham Parker covered "Hold Back The Night" on the "The Pink Parker EP" in 1977, and reached #20 in the UK Singles Chart, and Top 60 in the US.
On September 19, 2005, the group's "Disco Inferno" was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame at a ceremony held in New York. The song was part-written by Ron Kersey, a producer-arranger and a member of MFSB, who also played with Trammps in the 1970s for a time. During the ceremony, the original band members performed together for the first time in 25 years.
Two versions of the group, with differing line-ups, currently tour the nostalgia circuit. On March 8, 2012, lead singer Jimmy Ellis died at a nursing home in Rock Hill, South Carolina, at the age of 74. The cause of death was not immediately known but he suffered from Alzheimers' disease.
Earl Young's Trammps still continue to record and as at August 2014 have recently released "Get your lovin while you can" written by the Steals brothers renowned for their Philly hits such as 'Could it be I'm falling in love' for The Detroit Spinners.
Website: http://thetrammps.net/
You Are Everything
The Trammps Lyrics
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The sun that shines above you
Makes the blue birds sing
The stars that twinkle way up in the sky
Tell me I'm in love
When I kiss your lips
I feel the rolling thunder to my finger tips
Deep within I'm in love
You're my everything
And nothing really matters but the love you bring
You're my everything
To see you in the morning with those big bright eyes
You're my everything
Forever and a day I need you close to me
You're my everything
You never have to worry, never fear, for I am here
You're my everything
I live up on the land and see the sky above
I swim within her ocean, sweet and warm
There's no storm my love
You're my everything
And nothing really matters but the love you bring
You're my everything
To see you in the morning with those big bright eyes
You're my everything
Forever, and a day I need you close to me
You're my everything
You never have to worry, never fear, for I am here
When I hold you tight
There's nothing that can harm you
In the lonely night
I'll come to you and keep you safe and warm
It's so strong my love
When I kiss your lips
I feel the rolling thunder to my finger tips
And all the while my head is in a spin
Deep within -'m in love
"You Are Everything" by The Trammps is a love ballad filled with passionate declarations of love. The song depicts the emotions and feelings that arise when one is in love with someone they consider their everything. The lyrics express a sense of awe and wonder at the intensity of love the singer feels. The first verse praises their partner for their beauty and how everything around them seems to highlight their magnificence. The second verse uses imagery to heighten the passion of the singer, claiming that when they kiss their partner, their body feels the rolling thunder and their head is in a spin. The chorus of the song emphasizes the importance of the partner to the singer, stating that as long as they have their love, nothing else matters.
The final verse of the song describes the singer's commitment to keep their partner safe and warm in the lonely night. The ballad closes with the lines, "When I kiss your lips, I feel the rolling thunder to my finger tips, and all the while my head is in a spin, deep within, I'm in love". The lyrics express a sense of total devotion and surrender to the deep emotions the singer is experiencing.
Line by Line Meaning
You're my everything
You are the most important thing in my life
The sun that shines above you
Makes the blue birds sing
Your presence brings joy and happiness to everything around you
The stars that twinkle way up in the sky
Tell me I'm in love
Being with you makes me feel like I am in love with the whole world
When I kiss your lips
I feel the rolling thunder to my finger tips
And all the while my head is in a spin
Deep within I'm in love
Being close to you fills me with immense passion and love
And nothing really matters but the love you bring
No matter what happens, as long as I have your love, everything else is insignificant
To see you in the morning with those big bright eyes
Waking up to your beautiful face is the best start to my day
Forever and a day I need you close to me
I want to be with you forever and never let you go
You never have to worry, never fear, for I am here
I am always here for you and will protect you from anything that might cause you harm
I live up on the land and see the sky above
I swim within her ocean, sweet and warm
There's no storm my love
Even when things get tough, as long as I have you, I feel safe and secure
When I hold you tight
There's nothing that can harm you
In the lonely night
I'll come to you and keep you safe and warm
It's so strong my love
I will always be there to comfort and protect you, and our love is so strong that nothing can harm us
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Linda Diane Creed, Thomas Randolph Bell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind