7" 45 single in original Mercury Records sleeve
photo by Styrous®
Only You (And You Alone) by The Platters is for me the most beautiful love song I have ever heard! There are many, MANY wonderful love ballads that I adore but Only You is at the apex of them all.
The Platters first recorded the song for Federal Records on May 20, 1954, but it was never released. They re-recorded the song on April 26, 1955, for Mercury Records. It was released the following month in May and became a major hit. The song has been covered by many other recording artists (link below).
For me, Only You was the first "serious" love song of the modern "pop music" era. By serious I mean not only excellent musically in orchestration and execution but with lyrics that conveyed the feeling of sincere commitment, deep love and an intensity of emotion.
"Serious" love songs were standard in the 20's, 30's and 40's. Although, "serious" love songs were sung by Patty Page, Kay Starr, Vic Damone, etc., well into the fifties, they were doing it in the style of the 40's with lush orchestrations. The early fifties love songs were what I consider bubble gum or puppy-love songs. Perhaps that's because they were mostly sung by young kids with small combo backups. Then Only You came along and reset the standard.
Only You was composed by Buck Ram who is best known for his long association with The Platters. He also wrote, produced and arranged for the Penguins, the Coasters, the Drifters, Ike and Tina Turner, Ike Cole, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Ella Fitzgerald, and many others.
For me, Only You was the first "serious" love song of the modern "pop music" era. By serious I mean not only excellent musically in orchestration and execution but with lyrics that conveyed the feeling of sincere commitment, deep love and an intensity of emotion.
"Serious" love songs were standard in the 20's, 30's and 40's. Although, "serious" love songs were sung by Patty Page, Kay Starr, Vic Damone, etc., well into the fifties, they were doing it in the style of the 40's with lush orchestrations. The early fifties love songs were what I consider bubble gum or puppy-love songs. Perhaps that's because they were mostly sung by young kids with small combo backups. Then Only You came along and reset the standard.
Only You was composed by Buck Ram who is best known for his long association with The Platters. He also wrote, produced and arranged for the Penguins, the Coasters, the Drifters, Ike and Tina Turner, Ike Cole, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Ella Fitzgerald, and many others.
Only You (And You Alone) lyrics
Only you, can make this world seem right
Only you, can make the darkness bright
Only you, and you alone, can thrill me like you do
And fill my heart with love for only you
Only you, can make the darkness bright
Only you, and you alone, can thrill me like you do
And fill my heart with love for only you
O-only you, can make this change in me
For it's true, you are my destiny
When you hold my hand, I understand the magic that you do
You're my dream come true, my one and only you
For it's true, you are my destiny
When you hold my hand, I understand the magic that you do
You're my dream come true, my one and only you
O-only you, can make this change in me
For it's true, you are my destiny
When you hold my hand, I understand the magic that you do
You're my dream come true, my one and only you
For it's true, you are my destiny
When you hold my hand, I understand the magic that you do
You're my dream come true, my one and only you
The "B" side of the record is an upbeat, doo wop tune called Bark, Battle and Ball (link below). The vocal lead is by Zola Taylor. It's feeling, theme and tempo is completely opposite from that of Only You.
The Platters ~ Bark, Battle & Ball
7" 45 single in original Mercury Records sleeve
photo by Styrous®
The line up for The Platters was headed by tenor Tony Williams with David Lynch, Paul Robi, bass Herb Reed, and Zola Taylor. Reed later recalled how the group hit upon its successful version: "We tried it so many times, and it was terrible. One time we were rehearsing in the car ... and the car jerked. Tony went 'O-oHHHH-nly you.' We laughed at first, but when he sang that song—that was the sign we had hit on something." According to Buck Ram, Tony Williams' voice "broke" in rehearsal, but they decided to keep this effect in the recording. This was the only Platters recording on which songwriter and manager Ram played the piano.
Only You was number 1 on the U.S. R & B charts for seven weeks, and hit number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It remained there for 30 weeks, beating out a cover version by The Hilltoppers. When the Platters track, The Great Pretender
(which eventually surpassed the success of Only You), was released in
the UK as Europe's first introduction to The Platters, Only You was
included on the flipside. In the 1956 film Rock Around the Clock, The Platters participated with both songs, Only You (link below) and The Great Pretender.
Viewfinder links:
Duke Ellington
Ella Fitzgerald
Patti Page
The Platters
Net links:
The Platters:
Original lineup (1953)
Classic lineup (1954–1970)
The Platters Singles discography
Only You (And You Alone) covers
YouTube links:
Only You (And You Alone)
Only You (And You Alone) film footage
Bark, Battle and Ball
Styrous® ~ Friday, April 26, 2019
Duke Ellington
Ella Fitzgerald
Patti Page
The Platters
Net links:
The Platters:
Original lineup (1953)
Classic lineup (1954–1970)
The Platters Singles discography
Only You (And You Alone) covers
YouTube links:
Only You (And You Alone)
Only You (And You Alone) film footage
Bark, Battle and Ball
Styrous® ~ Friday, April 26, 2019
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