50th Anniversary - "Since I Don't Have You"
December 2008 marks the 50th anniversary of one of the all-time hit songs of Rock and Roll,
"Since I Don't' Have You". Recorded by the Skyliners in New York City at the Capitol Studio, the song was released as a 45 rpm record on Pittsburgh's own "Calico" label and went on to become a million-seller.
The hit-producing team of Skyliners' manager, Joe Rock, who wrote the lyrics, and legendary lead vocalist, Jimmy Beaumont, who composed the music, led to the creation of this quintessential '50s ballad.
"Since I Don't Have You" is heard on radio, even today. The Skyliners soulful and dynamic delivery, balanced by the lush, string-filled arrangement of Pittsburgh's Lenny Martin, created a recording that went straight to the top of the national charts.
The original Skyliners, comprised of Jimmy Beaumont, Janet Vogel, Wally Lester, Joe Verscharen, and Jack Taylor - all from Pittsburgh - performed their hit composition at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York as well as the Brooklyn Fox Theater for producer Alan Freed, and Dick Clark's television show
"American Bandstand" (Philadelphia, Pa.).
"Since I Don't Have You" has made its way onto the soundtracks of major motion pictures such as "American Graffiti" and "Lethal Weapon 2". Throughout five decades other nationally known artists recorded their own arrangements of this golden masterpiece. You should hear what you've been missing. . .
Cast
Coming soon.
Notes
It is obvious that lead singer, Jimmy Beaumont, long ago achieved the hope that he once expressed for The Skyliners to be remembered as one of the best harmony groups of all time. The Skyliners created a new style of music by combining the streetwise harmonies of rhythm and blues groups like the The Moonglows and The Flamingos with the most sophisticated modern harmony style of The Four Freshman and The Hi Los. Just as important a factor in their longevity was the business partnership between lead vocalist Jimmy Beaumont and aptly named manager, Joe Rock, that kept the act commercially viable for over four decades. Except for Elvis manager, Colonel Tom Parker, and The Beatles Manager, Brian Epstein, there is perhaps no other manager whose name is more associated with a group.
In 1958, Jimmy, Wally Lester and Jack Taylor-who had been singing with Joe Rock's group, The Cresents - combined with Joe Versharen and Janet Vogel from The ElRios, another vocal group from Pittsburgh's South Hills. Joe Rock, then named them for jazz orchestra leader Charlie Barnett's theme song "Skyliner".
The song that would inspire their success was inspired when a secretary at a radio station that Joe was promoting, said that she didn't want to date him anymore. While driving a few nights later, Joe conceived the words to the song and later Jimmy Beaumont provided the melody. Joe and Jimmy introduced it to the rest of the group and when Jan ad libbed her famous ending they knew it was going to be a hit. Today, "Since I Don't Have You" is regarded as the quintessential fifties ballad from standard pop.
Trivia
“Since I Don't Have You” the song, has been remade by such high profile artists as:
Barbara Streisand
Art Garfunkle
Brian Setzer
Guns n Roses
Pattie LaBelle
"Since I Don't Have You" the song has also been featured in a number of movies as well:
American Graffiti
American Hot Wax
Always on Tuesday
Shag
Buckaroo Bonzai
Lethal Weapon II
LaBamba
Happy Days - TV Series
Crime Story
Dirty Dancing - TV Series
Hometown U.S.A.
Since I Don’t Have You - The Movie
Synopsis
Highlighted by endearing characters and an all original soundtrack by the hall of fame doo-wop group; The Skyliners, Since I Don't Have You is a tumultuous emotional landscape of family love, loss and redemption, punctuated with five decades of multi platinum sound.
The story captures with unique immediacy the fallout of fractured family relationships, as seen through a child’s eyes. Janet, an accomplished well known singer with The Skyliners and her overbearing husband Terry, a tough street wise cop, have driven their marriage to collapse, leaving their 3 children psychologically abandoned and confused.
The story weaves an interesting mix of difficult themes –from subtleties of a parent-child relationship to the terrifying images of emotional breakdown; from the unclear, consuming desires that plague adults, to a child’s keen ability to recognize the truth.
Soundtrack
In order of appearance in the film.
1. This I Swear
2. Zing Went the Strings
3. When I Fall in Love
4. Happy Time
5. Tomorrow
6. Stardust
7. Lorraine from Spain
8. Tired of Me
9. Pennies From Heaven
10. Blossoms in The Snow
11. My Lonely Way
12. Since I Don’t Have You
13. I’ll Be Seeing You
14. Skyliner (Performed by Charlie Barnet & Quincy Jones & His Orchestra)
filming in 2009
