Doo Wop Classics

This song is one of  the venerable doo wop golden oldies. “Silhouettes” is a story song (with a surprise ending) made famous by the doo wop group The Rays in 1957. Singer, songwriter, producer, and manager Bob Crewe got the idea or the song when he saw a couple embracing through a window shade as he passed on a train. Crewe and Frank Slay, Jr., are credited as authors of the song. In “Silhouettes,” the singer sees through the shadows of a couple kissing and thinks his girlfriend’s cheating on him. He knocks on the door and discovers he has the wrong house on the wrong block. He rushes to the correct house and he vows that he and his girl will be silhouettes on the shade forever. “Silhouettes” reached #3 on the U.S. Pop Chart as well as #3 on the R&B Chart. It sold more than one million copies and received an RIAA gold record. Group members were Harold Miller, Walter Ford, David Jones, and Harry James.

The song was a hit as well  for The Diamonds in 1957, Herman’s Hermits in 1965, and Cliff Richard in 1990.

Here are the lyrics to “Silhouettes” by The Rays:

“Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, hut-hut
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, hut-hut

Took a walk and passed your house
Late last night
All the shades were pulled and drawn
Way down tight
From within, a dim light cast
Two silhouettes on the shade
Oh, what a lovely couple they ma-ade

Put his arms around your waist
Held you tight
Kisses I could almost taste
In the night
Wondered why I’m not the guy
Whose silhouette’s on the shade
I couldn’t hide the tears in my eye-eyes

Silhouettes (silhouettes)
Silhouettes (silhouettes)
Silhouettes (silhouettes)
Ty-oh, oh-oh
Silhouettes (silhouettes)
Silhouettes (silhouettes)
Silhouettes (silhouettes)
Ty-oh, oh-oh

[Instrumental Interlude]

Lost control and rang your bell
I was sore
Let me in or else I’ll beat
Down your door
When two strangers who had been
Two silhouettes on the shade
Said to my shock
You’re on the wrong blo-ock

Rushed down to your house with wings
On my feet
Loved you like I never loved
You my sweet
Vowed that you and I would be
Two silhouettes on the shade
All of our days
Two silhouettes on the sha-ade

Silhouettes (silhouettes)
Silhouettes (silhouettes)
Silhouettes (silhouettes)
Ty-oh, oh-oh
Silhouettes (silhouettes)
Silhouettes (silhouettes)
Silhouettes (silhouettes)
Ty-oh, oh-oh
Two silhouettes on the shade
Silhouettes”

If you would like to read about and listen the cover of “Silhouettes” by Herman’s Hermits, please click here. It is on The Daily Doo Wop‘s sister site Pass the Paisley.

For More Golden Oldies Music       

The Daily Doo Wop Rec Room has daily featured doo wop, rock and roll, R&B, or rockabilly songs that were hits during the first era of rock and roll (that is, from about 1952 until the British invasion in 1964). After a song is featured, it then goes into the juke box. You are welcome to listen to any of the 40+ selections there. Every weekend, there is a Golden Oldies Juke Box Saturday Night, and the juke box is full of song requests from the 1950s and 1960s.

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