Pop

The song “Down by The Station” is a version of a popular children’s song, updated to tell the story of an unashamed cad. In 1959, the song peaked at #13 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The original song was written by Lee Ricks and Slim Gaillard in 1948. Tommy Dorsey had the most popular recording of it. Bruce Belland and Glen Larson, members of the Four Preps, altered the lyrics.

The Four Preps formed in 1956 with original members Bruce Belland, Ed Cobb, Marv Ingram, and Glen Larson. They were students at Hollywood High School in Los Angeles and signed by Capitol Records. Their piano accompanist and high school friend was Lincoln Mayorga. Over the years, they had eight gold singles and three gold albums. Their hits include “Down by The Station,” “26 Miles (Santa Catalina),” “Big Man,” and “Lazy Summer Night.” They also backed up Ricky Nelson on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet show and Sandra Dee in the film  Gidget. There have been personnel changes over the years, but The Four Preps still perform today with Bruce Belland still on lead vocals. Belland has been on all the recordings done by The Four Preps.

Here are the lyrics to “Down by the Station” by The Four Preps:

“Down by the station early in the morning
Met a little girl about as cute as she could be
I turned on my charms and told her that I loved her
I said that she would always be the number one for me
She’d always be my number one girl
I said there’d be no number two or three

Down in the malt shop shortly thereafter
Met another girl about as cute as she could be
I looked for number one and when I didn’t see her
I told number two she was the only girl for me

Went to the drug store and nearly lost my life
There I saw my girlfriends, one and two
Standing there together, I knew I was in trouble
But I’m a clever guy I knew what to do

I went on down by the station early in the morning
I was wooing women as cute as they could be
But then I saw another girl lookin kinda pretty
I said I’m through with one and two
I love you number three
I said I love you number three
And here’s what she said to me

Just head on down by the station early in the morning
Catch yourself a trolley car that goes into the sea
I want a love that’s true sir, not a love like you sir
You weren’t true to one and two
You won’t be true to me

Down by the station early in the morning
See the little puffer-bellies all in a row
See the station master pull the little handle
Chug, chug, woo, woo, off they go”

For other songs by The Four Preps: “26 Miles (Santa Catalina)” and “More Money for You and Me.”

For More Golden Oldies Music

The Daily Doo Wop Rec Room has daily featured doo wop music, rock and roll hits, 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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