The Fleetwoods - Tragedy

[Luray101]

The smoothest most sensual vocals. Thx for posting!

[sauquoit13456]

Happy Birthday Barbara Ellis, born on this date in 1940. {Feb. 20th}

[desert3347]

......... :'( ........Sad

[ReKuSu231952]

thank you, because this song i was looking for years.

[12CeeSee]

The most beautiful rendition of this song without a doubt..Its the only version that can still bring tears to my eyes.Thats how powerful  The Fleetwoods' sound was/is

[sgtcook1]

The Fleetwoods are an incredible group, but they are best listened to through a good set of headphones. Just brilliant!

[SuperBikerbob]

Great group sound fabulous today!!!!

[ultraroadmap]

Absolutely love this song......the Fleetwoods originated an hour south of where I live, I wonder if the rain might have contributed to the melancholy greatness of this song!!

[SuperBikerbob]

How great the oldies are The fleetwoods are right on top of my list Baby bommers had the best music make no mistake about it!!!!!!!!

[harrisonjonesify]

there vocals are what would be.. now-a-days-" guitars& synth" .. no matter what kind of music you play ( not even gona get into the "genre" battle ,,, BUT!!.. everything came from the oldies !!

[deni1149]

T......you are to much....did you put "Come softly to me" in??

[desert3347]

Tender, Sad......that's how I feel.

[serendiba]

They sang echoing our own tragedies and the happinesses of young love.Fabulous Fleetwoods

[mj35063]

Smooth !

[k0d14k1]

My Favorite.

[elmerhdga]

I have been devoted to the Fleetwoods (big-time) since 1958, (6th grade), and have been in contact with Gary, twice, to tell him so, and this is one of their Very best. (I love ALL of their recordings)

[Tonithenightowl]

A hauntingly beautiful song.

[KyplayaZ4lyfe]

I LOVE THE FLEETWOODS.

[jballful]

gary and i used to eat lunck in my car at scool in vancouver wa. clark college garysaid one day it was last day in scool gary was writing and singing songs wit two girls. two weeks latter was one radio made records in seattle rest isbig time music gary made it look so easy  but it was all talent great days for FLEETWOODS was good to know u gary best of luck always

[crusher1944]

Hi RITA M. D.

[arizonaghost1]

this was a fleetwoods cover of a Thomas Wayne record from 1959



[StanBennet]

I have a hate love relationship about this song. I won't say what I hate, but the flute is the best I've ever heard.

[elmerhdga]

I'm a new 66 year old "teenager" (not a "tanager", that's a little bird lol) who has just found out that I can see one of the Greatest of the vocal groups,my beloved Fleetwoods,on YouTube and "Tragedy" has always grabbed my innermost feeelings, and killed me softly, no offense Don Maclean and Lori Lieberman.

[Ezdduf4kuZ]

Sounding very Tragic is the best way to describe these very negative lyrics. The music & the Fleetwoods are sound good, I dig "Come Softly to Me", but this one would of been more appealing to my eardrums anyway had theyd of sang "You've Come to Me....wo wo wo Happiness".  Otherwise they are a great sounding trio!

[realdocphil]

Just love it...I can relate tho I was born in 54.. I do recall this era of innocence.

[maveric23100]

Such a touching beautiful song. There will never be another group like the Kleetwoods. I have always been in love with the gorgeous Gretchan.

[MCvantenHaarlen]

Fanstatic!

[grayaj23]

The opening image is from a little 3" CD that I got when I was 25. I loved that little disk and played the bejeebus out of it.

I can't explain why I love the FWs as much as I do.

[buckbeach]

A beautiful song for a 68 year old listener

[dan10on]

About two years ago ,for a birthday present, my wife took me to a Doo Wop show at Foxwoods casino in Conn. When the Fleetwoods came out they sang three or four songs and ended their performance with this song. I couldn't belive it because its one of my all time favorites. I commented how much I liked this song and she said to me "YOU KNOW THIS SONG?" She said she didn't remember it.

[John1948Five]

@dan10on But I bet she loved it!

[CHIEF51M]

@John1948Five WHOOPS  LOL

[1themeko]

Me and my love danced to this is the 70,s and we still dancing to it.

[boilermaker47]

To Patricia Ann Kirkpatrick where ever you are...I remember,,,,,

[JointManipulation]

"operating under the belief that all the great music has already been recorded"

[davo67]

What a beautifully, sad song. These three hold a very unique spot in the history of music. The chord progression, the phrasing, the lyrics...the whole package.

[glaetze]

I wonder how much of the profits, generated by the Fleetwoods, were raked off of the top, by that record company, Dolton Records, its parent company, Liberty Records, and the producer, (name shown on the 45 record).

From what I read, the members got hardly any money, for all of their hits.

They were ripped-off big time.

[oldermusiclover]

@glaetze sadly that happened a lot back then till the Beatlers and the Stones. in fact it was money that made Buddy Holley take that fatfull road trip

[nazgul1x]

Third time is the charm!

So clear and gentle was their sound. It just seems that it pulls at you and takes you right in. Beautiful

Thank you for posting this

[garyshumor]

What do you mean were scarry? I'm 64 & still find them scarry.Thanks for the warm memories & uploading John

[desertrat1111]

Music from a by gone era... probably never to return... tragedy

[awnok]

Love these. Takes me back to where I've never been.

[TarahBTFizzle]

Long time ago in Olympia Washington What a school back then.

[blueblazer60]

Some other great "Last Dance" songs were "Twilight Time" by The Platters and "The Old Lamp Lighter" by The Browns. Also "Last Date" by Floyd Cramer.

[John1948Five]

@blueblazer60  Oh yeah!!! Twilight Time!

[blueblazer60]

@John1948Five Back in the 8th grade or freshman year in high school there was always that one girl you wanted to ask to dance....and if you didn't get up the courage to do so, you would kick yourself in the butt all the way home.

[John1948Five]

@blueblazer60 I know. I was an expert self-butt-kicker because of a great deal of experience. Why were girls so scary when we were young?

[Luray101]

@John1948Five I am still having dreams of my freshman year crush. So beautiful, such wonderful and innocent days. Such a love the might have been.

[PVcat1]

@John1948Five the very real fear of rejection!

[John1948Five]

@PVcat1  Absolutely. Shot down in front of EVERYONE!

[CHIEF51M]

@blueblazer60 Geez was her name Ginny - man this sound brings back memories of a lost love and a long gone youth

[blueblazer60]

@CHIEF51M Nope, not Ginny. I think it was Shirley and it was the early 60's...a long time ago.

[redsnapper1959]

Gentle lilting version of Thomas Wayne's 1959 US hit . . . it also emulated Thomas in making the US Top 10 in 1961 . . . neither version charted in the UK.

[stdelcambre]

I love this song. Love the mood of accepting despair the horn brings at the 2:05 mark.

[qb62ndmaintbn1967]

Great, great version of the Thomas Wayne classic.

[aattura]

BEEAUTIFUL!!!!

[PVcat1]

What a song! Epitomizes the late 50's - 60's. I can just see the teens of that era listening to this song on their local juke boxes and sipping their floats and eating burgers.

[destinysdarlin1]

Its been years since I heard this, the woman that raised me died of breast cancer in 93........I played this for hours after she died. I even took this to her bedside right after she died........no one knew it, I took a boom box.....I just stayed with her until they came to get her. I closed her eyes with my hand, and I hurt so very bad as I watched them load her body on the gurney and then roll down the hall........I don't think that woman ever got the fact that I loved her so much.

[PVcat1]

@destinysdarlin1 You have had some tough stuff going on in your life.

[destinysdarlin1]

@PVcat1 Hello my dear friend. Yes, but that is what builds character and the depth of love few ever learn. Its only in loss that we grow (or atleast should). I was just a very tender hearted child who grew into a very tender hearted woman that the Lord took to be his own at a very very early age. He saw the future and was there by my side. TREMENDOUS HEARTACHE......thats why love cuts to the bone.

[kokolanza]

I will always love Gretchen Christopher.

[JimMcGovern12]

'59 ballad evokes original heart genuine sentiment. Stay on YT quite awhile hope. Gracie, ciao, James

[lucky8274]

smokeyvelvet42 you said it well.

[catchersmitt0]

He sounds so 50s. Many singers today will later sound very 90s or 2000s.

[glaetze]

Listening to this song is very much like a deep spiritual experience. This is due to the fact that I was just 4 years old when I last heard it on the radio airwaves. I know that sounds crazy, but it's true. I was, at that time, just as dreamy and innocent as the song. I got very emotional when I heard it again, all these years later.

This particular song was always in the back of my mind, all these years. Thanks YouTube!

[DaddyCool1947]

Thanks for this one John. I am HS class of 65, so I grew up with the Fleetwoods. I have this on a CD, but never remember to drag it out of the pile. I have always thought that this was Gary's best vocal. They were like silk on this one. To smokeyvelvet 42...I love that name. One more slow dancin song from back then...When I Fall In Love by The Lettermen.

[smokeyvelvet42]

This song was the last song of the evening so you had the opportunity to dance with the one that you really cherished. You were on clouds your feet in the air and your hearts in heaven your were lost in a moment of time of 2 minutes and 29 seconds which you hoped would last forever and a day. This brings back a time when love was so innocent and pure you felt it with your heart and soul and you felt each fibre of body intertwine with the music that was once upon a time long ago.

[John1948Five]

Some other great slow songs were: Bobby Vinton - Blue Velvet, The Spaniels - Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight, Santo & Johnny - Sleepwalk...

What were some other???

[smokeyvelvet42]

i.e The Dells, oh what night, The Skyliners, Since I dont have you, or this I swear the same group, long lonely nights Lee Andrews& the Heartbeats, A thousand Miles away, The Heartbeats they later change their name to Shep and the Limelights and made Daddy's home, In the still of night The five satins, Maybe, the Chantels, The aisles of Love, The Quintones, Theres a moon out tonight; The Capris, The ten commandments of love, The Moonglows, Ooh baby baby, The Miracles. Check them out.

[surfside48]

@John1948Five

1956-In The Still Of The Night by The Five Satins

1960-Angel Baby by Rosie and the Originals

1958-To Know Him Is To Love Him by The Teddy Bears

1957-My Special Angel by Bobby Helms 1957-Tonight, Tonight by The Mello Kings

1961-There's A Moon Out Tonight by The Capris

1967-Then You Can Tell Me Goodnight by The Casinos just to name A few, slow dancing songs to end the night.

[PVcat1]

@John1948Five Our Winter Love, Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin', Poor Side of Town, This Boy Wants You Back.

[losttherace]

@John1948Five AMEN! I'm with you on that! :)

[liveontheclassics]

@John1948Five Other great slow songs can be by Buddy Holly- True Love Ways, Paul Anka- Put Your Head On My Shoulder etc

[SERENCOCH]

@John1948Five Our favourite "last Dance" record was Midnight by the Shadows

[John1948Five]

@SERENCOCH  That is a good one.

[donknoll]

@smokeyvelvet42 Well Put!!!

[smokeyvelvet42]

@donknoll

Thank you, I only expressed that what we all felt in that moment in time. Have a nice one.

[roowdau]

@smokeyvelvet4 once you have loved like you explain you will always seek that feeling again

[smokeyvelvet42]

@roowdau I must say I like your optimisim but that was part of my youth which I will always fondly cherise it was another time and era. It was beautiful and innocent. Reading the responses I see I am not the only one . This only validates what I had written. If music be the fruit of love then play on !

[mj35063]

@smokeyvelvet42 A guy and A girl just the way it should be !

[oldermusiclover]

i heard this song when i was in high school. loved their harmonys, but now it means more. i lost my mom,dad, and oldest

brother to cancer, plus one of my only

instant friends years ago in a tanker truck

explosion. you cry, mend, but never forget

[JizzCreep]

is there any covers on this song please respond

[jspleevliks]

Danny Gatton did an instrumental cover on his Cruisin Deauces CD.

[JizzCreep]

thank you but i found the one i was looking for it was the one by thomas wayne you should message me for the link it is a very lovely song

[101AVERAGEJOE]

@JizzCreep Thomas Wayne originated it. Brenda Lee did a great job as well as Paul McCartney believe it or not. Have a look, it's pretty good too.

[iolahicks]

amen tunesmith09....I agree...love the Fleetwoods and this song... haven't heard in a long long time!!!

[tunesmith09]

The song, the group,the arrangement, the video posting, beyond A+...thank you Gary & ladies & John1948Five... too much of the world thinks that "60's" music began in '67... their head is where "the monkey put the chestnuts"! In my humble opinion, music as a genre began to die after '66...occasionally great singers, groups...but to this day we have "yellers/noisicians" instead of "singers /musicians"...I know this is not a 'blog'...so pleae forgive me...I know most of you understand...Tunesmith

[PVcat1]

@tunesmith09 I tend to agree with you about the timing of good music. There have been alot exceptions such as Sade, Journey with Steve Perry, Mick Hucknall w/Simply Red, Chris Isaak just to name a few.

[rakeuiff]

@tunesmith09 Gee bitter!!!, the fact is this is great, but why can't other music be as well, most music after 1967 was revolutionary in that the people who sang them actually wrote them too, they did not come from writers in The Brill Building these were not just singers they were creators of their own sound and words and poetry.Certain music needs rough edgy voices , ever heard a Beattle song by an opera singer, or Tom Waites being sung by someone else, , !

[John1948Five]

@rakeuiff I think you are stretching a bit about who wrote and recorded their own music. Both before and after 1967 many artists wrote and recorded their own music and both before and after 1967 many artists recorded songs written by others. Even the Beatles did some of each as did the Fleetwoods.  Linda Ronstadt and Johnny Rivers had great careers covering songs.

[ukcatfan36]

beautiful, haunting melody--this song never gets old!!

[piraton26]

john graham forever my heart will remain with you until death

[hbailen]

So pretty, so pure that it hurts.

[anitashelby]

Such a Beautiful Song!!! I Really Love this one Sooo Much! 5*s It Brings back so many memories for me..Thanks John...Anita

[hubiethesaint]

What a good song I haven't heard in many moons. Thanks for the post