The Platters’ first big hit is a song of pledging one’s true love to “Only You.” This song epitomizes the grey-scale that separates Bing Crosby from Chubby Checker. On the one hand, you have smooth precision harmony and a slightly over-powering arrangement. On the other, you have a black group with non-standard vocalizing. This song captures an innocence without being cloying or maudlin. And the lyrics embody true devotion as few others can. Even Ringo Starr’s ill-considered version captures some of the flavor, but the Platters wrote the cookbook and everyone from The Miracles to Boyz II Men listened.
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