"Only You" & "The Great Pretender"

Tony Williams of The Platters Singing
"Only You" & "The Great Pretender"

By Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com

Tony Williams sings "Only You" (1960)

Tony Williams sings "The Great Pretender"

Preface: One of my favorite record albums in the 1950s was by The Platters. They formed in 1952, and are one of the most successful vocal groups of the early rock and roll era. The group had 40 charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1955 and 1967, including four number-one hits. In 1990, the Platters were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Found videos of tenor Tony Williams singing two of my favorites— "Only You" & "The Great Pretender". Buck Ram, manager of The Platters, wrote both songs.

"Only You" (1955)

Only you can make all this world seem right
Only you can make the darkness bright
Only you and you alone
can thrill me like you do
And fill my heart with love for only you

Only you can make all this change in me
For it's true, you are my destiny
When you hold my hand I understand
the magic that you do
You're my dream come true,
my one and only you

Only you can make this change in me
For it's true, you are my destiny
When you hold my hand I understand
the magic that you do
You're my dream come true,
my one and only you

The Platters in 1955.
From left to right:
Zola Taylor, Tony Williams,
David Lynch, Paul Robi,
and Herb Reed.

"The Great Pretender" (1955)

Oh-oh, yes I'm the great pretender
Pretending that I'm doing well
My need is such I pretend too much
I'm lonely but no one can tell

Oh-oh, yes I'm the great pretender
Adrift in a world of my own
I've played the game but to my real shame
You've left me to grieve all alone

Too real is this feeling of make-believe
Too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal

Yes, I'm the great pretender
Just laughin' and gay like a clown
I seem to be what I'm not, you see
I'm wearing my heart like a crown
Pretending that you're still around

Too real is this feeling of make-believe
Too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal

Yes, I'm the great pretender
Just laughin' and gay like a clown
I seem to be what I'm not, you see
I'm wearing my heart like a crown
Pretending that you're still around