The Hilltoppers Sing Their Million Sellers

 

Time Waits For No One

The Hilltoppers Sign Their Million Sellers
Souvenir SLP 100
1957

From the back cover: WEBSTER'S dictionary describes the word "style," in part, as "a distinctive or characteristic mode of presentation, construction, or execution in any art." Consequently, it is little wonder all artists strive to attain style, whether it be a Christian Dior or an ambitious group of four college lads at a small southern school.

Dior has it-so have The Hilltoppers, as unique a singing group as ever to appear on show business' ever-changing horizon. No entrepreneur of musical tastes dreamed it up for them-it wasn't born in the vivid imagination of a press agent. It existed from the very moment that Jimmy Sacca, a football player and physical education major, formed a quartet with three other students at Western Kentucky State College in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

They had style from the moment they recorded their first song with portable tape recorder in the college auditorium. This was "Trying," a ballad that was to sweep them to fame in a matter of weeks.

Here then is "Tops in Pops" featuring the great hit songs turned out by The Hilltoppers, appropriately named after Western Kentucky State's athletic teams.

"Trying," written by Billy Vaughn, stunned the Nashville, Tennessee market where it was introduced. The unusual arrangement with its haunting vocal backgrounds soon became a tremendous national hit and completely established the name "Hilltoppers."

All of the songs in this album bear the inimitable mark of this harmonious group. Here you will find the Johnny Mercer-Gordon Jenkins tune of "P. S. I Love You," and Billy Vaughn's "I'd Rather Die Young," and "To Be Alone."

No song with a title like this can make it, said the experts, in talking about "From The Vine Came The Grape." So this, too, became a million record seller as the nation fell in love with this wonderful tale of vineyards in Italy.

The raised-eyebrow brigade had another field day when "The Hilltoppers" recorded George Gershwin's "Love Walked In": but record fans proved it an excellent choice.

The Hilltoppers' "Till Then" is another all-time favorite of the juke box enthusiasts, with its fine melody line and intriguing vocal background. Tin Pan Alley rushed to get the group to record its songs and from this came "If I Didn't Care," by Jack Lawrence, Irving Gordon's "The Kentuckian Song," also "Time Waits For No One," "D-a-r-l-i-n" and "The Door Is Still Open."

You'll treasure this album by The Hilltoppers as an important chapter in musical Americana.

Trying
P.S. I Love You
I'd Rather Die Young
To Be Alone
Love Walked In
From The Vine Came The Grape
Till Then
The Kentuckian Song
If I Didn't Care
Time Waits For No One
D-A-R-L-I-N

The Door Is Still Open