You Were Mine
Oldies Music Lyrics

1959 Song by the Fireflies.

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You Were Mine Oldies Music Lyrics - The man behind the song.

The song "You Were Mine" by the Fireflies remains one of my most memorable and loved songs from 1959. 

I recently received detailed information about the songwriter, Paul Giacalone. For this reason I decided to tell the story about the song and the songwriter.

I understand that it did take all the members to make the song possible. I just do not have enough detailed information on other original members of the group.

It should also be noted that in an interview in 2013, I listened and watched Paul Giacalone give due credit on how talented the Fireflies are as individuals.  

He said the group sang and played their own instruments on the song. He respected each individual's talent and believed lead singer Richie Adams to be the most talented.

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Family corrects the record for their dad.

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Teenage Crush - The story begins.

As I was watching the video clip from a 2013 interview with Paul Giacalone, he was asked how he came to write the song. 

Mr. Giacalone said that Dick Clark had asked him the same question and as he smiled he said, "I hope my wife's not watching this show." 

He said he was 19 years old when he met a girl in Canada. He fell head over heals for the girl and that gave him the inspiration to write the song.

"Now I'll go on my way, thinking of that lovely day you were mine...." 

I also smiled when Paul, sitting on the couch with other members of Fireflies, looked up and clasped his hands in prayer and said, "Please God, don't let her listen to this." 

He was laughing at the same time and enjoying the moment with his old friends, The Fireflies. You could sense he was a compasionate and sincere man.

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Why No Top 10 Hit For This Wonderful Old Song? 

Might have been because the song was less than two minutes long, but it did stay on the charts for sixteen weeks. Extra verses were added for this show so the song would be over three minutes in length.

You were Mine was performed on this PBS special "More Red, White & Rock"  from 2002 and was at the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh.

This is another excellent "Feel good, Sing-a-long" song and a performance by a different lead singer, Marco Gueli Jr. that is every bit as good as the original recording.  Just my opinion. 

Mr. Giacalone asked Marco to join The Fireflies as lead singer in 1999 after hearing him sing "You Were Mine" and "I Can't Say Goodbye." 

I grew up with drive-in movies, sock hops and Friday night cruisin when gas was 29 cents a gallon. Yes, it really was simple back then, and songs like "You Were Mine" made the times even more special dancing with my first girlfriend.

I've always enjoyed this mellow sound. The song just hangs with me. It has simple lyrics with a great melody. Makes you smile and brings back the great memories.   

You will smile too when you watch this video. 

And Yes that is Frankie Valli. He was one of hosts of that show.

Please continue reading below the video. Learn how the original song was first discovered and recorded, how Paul's mother got involved with a song and a few tid-bits you may not know about the Fireflies.    

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You Were Mine Oldies Music Lyrics
The Fireflies
Written by Paul Giacalone

You were mine at the time and the feeling was sublime
You were mine (you were mine) You were mine (you were mine)
You were really, really mine
And I know that our love was a love of true love

Like a bird on the wing when he know it's early Spring
You were mine (you were mine) You were mine (you were mine)
You were really, really mine
And I know that our love was a love of true love

But now, since you're gone, I'm so sad and alone
Rememb'ing the love that we had for our own

Now I'll go on my way thinking of that lovely day
You were mine (you were mine) You were mine (you were mine)
You were really, really mine
And I know that our love was a love of true love

But now, since you're gone, I'm so sad and alone
Rememb'ing the love that we had for our own

Now I'll go on my way thinking of that lovely day
You were mine (you were mine) You were mine (you were mine)
You were really, really mine
And I know (and I know) that our love (that our love) was a love of true love

Now I'll go on my way thinking of that lovely day
You were mine (you were mine) You were mine (you were mine)
You were really, really mine
And I know (and I know) that our love (that our love) was a love of true love

And I know (and I know) that our love (that our love) was a love of true love
And I know (and I know) that our was a love of true love

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The original recording on Ribbon records.

Excerpts from Hit Parade article dated February, 1960 sent to me by Paul Giacalone.  

When The Fireflies first auditioned for "Ribbon records" the execs were so excited by this new talent they whipped up a contract and set a recording date.

They searched for material for several days without too much success. Paul Giacalone said he had written a tune called "You Were Mine" in memory of a youthful crush. The rest is history.

All these years many sites have written that The Fireflies were from Philadelphia, myself included. Thanks to Paul Giacalone's son, Paul, I was able to obtain the correct information along with some family photos.       

Paul sent me a copy of the Fireflies signed contract dated December 1, 1959 and the copy verified all original members and their addresses to be located in Brooklyn, New York,  and not Philadelphia as reported by many sites.

The four original members listed on that 1959 contract were Richard Ziegler (stage name Ritchie Adams) Freeman Lee Reynolds, Paul Giacalone and John Viscelli.  

These four are responsible for The Fireflies two biggest hits, "You Were Mine" and "I Can't Say Goodbye."

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Some interesting Tid-bits you may not know about The Fireflies.

The Fireflies were one of the first groups in which all band members both sang and played instruments.

They were the first all white vocal harmonizing group to appear at The Apollo Theater.

They also appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand and The Allen Freed Show.

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Paul Giacalone's mother inspires another song.

Paul was a devoted family man. During the June 4, 2013 interview, I listened as Paul explained how the song "I Can't Say Goodbye" came about.

Paul said he wrote the song for his mother. He said "Every time I leave, my mother would ask, Paul when are you coming back, so I wrote the song for her."

Sadly, less than a month after that interview Paul would be taken by cancer. Paul Giacalone died in Long Island, New York on June 27, 2013. He was 73. 

Original lead singer, Ritchie Adams, died on March 6, 2017, after a long illness. He was 78. 

A very special thanks to Paul Giacalone (Paul's son) who provided me with factual information to help keep his dad's songs and The Fireflies memories alive.      

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