The Four Preps
"The Four Preps" were a popular music quartet most popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s .
The group originally consisted of Bruce Belland (born October 22 , 1936 in Chicago, Illinois ), Ed Cobb , Marv Ingram, (originally named "Marvin Inabnett") and Glen Larson (born 1937 ), who later become one of the most prolific creators and producers in the history of American television.
The four were students at Hollywood High School and were signed to a long term contract by Capitol Records after one of Capitol's executives saw them at a talent show at that school in 1956 .[ citation needed ] They had a minor chart hit that year with "Dreamy Eyes" and between 1956 and 1964 reached the top 100 charts with 13 different songs. The following year they appeared with Lindsay Crosby on the top-rated television special, The Edsel Show .
Their biggest hit was " 26 Miles (Santa Catalina) ," which was written by Belland and Larson and reached #2.
Lyrics
Twenty-six miles across the sea
Santa Catalina is a-waitin' for me
Santa Catalina, the island of romance
Romance, romance, romance
Water all around it everywhere
Tropical trees and the salty air
But for me the thing that's a-waitin' there, romance
It seems so distant, twenty-six miles away
Restin' in the water serene
I'd work for anyone, even the Navy
Who would float me to my island dream
Twenty-six miles, so near yet far
I'd swim with just some water-wings and my guitar
I could leave the wings
But I'll need the guitar for romance
Romance, romance, romance
Twenty-six miles across the sea
Santa Catalina is a-waitin' for me
Santa Catalina, the island of romance
A tropical heaven out in the ocean
Covered with trees and girls
If I have to swim, I'll do it forever
'Til I'm gazin' on those island pearls
Forty kilometers in a leaky old boat
Any old thing that'll stay afloat
When we arrive we'll all promote romance
Romance, romance, romance
Twenty-six miles across the sea
Santa Catalina is a-waitin' for me
Santa Catalina
The island of romance
Romance, romance, romance
Twenty-six miles across the sea
Santa Catalina is a-waitin' for me