Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S, Al Caiola was a studio musician in the 1950s in New York City. He released some minor records under his own name in that decade. In addition, he performed under the musical direction of John Serry Sr. on an album for Dot Records in 1956 (Squeeze Play).
In 1960 he became a recording star on the United Artists label for over ten years. He had hits in 1961 with "The Magnificent Seven" and "Bonanza". His guitar style was inspired by Duane Eddy. The arrangements were typically by Don Costa, using a large orchestral backing. Caiola continuously released singles and albums throughout the 1960s and beyond, though no others appeared on the charts except for an entry in 1964 with "From Russia with Love". United Artists used him to make commercial recordings of many movie and TV themes: "Wagon Train (Wagons Ho)", "The Ballad of Paladin", "The Rebel", and "Gunslinger". His album Solid Gold Guitar contained arrangements of "Jezebel", "Two Guitars", "Big Guitar", "I Walk the Line", and "Guitar Boogie".
The Magnificent Seven album, other than the title track, consisted of a variety of pop songs with a jazzy bent. Guitars Guitars Guitars was similar. There was a wide variety to his albums — soft pop, Italian, Hawaiian, country, jazz. In the early 1970s he continued on the Avalanche Recordings label, producing similar work including the album Theme From the 'Magnificent 7 Ride' '73. Later, on other labels, came some ethnic-themed instrumental albums such as In a Spanish Mood in 1982, and Italian instrumentals. In 1976, Caiola accompanied Sergio Franchi, Dana Valery, and Wayne J. Kirby (Franchi's musical director) on a concert tour to Johannesburg, South Africa.
Caiola died in November 2016 at the age of 96.
A Foggy Day
Al Caiola Lyrics
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Out of town were the people I knew
I had that feeling of self-pity
What to do, what to do, what to do
The outlook was decidedly blue
But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known
A foggy day, in London town
Had me low, had me down
I viewed the morning, with much alarm
British Museum, had lost its charm
How long I wondered,
Could this thing last
But the age of miracles, hadn't past
For suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London town,
The sun was shining everywhere
For suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London town,
The sun was shining everywhere
Everywhere
Everywhere
Everywhere
The lyrics to Al Caiola's song A Foggy Day evoke feelings of loneliness and hopelessness as the singer describes being a stranger in a city and feeling sorry for himself. The atmosphere is set by the mention of "foggy streets" in London, contributing to a sense of confusion and uncertainty. Despite this, the singer's luck turns around when he sees someone he knows, and suddenly, even through the haze of the fog, London becomes a place of sunshine and possibility.
The song's opening lines immediately set the tone for the lyrics, with the singer stating that they feel like a stranger in the city and out of touch with the people they knew. The subsequent line, "I had that feeling of self-pity," suggests a sad and introspective mood. However, the song takes a turn as the singer walks through the foggy streets of London and sees someone they recognize. Suddenly, the sun shines everywhere, even in the midst of the fog that had been causing them so much discomfort.
The lyrics of A Foggy Day convey an emotional journey, with the singer starting in a place of sadness and isolation but ultimately finding hope and positivity. The use of the foggy setting in London as a metaphor for emotional fog is a clever technique that adds depth to the song's meaning. Overall, the song is a reflection of how a chance encounter with someone familiar can change the mood and tenor of an entire day.
Line by Line Meaning
I was a stranger in the city
I felt like I didn't belong in this unfamiliar city
Out of town were the people I knew
None of my familiar friends or family were around to comfort me
I had that feeling of self-pity
I was feeling sorry for myself and my current situation
What to do, what to do, what to do
I was unsure of how to make things better for myself
The outlook was decidedly blue
The future looked bleak and depressing
But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
Despite feeling alone and lost, I continued walking through the city's misty streets
It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known
Although I was feeling unlucky at first, I ended up having a fortunate experience
A foggy day, in London town
The setting was a misty day in London
Had me low, had me down
The gloomy weather and my negative mindset were bringing me down emotionally
I viewed the morning, with much alarm
I was anxious and alarmed about how the day ahead would turn out
British Museum, had lost its charm
Even local tourist attractions like the British Museum failed to impress me on this day
How long I wondered, could this thing last
I questioned how much longer my current state of mind would persist
But the age of miracles, hadn't past
I realized that unlikely and unexpected good things can still happen in life
For suddenly, I saw you there
At that moment, I saw someone who made me feel happy and relieved
And through foggy London town,
Even though it was misty and dim, I saw beauty in the city
The sun was shining everywhere
Metaphorically speaking, finding this person made everything seem brighter and better
Everywhere
This positive feeling of relief and happiness overtook me completely
Everywhere
The feeling didn't just stay in one location or one moment, but persisted throughout the day
Everywhere
I was grateful for the experience and feeling, and it stayed with me beyond that day
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind