Few female jazz singers matched the hard-swinging and equally hard-living Anita O'Day for sheer exuberance and talent in all areas of jazz vocals. Her improvising, wide dynamic tone, and innate sense of rhythm made her more than just another big-band canary. At a time when most female vocals tended to emphasize the sweet timbres of their voice, she chose to emphasize a path blazed by the one major jazz singer who emphasized message over medium - Billie Holiday. Like Holiday, O'Day combined the soaring freedom of jazz instrumentalist with the storytelling lyricism of a poet.
After making her solo debut in the mid-'40s she incorporated bop modernism into her vocals and recorded over a dozen of the best vocal LPs of the era.
During the late Forties, she recorded two dozen sides, mostly for small labels. The quality of these singles varies: O'Day was trying to achieve popular success without sacrificing her identity as a jazz singer. Among the more notable recordings from this period are "Hi Ho Trailus Boot Whip", "Key Largo", "How High the Moon", and "Malaguena". O'Day's drug problems began to surface late in 1947, when she and husband Carl Hoff were arrested for possession of marijuana and sentenced to 90 days in jail. Her career was back on the upswing in September of 1948, when she sang with Count Basie at the Royal Roost in New York City, resulting in five airchecks. What secured O'Day's place in the jazz pantheon, however, are the seventeen albums she recorded for Verve between 1956 and 1962.
Her first album, Anita O'Day Sings Jazz (reissued as The Lady Is a Tramp), was recorded in 1956 for the newly established Verve Records (it was also the label's first LP). The album was a critical success and further boosted her popularity. In October of 1952 O'Day was again arrested for possession of marijuana, but found not guilty. The following March, she was arrested for possession of heroin. The case dragged on for most of 1953; O'Day was finally sentenced to six months in jail. Not long after her release from jail on February 25, 1954, she began work on her second album, Songs by Anita O'Day (reissued as An Evening with Anita O'Day). She recorded steadily throughout the Fifties, accompanied by small combos and big bands. In person, O'Day was generally backed by a trio which included the drummer with whom she would work for the next 40 years, John Poole.
As a live performer O'Day also began performing in festivals and concerts with such musicians as Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson, Dinah Washington, George Shearing, Cal Tjader, and Thelonious Monk. She appeared in the documentary Jazz on a Summer's Day, filmed at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival which increased her popularity. The following year O'Day made a cameo appearance in The Gene Krupa Story , singing "Memories of You". Late in 1959 she toured Europe with Benny Goodman; according to her autobiography, when Goodman's attempts to upstage her failed to diminish the audience's enthusiasm, he cut all but two of her numbers from the show.
After the Goodman fiasco, O'Day went back to touring as a solo artist. She recorded infrequently after the expiration of her Verve contract in 1962 and her career seemed over when she nearly died of a heroin overdose in 1968. After kicking the habit, she made a comeback at the 1970 Berlin Jazz Festival. She also appeared in the films Zig Zag (1970) and The Outfit (1974). She resumed making live and studio albums, many recorded in Japan, and several were released on her own label, Emily Records.
O'Day spoke candidly about her drug addiction in her 1981 memoir, High Times, Hard Times.
Her version of the standard, "Sing, Sing, Sing" was remixed by RSL and was included in the compilation album Verve Remixed 3 in 2005.
2006 saw her first album release in 13 years, entitled Indestructible!.
Pick Yourself Up
Anita O'Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nice teacher, teach me something.
I'm as awkward as a camel, that's not the worst,
My two feet haven't met yet,
But I'll be teacher's pet yet,
'Cause I'm gonna learn to dance or burst.
Nothing's impossible I have found,
I pick myself up,
Dust myself off,
Start all over again.
Don't lose your confidence if you slip,
Be grateful for a pleasant trip,
And pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
Work like a soul inspired,
Till the battle of the day is won.
You may be sick and tired,
But you'll be a man, my son!
Will you remember the famous men,
Who had to fall to rise again?
So take a deep breath,
Pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
I'll get some self assurance
If your endurance is great.
I'll learn by easy stages
If you're courageous and wait.
To feel the strength I want to,
I must hang on to your hand,
Maybe by the time I'm fifty
I'll get up and do a nifty.
Nothing's impossible I have found,
For when my chin is on the ground,
I pick myself up,
Dust myself off,
Start all over again.
Don't lose your confidence if you slip,
Be grateful for a pleasant trip,
And pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
Work like a soul inspired,
Till the battle of the day is won.
You may be sick and tired,
But you'll be a man, my son!
Will you remember the famous men,
Who had to fall to rise again?
So take a deep breath,
Pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
The lyrics of Anita O'Day's "Pick Yourself Up" express the desire to learn and grow despite hardship and challenges. The singer admits to feeling awkward and uncoordinated ("I'm as awkward as a camel"), but is determined to become a skilled dancer ("'Cause I'm gonna learn to dance or burst"). The chorus offers words of encouragement, reminding us that even when we fall, we can always pick ourselves back up again and try again: "Nothing's impossible I have found, for when my chin is on the ground, I pick myself up, dust myself off, start all over again."
The song draws on the metaphor of dancing, presenting it as a symbol of perseverance and resilience. Learning to dance requires effort, practice, and patience, just like overcoming challenges in life. The lyrics also offer a message of generational continuity--the singer reminds a younger generation that their struggles and successes are part of a larger historical narrative: "Will you remember the famous men, who had to fall to rise again?" Overall, the song's uplifting message encourages listeners to keep working towards their goals, no matter how difficult the journey may be.
Line by Line Meaning
Please teacher, teach me something,
I'm asking for guidance and knowledge from someone who I respect and who can provide valuable insights.
Nice teacher, teach me something.
I am showing appreciation and politeness towards the teacher who I am asking to learn from.
I'm as awkward as a camel, that's not the worst,
I recognize that I may not be the most graceful or skilled at this point, but I know that I can improve.
My two feet haven't met yet,
I am still getting used to this activity and I may not have complete control over my movements yet.
But I'll be teacher's pet yet,
I am determined to impress my teacher and become an exemplary student.
'Cause I'm gonna learn to dance or burst.
I am fully committed and will do whatever it takes to achieve my goal of learning to dance.
Nothing's impossible I have found,
I have learned through experience that anything can be achieved if one is determined and stays persistent.
For when my chin is on the ground,
In times of struggle and failure, I have learned to stay strong and not give up.
I pick myself up,
I take responsibility for my own actions and emotions and don't rely on others to pick me up.
Dust myself off,
I shake off any negativity or self-doubt in order to move forward.
Start all over again.
I am willing to begin anew and work towards achieving my goals again, no matter how many setbacks I face.
Don't lose your confidence if you slip,
I encourage myself (and others) to stay self-assured and confident, even in times of failure or difficulty.
Be grateful for a pleasant trip,
I remind myself to appreciate the journey and all of the positive experiences that come with it.
And pick yourself up,
I maintain a sense of self-reliance and don't wait for others to bail me out.
Dust yourself off,
I shake off any negativity or self-doubt in order to move forward.
Start all over again.
I am willing to begin anew and work towards achieving my goals again, no matter how many setbacks I face.
Work like a soul inspired,
I am encouraged to work hard and passionately towards my goals, as if I am inspired by a higher purpose.
Till the battle of the day is won.
I push myself to persevere until I accomplish what I set out to achieve for the day.
You may be sick and tired,
Even when I am feeling down, frustrated or tired, I don't lose sight of the bigger picture and stay motivated towards accomplishing my goals.
But you'll be a man, my son!
I am reminded that taking responsibility for my actions and pushing myself towards my goals is a hallmark of maturity and character.
Will you remember the famous men,
I am encouraged to look up to and study the successes and failures of those who have come before me in order to learn and grow.
Who had to fall to rise again?
I recognize that setbacks and failures are a natural part of the journey towards success, and shouldn't be viewed as insurmountable obstacles.
So take a deep breath,
I remind myself to pause, reflect, and re-center in order to take on challenges with a clearer and stronger mindset.
Pick yourself up,
I maintain a sense of self-reliance and don't wait for others to bail me out.
Dust yourself off,
I shake off any negativity or self-doubt in order to keep moving forward.
Start all over again.
I am willing to begin anew and work towards achieving my goals again, no matter how many setbacks I face.
I'll get some self assurance
I am recognizing and acknowledging that I may lack confidence in this moment.
If your endurance is great.
But, I'm willing to rely on someone else's strength and perseverance to help guide me through this moment.
I'll learn by easy stages
I am willing to take small, incremental steps in order to achieve my goals and build my confidence.
If you're courageous and wait.
I am looking to someone else who embodies bravery and patience to help me manifest those qualities as well.
To feel the strength I want to,
I am seeking to cultivate a sense of inner strength and confidence in order to achieve my goals.
I must hang on to your hand,
I know that in order to achieve those feelings of strength and confidence, I need guidance and support from someone else.
Maybe by the time I'm fifty
I recognize that growth and progress take time, and that mastery of something may not come until later in life.
I'll get up and do a nifty.
But, my ultimate goal is to be able to excel in this area and achieve something impressive.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: DOROTHY FIELDS, JEROME KERN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Aceiseverywhere
on Who Cares?
Let it rain and thunder
Let a million firms go under
I am not concerned with, stocks and bombs that I've been burned with
I love you and you love me
And that's how it will always be
And nothing else can ever mean a thing
Who cares what the public chatters?
Love's the only thing that matters
Who cares if the sky, cares to fall
in the sea
Who cares how history rates me?
As long as your kiss intoxicates me
Oh why should I care?
Life is one long jubilee
As long as I care for you
And you care for me!
Who cares if the sky, cares to fall
in the sea
Who cares what banks fail in Yonkers?
As long as you've got a kiss that conquers!
Oh why should I care?
Life is one long jubilee
So long as I care for you
and you care for me!
(These lyrics might be wrong, sorry)