Ross is one of the early practitioners of a singing style known as vocalese, which involves the setting of original lyrics to an instrumental jazz solo. Her 1952 treatment of saxophonist Wardell Gray's "Twisted" is a classic example of vocalese. "Twisted" is perhaps her most famous song.
She recorded seven albums with Lambert, Hendricks & Ross between 1957 and 1962. Annie left the group in 1962 and in 1964 opened her own nightclub in London. Annie's Room featured performances by such jazz luminaries as Joe Williams, Stuff Smith, Blossom Dearie, Anita O'Day, Jon Hendricks, and Erroll Garner as well as Annie herself.
Ross is also an accomplished actress and has appeared in a number of films: Superman III (1983), Throw Mama From The Train (1987), Pump Up the Volume (1990), Blue Sky (1994), Short Cuts (1993).
A Lot of Livin' to Do
Annie Ross Lyrics
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And I mean to kiss me a few!
Oh, those girls don't know what they're missin'
I've got a lot of livin' to do!
And there's wine all ready for tastin'
And there's cadillacs all shiny and new!
Got to move, 'cause time is a wastein'
There's music to play, places to go, people to see!
Everything for you and me!
Life's a ball, if only you know it!
And it's all just waiting for you!
You're alive, so go on and show it!
There's such a lot of livin' to do!
Such a lot of livin' to do!
What a lot of livin' to do!
The song "A Lot of Livin' to Do" is a plea to make the most of one's life, to savor all the joys that are out there to seize. The first stanza is about the excitement of love and the thrill of passion. The singer asserts that there are plenty of girls in the world who are just waiting to be kissed, and she means to do her part. The second stanza turns to materialistic pursuits, with references to ready-to-pour wine and shiny new cars. The singer thinks there's so much to be had and so many great things to do in the world, so why not get going?
The chorus says that life is worth living to the fullest, with music, travel, people, and all of the other pleasures that make life so enjoyable. The song ends with a triumphant call to life, celebrating the vast opportunities that are ours to seize.
Annie Ross's "A Lot of Livin' to Do" was written for the musical Bye Bye Birdie, which opened on Broadway in 1960.
Line by Line Meaning
There are girls just ripe for some kissin'
There are many girls ready to be kissed
And I mean to kiss me a few!
And I plan on kissing a few of them!
Oh, those girls don't know what they're missin'
These girls have no idea what they're missing out on!
I've got a lot of livin' to do!
I have so much life to experience!
And there's wine all ready for tastin'
There is delicious wine ready to be tasted
And there's cadillacs all shiny and new!
There are brand new, shiny Cadillacs to drive!
Got to move, 'cause time is a wastein'
I need to act now because time is precious and limited
There's such a lot of livin' to do!
There is so much life to experience!
There's music to play, places to go, people to see!
There is endless music to be played, countless places to visit, and so many people to meet!
Everything for you and me!
Everything is available for both of us to experience!
Life's a ball, if only you know it!
Life can be a lot of fun if you realize it!
And it's all just waiting for you!
It's all out there waiting for you to experience!
You're alive, so go on and show it!
You're alive, so don't be afraid to live life to the fullest!
There's such a lot of livin' to do!
There is so much life to experience!
Such a lot of livin' to do!
So much life to live!
What a lot of livin' to do!
What an incredible amount of life to experience!
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRANK BJORN, JACK HARLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind