Born into a musical family in Detroit, she worked with small dance bands there before attending Wellesley College on scholarship and majoring in music theory. Boston was a hotbed of jazz in the late 40s and early 50s, allowing Barbara to sing with major instrumentalists such as Marian McPartland, Bobby Hackett, Vic Dickenson, Frankie Newton, Johnny Windhurst, and George Wein.
Her early recordings for Riverside and Prestige met with immediate critical acclaim and led to her winning the DownBeat International Critics' Poll as the Best New Singer of 1956. She appeared in small clubs in New York, including the renowned Village Vanguard, and throughout the eastern U.S. and Canada, as well as on radio and TV.
She studied acting to improve her stage presence and, with the near-demise of classic pop in the early 60s, turned to the legitimate theatre, performing in everything from Shakespeare to Sondheim. She moved to the West Coast and received her M.A. in drama at Cal. State-Northridge, then returned to New York and taught speech at the American Academy of Dramatic Art and acting at Hofstra College. In the 1970s, with the resurgence of interest in show tunes and popular standards, Barbara Lea was sought out to appear in the Peabody Award-winning National Public Radio series "American Popular Song with Alec Wilder and Friends". This led to two lengthy feature articles in The New Yorker and a renewed singing career.
She has over a dozen CDs currently available on the Audiophile label, plus reissues of two early LPs on Fantasy/Original Jazz Classics, and two recent releases on the European-based label Challenge.
Barbara Lea died at the age of eighty-two on December 28, 2011.
Just A Little Lovin'
Barbara Lea Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Early in the mornin'
Beats a cup of coffee
For starting off the day
Just a little lovin'
When the world is yawnin'
Makes you feel wake up feeling
This old world
Wouldn't be half as bad
It wouldn't be half as sad
If each and everybody in it had, yeah
Just a little lovin'
Early in the mornin'
That little extra somethin'
To kinda see them through
Nothing turns the day on
Really gets it dawnin'
Like a little bit of lovin'
From some lovin' someone like you
This old world
Wouldn't be half as bad
It wouldn't be half as sad
If each and everybody in it had
Just a little lovin'
Early in the mornin'
(Just a little lovin')
(When the world is yawnin')
Just a little bit of lovin' ah
Oh, in the morning
Nothing turns the day on
Really gets it dawnin'
Make a little bit of lovin'
It's so good, it's so good
Barbara Lea's song "Just A Little Lovin'" presents a message about how a small act of love can have a significant impact on one's life. The song suggests choosing love over other options, such as starting the day with a cup of coffee or simply yawning through the morning. It describes how an early morning dose of love can make one feel optimistic, energized, and hopeful about the day ahead. The song also implies that if every individual in the world had just a little love in their lives, the world would be a better place. This phrase "Just A Little Lovin'" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the importance of this message.
"Beat a cup of coffee for starting off the day" - this line suggests that love is more powerful than caffeine in getting us going in the morning.
"That little extra somethin' to kinda see them through" - this line implies that love can bring people through tough times and situations.
"Nothing turns the day on, really gets it dawnin'" - this line may suggest that love is key in starting the day off right and spreading positivity.
In conclusion, "Just A Little Lovin'" encourages listeners to choose love over other options that may not be as effective in starting off the day in a positive light. It suggests that a small act of love can help make the world a better place, and reminds us of the power of love in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Just a little lovin'
A small amount of love
Early in the mornin'
At the beginning of the day
Beats a cup of coffee
Is better than a cup of caffeine
For starting off the day
To begin the day with a positive attitude
When the world is yawnin'
In the morning when people are still waking up
Makes you feel wake up feeling
Gives you the feeling of being wide awake and alert
Good things are coming your way
Brings a sense of positivity or hopefulness
This old world
The world we live in
Wouldn't be half as bad
Would not be as terrible
It wouldn't be half as sad
It would not be as melancholy
If each and everybody in it had, yeah
If everyone had just a little bit of love in their lives
That little extra somethin'
A little something special
To kinda see them through
To get someone through a difficult time
Nothing turns the day on
Nothing makes someone feel more energetic or optimistic
Really gets it dawnin'
Really makes the day begin with enthusiasm or vigor
Like a little bit of lovin'
Like receiving a small amount of affection
From some lovin' someone like you
From a significant other or loved one
Just a little bit of lovin' ah
Just a small amount of affection
Oh, in the morning
At the beginning of the day
Make a little bit of lovin'
Show a small amount of affection
It's so good, it's so good
Displays how beneficial a small amount of love can be
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CHARLES MILLER, HAROLD RAY I. BROWN, HOWARD E. SCOTT, JERRY GOLDSTEIN, LE ROY L. JORDAN, LEE OSKAR, MORRIS DEWAYNE DICKERSON, SYLVESTER ALLEN
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