He was born in Hamburg, Germany, and studied at the School of Music there. A multi-instrumentalist, he was hired by Hans Busch to play with his orchestra before serving as a bandsman in the German Navy during World War II. He later formed his own big band, toured with them, then worked as an arranger and producer, making hit records with Freddy Quinn and Ivo Robic. In 1961, he hired The Beatles to back Tony Sheridan on "My Bonnie (Lies Over the Ocean)," "When the Saints Go Marching In," "Ain't She Sweet" and "Cry for a Shadow," in a session for Polydor. These turned out to be the Beatles' first commercial recordings. When Beatles manager Brian Epstein asked Kaempfert about further promoting The Beatles, Kaempfert informed Epstein that the company was only interested in The Beatles as Tony Sheridan's backup group. (It also turned out British Decca executive Dick Rowe turned them down in favor of local beat combo Brian Poole and the Tremeloes.) He then released The Beatles from their contract with Polydor.
What'up With You
Bert Kaempfert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He was a kind man,
Helping a fellow along,
One could not see,
One could not walk,
But they both were humming this song;
When you're smiling, When you're smiling, The whole world smiles with you,
When you're laughing, When you're laughing,
The sun comes shining through,
But when you're crying you bring on the rain,
So stop your sighing be happy again,
Keep on smiling 'cause when you're smiling,
The whole world smiles with you.
I used to worry,
I used to hurry,
Each time it started to rain,
Now I see light,
Learned wrong from right,
And you'll never hear me complain;
When you're smiling, When you're smiling,
The whole world smiles with you,
When you're laughing, When you're laughing,
The sun comes shining through,
But when you're crying you bring on the rain,
So stop your sighing be happy again,
Keep on smiling 'cause when you're smiling,
The whole world smiles with you.
The lyrics of When You're Smiling by Bert Kaempfert are a celebration of positivity and the power of a genuine smile. The opening lines describe a heartwarming scene of a blind man helping another person who cannot walk. Despite their physical limitations, they are both singing and humming along to the song. This scenario portrays the idea that there is nothing more powerful than a positive attitude or a simple act of kindness. The chorus speaks to the infectious nature of a smile, with the message being that when you smile, the whole world around you smiles with you. Laughing is also presented as a positive force, with the imagery of the sun shining through when you're laughing. The final lines urge the listener to stop worrying and start enjoying life, and to keep smiling because of the positive impact it has on others.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw a blind man,
I witnessed a man who was unable to see, who was compassionate and helpful towards someone else.
He was a kind man,
The blind man was characterized by his gentle and compassionate nature.
Helping a fellow along,
He was assisting another person in their journey or pursuits.
One could not see,
One of the individuals being helped was visually impaired and unable to see their surroundings.
One could not walk,
The other person being helped was unable to move or walk on their own.
But they both were humming this song;
Despite their difficulties, they were singing and expressing joy.
When you're smiling, When you're smiling,
The act of smiling has a contagious effect on others and can inspire happiness.
The whole world smiles with you,
When individuals are joyful, those around them are often influenced positively as well.
When you're laughing, When you're laughing,
Laughter brings positivity and lightness to a situation.
The sun comes shining through,
Positive emotions can brighten one's perspective and outlook.
But when you're crying you bring on the rain,
Negative emotions and despair can invite more negativity and grief.
So stop your sighing be happy again,
It is beneficial to focus on joy and happiness, rather than dwelling on sadness and pain.
Keep on smiling 'cause when you're smiling,
Continuing to express joy and positivity can uplift those around you.
The whole world smiles with you.
The power of positivity can influence the wider world, causing happiness to spread and multiply.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOE GOODWIN, LARRY SHAY, MARK FISHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind