Carter was born Lillie Mae Jones on 16th May 1929 in Flint, Michigan and grew up in Detroit, where her father led a church choir. She studied piano at the Detroit Conservatory. She won a talent contest and became a regular on the local club circuit, singing and playing piano. When she was sixteen, she sang with Charlie Parker. She later performed with Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis and toured with Lionel Hampton (from whom she received the nickname "Betty Bebop"), when she perfected her scat singing of bebop.
Her career was eclipsed somewhat during the 1960s and 1970s, though a series of duets with Ray Charles in 1961, including the R&B-chart-topping "Baby, It's Cold Outside", brought her a measure of popular recognition. She recorded for various labels during this period, including Peacock, ABC-Paramount, and Atco, but was rarely satisfied with the resulting product. An episode in which a record company A&R man tried to abscond with a set of her master recordings led her to establish her own record label, Bet-Car, in 1970. Some of her most outstanding recordings were first issued on Bet-Car, including the double album The Audience with Betty Carter (1980). She was well-received at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1977 and 1978. In 1987 Carter signed with Verve Records. She won a Grammy in 1988 for her album Look What I Got! and sang in a guest appearance on The Cosby Show in that year.
She died on 26th September 1998.
Some Other Time
Betty Carter Lyrics
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Pullin' up my dress at a dinner meeting
Kissin' till my lips are ready to fall off
Screamin' all night then just say I'm singin'
Yeah these are some of my favorite things
Gold butterflies and gum on a string
Yeah these are some of my favorite things
Cashin' in on the glory of my biggest mistakes
fading in the grass basking in the sunlight
Go and say to mama, "I'll just drive ninety eight"
Hold her in my arms tell her, "I'll be alright"
Breath in faith and hope and a big fat cigarette
Drowning in the wine having no regrets
Yeah these are some of my favorite things
Don't ask me why
Gold butterflies and gum on a string
Get me high
Yeah these are some of my favorite things
But doin' nothin' is my favorite one
And It's not the life I thought it would be
But I'll be alright, I know, I will be, so long to circumstance
Cashin' in on the glory of my biggest mistakes
I'm fadin' now at last baskin' in sweet sunlight
Yeah these are some of my favorite things
Don't ask me why
Gold butterflies and gum on a string
Get me high
Yeah these are some of my favorite things
But loving you son is my very favorite one
The lyrics of Betty Carter's song Some Other Time contain introspective and reflective thoughts of the singer, who is reminiscing about their life choices and experiences. The reference to laughing till it pisses everybody off, pulling up the dress at a dinner meeting, and screaming all night and saying it’s singing seem to suggest that the singer lived life on their own terms, sometimes outrageously but always in a way that made them happy.
Reference to the gold butterflies and gum on the string and doing nothing being the favorite imply that the singer appreciates the small and simple things that bring joy to their life. The reference to cashing in on the glory of my biggest mistakes and fading now at last basking in sweet sunlight suggest that the singer has had some difficult times that they have managed to overcome. The song appears to end on a positive note, with references to basking in the sweet sunlight and loving the son being the singer's very favorite thing.
Betty Carter's song Some Other Time is a reflection of life choices and how to be happy despite the ups and downs. Despite the so many eccentric antics, the singer is just a happy person who finds joy and acceptance in the little things. This song can serve as an inspiration for those who feel weighed down by life's adversities to focus on the simple pleasures of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Laughin' till it pisses everybody off
I enjoy making people uncomfortable by laughing too much
Pullin' up my dress at a dinner meeting
I am not afraid to break social norms and act inappropriately
Kissin' till my lips are ready to fall off
I enjoy kissing passionately until my lips become sore
Screamin' all night then just say I'm singin'
I like to make loud noises and pretend that it's music
Yeah these are some of my favorite things
I enjoy doing these things
Gold butterflies and gum on a string
I have peculiar tastes and enjoy unconventional things
But doin' nothin' is my favorite one
I love being lazy and doing nothing
Cashin' in on the glory of my biggest mistakes
I profit from my past failures
fading in the grass basking in the sunlight
I love to relax and be one with nature
Go and say to mama, "I'll just drive ninety eight"
I reassure my mother that I will take care of myself
Hold her in my arms tell her, "I'll be alright"
I comfort my mother and promise her that I am okay
Breath in faith and hope and a big fat cigarette
I find comfort in smoking and spirituality
Drowning in the wine having no regrets
I embrace the hedonistic pleasure of drinking without regrets
Don't ask me why
I don't have a logical reason for my preferences
Get me high
These things give me a sense of euphoria and pleasure
And It's not the life I thought it would be
My life didn't turn out the way I imagined it would
But I'll be alright, I know, I will be, so long to circumstance
Despite the unexpected path of my life, I believe I will be okay and will overcome any obstacles
But loving you son is my very favorite one
Above all else, my favorite thing is loving my son
Contributed by Adrian M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.