Mitchell was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He began playing trumpet in high school where he acquired his nickname, Blue.
After high school he played in the rhythm and blues ensembles of Paul Williams, Earl Bostic, and Chuck Willis. After returning to Miami he was noticed by Cannonball Adderley, with whom he recorded for Riverside Records in New York in 1958. He then joined the Horace Silver Quintet playing with tenor Junior Cook, bassist Gene Taylor and drummer Roy Brooks. Mitchell stayed with Silver's group until the band's break-up in 1964. After the Silver quintet disbanded, Mitchell formed a group employing members from the Silver quintet substituting the young pianist Chick Corea for Silver and replacing a then sick Brooks with drummer Al Foster. This group produced a number of records for Blue Note disbanding in 1969, after which Mitchell joined and toured with Ray Charles till 1971. From 1971 to 1973 Mitchell performed with John Mayall on Jazz Blues Fusion. From the mid – 70s he recorded, and worked as a session man in the genres noted previously, performed with the big band leaders Louie Bellson, Bill Holman and Bill Berry and was principal soloist for Tony Bennett and Lena Horne. Other band leaders Mitchell recorded with include Lou Donaldson, Grant Green, Philly Joe Jones, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Johnny Griffin, Al Cohn, Dexter Gordon and Jimmy Smith. Blue Mitchell kept his hard-bop playing going with the Harold Land quintet up until his death from cancer on May 21, 1979 in Los Angeles, California at the age of 49.
6. How Deep Is The Ocean?
Blue Mitchell Lyrics
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I'll tell you no lie
How deep is the ocean?
How high is the sky?
How many times a day do I think of you?
How many roses are sprinkled with dew?
To be where you are?
How far is the journey
From here to a star?
And if I ever lost you, how much would I cry?
How deep is the ocean?
How high is the sky?
How far would I travel
To be where you are?
How far is the journey
From here to a star?
And if I ever lost you, how much would I cry?
How deep is the ocean?
How high is the sky?
How high is the sky?
The lyrics to Blue Mitchell's song "How Deep Is the Ocean" are a testament to the depth of love, longing, and devotion that the singer feels for their beloved. The opening lines ask a series of rhetorical questions that emphasize the overwhelming magnitude of their love: "How much do I love you? I'll tell you no lie. How deep is the ocean? How high is the sky?" These comparisons draw attention to the infinite nature of their love, comparing it to two of the most expansive and incomprehensible elements of nature.
The remainder of the song continues in this vein, with the singer expressing their thoughts and feelings about their beloved. They ask how often they think of them, comparing it to the number of dew-covered roses in a garden. They question how far they would go to be with them, asking how far it is from "here to a star." The final lines return to the earlier metaphor, asking how much they would cry if they ever lost their love – a question with no answer, just as there is no limit to the depth of the ocean or the height of the sky.
Overall, the lyrics of "How Deep Is the Ocean" speak to a love that is boundless, powerful, and all-consuming. The comparisons to vast natural elements underscore the depth of feeling, while the repeated questioning emphasizes the helpless wonder that a great love can inspire.
Line by Line Meaning
How much do I love you?
I want to express my love for you.
I'll tell you no lie
I want to be truthful with you.
How deep is the ocean?
I want to know how boundless my love for you is.
How high is the sky?
I want to know how limitless my love for you is.
How many times a day do I think of you?
I want to know how frequently thoughts of you occupy my mind.
How many roses are sprinkled with dew?
I want to know how precious and unique your presence is.
How far would I travel
I want to express my willingness to journey any distance.
To be where you are?
To be close and connected to you.
How far is the journey
I want to know the full extent of the distance I would need to travel.
From here to a star?
Compared to the vastness of space and distance, how far would I need to go?
And if I ever lost you, how much would I cry?
I want to know the intensity of my pain and loss if I lost you.
How deep is the ocean?
I want to know the vastness of my love for you compared to the depth of the ocean.
How high is the sky?
I want to know how boundless my love for you is compared to the vastness of the sky.
How high is the sky?
I want to know how limitless my love for you is.
Lyrics © IMAGEM U.S. LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind