Randolph was born in Paducah, Kentucky and raised in Cadiz, Kentucky, attending high school in Evansville, Indiana.
At the end of World War II, Boots Randolph played saxophone, trombone and vibraphone in the United States Army Band. After his service in the Army, he played with Dink Welch's Kopy Kats in Decatur, Illinois from 1948-1954. He briefly resided in Louisville, Kentucky before returning to Decatur to start his own group. He left Decatur in 1957.
During his more than forty year career, Randolph performed in hundreds of venues alongside many artists in pop, rock, jazz, and country music. He played on several albums with Elvis Presley and also performed on soundtracks for a number of Presley's motion pictures.
Mr. Randolph recorded for Monument Records in Nashville and played on Roy Orbison's 1963 hit, "Mean Woman Blues." He was also featured on "Little Queenie" by REO Speedwagon, "Java" by Al Hirt, "Turn On Your Lovelight" by Jerry Lee Lewis, and "Rockin' 'Round The Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee.
In 1977, Randolph opened a successful club of his own in Nashville's "Printers Alley." He also frequently appeared on the television program "Hee Haw".
On July 3, 2007, Randolph died at Skyline Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, after suffering a brain hemorrhage. He was 80 years old.
His final solo studio album "A Whole New Ballgame" was released June 12, 2007.
Flamingo
Boots Randolph Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Flying over the island
To my lover nearby
Flamingo, with your tropical hue
For it's you I rely on
And the love that is true
The song that I hear below
The murmuring heart
Flamingo, when the sun meets the sea
Say farewell to my lover
And hasten to me
Aah-ooh, aah-ooh, ooh-ooh
Flamingo.
Flamingo.
Flamingo, when the sun meets the sea
Say farewell to my lover
And hasten to me
Aah-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-aah
In the first verse of the song “Flamingo,” songwriter Boots Randolph describes the beautiful bird he sees soaring in the sky. He compares it to a flame due to its vibrant tropical hue. He says it’s flying over an island, which implies a sense of paradise or escape. The bird also carries a message of hope and love, as it’s flying to his lover nearby. The second verse continues with the beautiful imagery of the flamingo with its tropical hue, and how the songwriter relies on this creature for love that is true.
The next verse illustrates the winds blowing a song to the bird as it flies, and the songwriter hears the sounds of that song in his heart. The phrase “the murmuring heart” gives a sense of poetic sensibility, as if the songwriter is gentle and introspective. The chorus of the song repeats the same verse, hinting at a sense of longing and desire to be with his lover. The last verse includes the poetic phrase “when the sun meets the sea,” perhaps indicating the fleeting nature of time and the inevitability of distance. Yet, the songwriter wants the flamingo to say farewell to his lover and hasten to him, expressing his desire to be reunited.
Line by Line Meaning
Flamingo, like a flame in the sky
The Flamingo bird is compared to a colorful and bright flame in the sky.
Flying over the island
The Flamingo bird is flying over an island.
To my lover nearby
The Flamingo bird is flying to the singer's lover who is nearby on the island.
Flamingo, with your tropical hue
The Flamingo bird has a bright and colorful tropical color.
For it's you I rely on
The artist relies on the Flamingo bird.
And the love that is true
The love that the singer shares with their lover is true and genuine.
The wind sings a song to you as you go
The wind is making a gentle sound as the Flamingo bird is travelling.
The song that I hear below
The artist is able to hear the sound of the wind from below as the Flamingo bird flies above.
The murmuring heart
The sound of the wind is compared to a soft murmuring heartbeat.
Flamingo, when the sun meets the sea
When the sun sets, the Flamingo bird is called to make a move towards the artist.
Say farewell to my lover
The Flamingo bird says goodbye to the singer's lover on the island.
And hasten to me
The Flamingo bird hastens to reach the artist.
Aah-ooh, aah-ooh, ooh-ooh
The singer expresses their emotion in the form of sounds.
Flamingo.
The title of the song is repeated.
Flamingo.
The title of the song is repeated one last time.
Flamingo, when the sun meets the sea
When the sun sets, the Flamingo bird is called to make a move towards the artist.
Say farewell to my lover
The Flamingo bird says goodbye to the artist's lover on the island.
And hasten to me
The Flamingo bird hastens to reach the singer.
Aah-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-aah
The singer expresses their emotion in the form of sounds.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHICK COREA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind