McRae was born in Harlem, New York, on the 8th April 1920, and studied piano as a child. As a teenager she came to the attention of Teddy Wilson and his wife, the composer Irene Kitchings Wilson. Through their influence, one of McRae’s early songs, "Dream of Life", was recorded by Wilson’s longtime collaborator Billie Holiday.
By the late 1940s she was well known among the modern jazz musicians who gathered at Minton's Playhouse, Harlem’s most famous jazz club, where she was the intermission pianist. But it was while working in Brooklyn that she came to the attention of Decca’s Milt Gabler. Her five year association with Decca yielded twelve LPs.
The musicians she sang with include Benny Carter, Mercer Ellington, Count Basie, Sammy Davis Jr, Dave Brubeck, and Louis Armstrong. She was married once (and briefly), to drummer Kenny Clarke.
McRae died on the 10th November 1994.
Boy
Carmen McRae Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's what they used to call you
Before you found a new love to take my place
(ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha)
Laughing boy (ha ha ha ha ha)
That's what they used to call you
You always wore a smile upon your face
(ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha)
The smile you're wearing is untrue
Laughing boy (laughing boy), I think you're blue
Your new love (your new love)
She really must have hurt you
She really must have filled your heart with pain
'Cause I know you well (know you well)
And you could never fool me
I know that somehow you're not the same
(la la la la la la la la)
As I look at you now, I know that somehow
When you say you're happy, you're lying
Laughing boy (laughing boy), I believe you've been crying
(la la la la la la la la)
Don't you know that it's true, I still love you
Just as much as I did before
So laughing boy (come on home)
Come on home, laughing boy (come on home)
Come on home, laughing boy (come on home)
And smile once more
The song "Laughing Boy" by Carmen McRae tells a story of a man who used to go by the name "Laughing Boy" because he always had a smile on his face. However, he recently found a new love that replaced the singer, and while he still has a smile on his face, the singer knows it's false. She notices that he's not the same person she once knew, and it's clear that his new love has hurt him. The singer sympathizes with him, and even though he's been lying about his happiness, she tells him that she still loves him just as much and urges him to come back to her so that he can smile genuinely once more.
Line by Line Meaning
Laughing boy (ha ha ha ha ha)
Addressing the person who used to be known as the laughing boy.
That's what they used to call you
Referring to the nickname that the person was once given.
Before you found a new love to take my place
Implies that the person found a new love and left the author.
(ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha)
Repeating the laughing sound while emphasizing the hurtful situation.
You always wore a smile upon your face
The person always appeared happy and content.
But as I look at you now, I know that somehow
The smile you're wearing is untrue
The author detects that the person's current smile is fake and not genuine.
Laughing boy (laughing boy), I think you're blue
Addressing the person as the laughing boy again and then acknowledging the current unhappy state of the person.
Your new love (your new love)
Referring to the new love interest of the person.
She really must have hurt you
Presuming that the new love hurt the person emotionally.
She really must have filled your heart with pain
Emphasizing that the new love caused significant emotional pain.
'Cause I know you well (know you well)
Asserting that the author knows the person well enough to recognize the emotional pain.
And you could never fool me
Stating that the author is not deceived by the pretense of happiness.
(la la la la la la la la)
Vocally emphasizing the situation before continuing.
When you say you're happy, you're lying
Arguing that the person is not truly happy.
Laughing boy (laughing boy), I believe you've been crying
Addressing the person as the laughing boy again and asserting the belief that they have been crying.
(la la la la la la la la)
Repeating the vocalization while emphasizing the emotional state of the person.
Don't you know that it's true, I still love you
Reassuring the person that the author still loves them.
Just as much as I did before
Asserting that the love has not diminished over time.
So laughing boy (come on home)
Addressing the person as the laughing boy again and urging them to come home.
Come on home, laughing boy (come on home)
Repeating the plea to come home while addressing the person as laughing boy again.
And smile once more
Asking the person to smile and be happy once again.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JACK SEGAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind