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.
Sunday
Carmen McRae Lyrics
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That one day when I'm with you
It seems that I sigh every Tuesday and I cry all day Wednesday
Oh, my, how I long for you
And then comes Thursday
Gee, it's long and never goes by
Friday makes me feel like I'm gonna die
But after payday is my fun day, 'cuz I fall all day Sunday
That one day when I'm with you
And then comes Thursday
Gee, it's long and never goes by
Friday makes me feel like I'm gonna die
But after payday is my fun day, 'cuz I get a groove on Sunday
That one day when I'm with you
In this song, Carmen McRae sings about the longing and anticipation for the one day she gets to spend with her love, which is Sunday. She reflects on how she sighs every Monday as she thinks back on the wonderful time she had with her significant other the day before, and how that longing carries on throughout the week. She cries on Wednesday as she wishes for Sunday to come sooner. She talks about how Thursday is a long day that seems to never end, and Friday makes her feel like she is going to die, meaning that she is so anxious for Sunday to arrive that it feels like she cannot bear the wait much longer. But once her payday comes, Sunday becomes her fun day, the day when she is finally able to be with her love and enjoy the happiness and pleasure that only that special person can bring her.
The song is essentially about the joy and pain of love, and how it can bring both pleasure and suffering. The lyrics convey the desperation and longing that comes with being separated from someone you love deeply, as well as the joy and excitement that comes with finally being able to spend time with them again.
Line by Line Meaning
I sigh ev'ry Monday thinkin' over Sunday
I spend Monday reflecting on the joy I felt spending Sunday with you.
That one day when I'm with you
The day I'm referring to is when I'm fortunate enough to be with you.
It seems that I sigh every Tuesday and I cry all day Wednesday
I find myself longing for you on Tuesday and feeling emotional and tearful on Wednesday.
Oh, my, how I long for you
I just can't help but feel an intense desire to be with you.
But after payday is my fun day, 'cuz I fall all day Sunday
Once I've been paid, spending the day with you on Sunday becomes my source of joy and excitement.
And then comes Thursday
After Wednesday, it's Thursday's turn to feel like a long and tedious day.
Gee, it's long and never goes by
Thursday feels like an endless day that just drags on and on.
Friday makes me feel like I'm gonna die
By Friday, the anticipation of seeing you again has become almost unbearable and it feels like time is standing still.
cuz I get a groove on Sunday
Spending time with you on Sunday puts me in such a good mood that I feel like I'm grooving to the rhythm of life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHESTER CONN, BENNIE KRUEGER, NED MILLER, JULE STYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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