She began as a Broadway musical actress, starring in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in 1949, and Hello, Dolly! in 1964, when she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She revived both roles several times throughout her career, most recently playing Dolly in 1995. Channing was nominated for her first Tony Award in 1956 for The Vamp followed by a nomination in 1961 for Show Girl. She received her fourth Tony Award nomination for the musical Lorelei in 1974.
As a film actress, she won the Golden Globe Award and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Muzzy in Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967). Her other film appearances include The First Traveling Saleslady (1956) and Skidoo (1968). On television, she appeared as an entertainer on variety shows, from The Ed Sullivan Show in the 1950s to Hollywood Squares. She had a standout performance as The White Queen in the TV production of Alice in Wonderland (1985), and had the first of many TV specials in 1966, An Evening with Carol Channing.
Channing was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1981 and received a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 1995. She continued to perform and make appearances well into her 90s, singing songs from her repertoire and sharing stories with fans, cabaret style. She released an autobiography, titled Just Lucky I Guess, in 2002, and Larger Than Life, a documentary film about her career, was released in 2012.
Discography
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Columbia Records, 1950
Show Girl, 1961
Hello, Dolly!, RCA Records, 1964
Lorelei, Decca Records, 1974
Hello, Dolly!, 1994
Additional albums:
Archy And Mehitabel - A Back-Alley Opera (with Eddie Bracken), 1954
Carol Channing, Vanguard Records, 1961
Carol Channing Reads Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Caedmon Records, 1962
Carol Channing Entertains, Command Records, 1965
Carol Channing Reads Madeleine, Caedmon Records, 1970s
C and W (with Webb Pierce), Plantation Records, 1976
Carol Channing and Her Country Friends (guest appearances by Jimmy C. Newman, Hank Locklin, and others), Plantation Records, 1977
Carol Channing on Tour, 51 West Records, 1980
Jazz Baby, DRG Records. 1994
Just Lucky, I Guess: A Memoir of Sorts, Audiobook, 2003
For Heaven's Sake, New Day Records, 2010
True To The Red, White, and Blue, Homesick Entertainment, 2012
Do It Again
Carol Channing Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And miss it each night and day
I know I'm not wrong, the feeling's getting stronger
The longer I stay away
Miss the moss-covered vines, tall sugar pines
Where mockingbirds used to sing
I'd love to see that old lazy Mississippi
The moonlight on the bayou
A Creole tune that fills the air
I dream about magnolias in bloom
And I'm wishin' I was there
Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans
When that's where you left your heart
And there's one thing more, I miss the one I care for
More than I miss New Orleans
The lyrics to Carol Channing's song "Do It Again" express a deep longing and nostalgia for the city of New Orleans. The opening line, "Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans," sets the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer laments the fact that they are no longer in the city that holds their heart. As the song progresses, we learn about the various aspects of the city that the singer misses, from the "moss-covered vines" and "tall sugar pines" to the "old lazy Mississippi" and "moonlight on the bayou." The specific imagery used in the lyrics paints a vivid picture of New Orleans, making it easy for listeners to understand why the singer misses it so much.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans
Do you understand the overpowering feeling of nostalgia for a place you cherish?
And miss it each night and day
The yearning to return grows stronger with every passing moment.
I know I'm not wrong, the feeling's getting stronger
The sense of longing is genuine and intensifying.
The longer I stay away
The more time spent apart, the greater the pull of home.
Miss the moss-covered vines, tall sugar pines
The memories of lush foliage and towering trees are deeply ingrained.
Where mockingbirds used to sing
The sweet sound of the local birdlife is an integral part of the longing.
I'd love to see that old lazy Mississippi
The desire to be reunited with the lazy river is intense.
Hurrying into Spring
Observing the rapid arrival of Springtime would bring great joy.
The moonlight on the bayou
The ethereal glow of the moonlight upon the water's surface is a magical memory.
A Creole tune that fills the air
The sounds of the unique Creole music are forever etched in the mind.
I dream about magnolias in bloom
The dream of witnessing the magnolias blooming again is powerful.
And I'm wishin' I was there
The hope to once again be in that beloved place is alive and well.
When that's where you left your heart
Leaving a piece of your heart in NOLA makes the separation even more challenging.
And there's one thing more, I miss the one I care for
The yearning for a loved one only adds to the emotional hardship of being away.
More than I miss New Orleans
The love for the person they care about is greater than even the love for the city itself.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Eddie De Lange, Louis Alter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind