Cleo Brown, later Cleo Patra Brown (Dec. 8, 1909 - Apr. 15, 1995) was an Am… Read Full Bio ↴Cleo Brown, later Cleo Patra Brown (Dec. 8, 1909 - Apr. 15, 1995) was an American blues and jazz vocalist and pianist.

Brown was born in Mississippi and sang in church as a child. In 1919 her family moved to Chicago and she began studying piano; in the 1920s she began taking gigs in clubs and broadcasted on radio. From the 1930s to the 1950s she toured the United States regularly, recording for Decca Records (among other labels) along the way and recording many humorous, ironic titles such as "Your Feet's Too Big", "Mama Don't Want No Peas and Rice and Coconut Oil" and "The Stuff Is Here and it's Mellow". Her stride piano playing was often compared to Fats Waller.

In the 1940s Brown began to shy from singing bawdy blues songs because of deepening religious beliefs, and in 1953 she retired and became a nurse. She was rediscovered in the 1980s after being tracked down by Marian McPartland; she returned to record again and performed on National Public Radio. She died in 1995 in Denver, Colorado.

Some of Brown's earliest recordings have been reissued by Document Records.

Me And My Wonderful One
Cleo Brown Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Me and my wonderful one,
We haven't got much money,
But the sky's sunny and blue,
Me and my wonderful one,
Can make the dreams
I'm dreaming and the schemes
I'm scheming come true!

Rain or shine, he's all mine,
We beat the millionaires all hollow,
Live on love is the plan we follow,
Me and my wonderful one,
Ah, baby, we're cozy
With a cottage cozy and me!

Me and my wonderful one,
We haven't got much money,
But the sky's sunny and blue,
Oh, me and my wonderful one,
Can make the dreams
I'm dreaming and the schemes
I'm scheming come true!

Rain or shine, he's all mine,
We beat the millionaires all hollow,
Live on love is the plan we follow.
Me and my wonderful one,

Now the future's rosy
With a cottage cozy for two!

Overall Meaning

The song "Me and My Wonderful One" by Cleo Brown is a tribute to the power of love, and the simple joys that come with it. The song presents a couple who may not have much material wealth, but their love and companionship is all they need to feel content and happy. The lyrics emphasize the positive attitude the couple has towards life: "The sky's sunny and blue" and "the future's rosy". The song suggests that true happiness comes from cherishing the company of the people you love, and that money cannot buy this kind of happiness.

The song is catchy and upbeat, with a lively piano accompaniment that perfectly matches the joyful lyrics. The vocal style of Cleo Brown is reminiscent of jazz singers of the era, with a playful and flirtatious tone. The use of repetition in the chorus drives home the central message of the song: that love is more valuable than any material possessions.

Line by Line Meaning

Me and my wonderful one,
I am with my amazing partner

We haven't got much money,
We don't have a lot of money

But the sky's sunny and blue,
Despite not having much money, the weather is pleasant

Can make the dreams I'm dreaming and the schemes I'm scheming come true!
Together, we can fulfill our dreams and plans

Rain or shine, he's all mine,
No matter what happens, my partner belongs to me

We beat the millionaires all hollow,
We don't need to be wealthy to be happier than millionaires

Live on love is the plan we follow,
We prioritize love over material possessions

Ah, baby, we're cozy with a cottage cozy and me!
We live a simple, cozy life together in a small house

Now the future's rosy with a cottage cozy for two!
We are hopeful for a bright future, continuing to live comfortably together in our small home

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BERNARD MALTIN, DICK SMITH, HARRY STRIDE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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