Constance Foore "Connee" Boswe… Read Full Bio ↴From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Constance Foore "Connee" Boswell (December 3, 1907 - October 11, 1976) was an American female vocalist born in Kansas City, Missouri but raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. With her sisters, Martha and Helvetia "Vet" Boswell, she performed in the 1930s as The Boswell Sisters and became a highly influential singing group during this period via recordings and radio. Connee herself is widely considered one of the greatest jazz female vocalists and was a major influence on Ella Fitzgerald who said, "My mother brought home one of her records, and I fell in love with it....I tried so hard to sound just like her."[1]
In 1936, Connee's sisters retired and Connee continued on as a solo artist (having also recorded solos during her years with the group).
The Boswells came to be well known locally while still in their early teens, making appearances in New Orleans theaters and radio. They made their first recordings for Victor Records in 1925, which included "Cryin' Blues" where Connee is featured singing in the style of her early influence, the African American singer Mamie Smith. The Boswell Sisters became stage professionals that year when they were tapped to fill in for an act at New Orleans' Orpheum Theatre. They received an invitation to come to Chicago and perform in 1928 and honed their act on the Western Vaudeville Circuit. When their tour ended they traveled to San Francisco. The hotel that had been recommended had a less than savory reputation, and the man at the desk suggested that these three young ladies might be better off in another hotel. That man, Harry Leedy, would later become their manager on a handshake and become a permanent part of Connee's life.
The Boswell Sisters travelled to Los Angeles where they performed on local radio and "side-miked" for the soundies, including the 1930 production "Under Montana Skies." did not attain national attention, however, until they moved to New York City in 1930 and started making national radio broadcasts. After a few recordings with Okeh Records, they made numerous recordings for Brunswick Records from 1931-1935. In 1935, the sisters had a #1 hit with "The Object of My Affection", the biggest of twenty top 20 records they would enjoy.
In 1936, the group signed to Decca Records and after just three releases called it quits (the last recording was February 12, 1936). Connee Boswell continued to have a successful solo career as a singer for Decca.
All through her career with The Boswell Sisters, and well into the 1940s, her name was spelt "Connie". She later changed the spelling to Connee, reputedly because it made it easier to sign autographs.
Connee Boswell was also an arranger (the legendary Boswell Sisters harmony arrangements are hers) and a composer.
Connee sang from a wheelchair - or seated position - during her entire career, due to either a childhood bout with polio or a childhood accident (sources differ). The general public was not aware of her condition although Boswell herself did not keep this secret. During World War II, she tried to get involved with the U.S.O. tours but was not given permission to travel overseas. The "powers that be" apparently thought it might not be a morale-booster to have a "cripple" perform for the troops.
Connee Boswell was a favorite duet partner of Bing Crosby and they frequently sang together on radio as well as recording several hit records as a duo in the 1930s and 1940's. Boswell, Crosby, and Eddie Cantor recorded a version of Alexander's Ragtime Band that was a #1 hit in 1938.In 1939, Crosby and Boswell had three hit duet records that each climbed into the top 12 on Billboard; "An Apple For The Teacher" climbed all the way to #2.
Connee Boswell also had several dozen solo hits, including "Moonlight Moon" in 1942. Boswell's career slackened in the 1950s but she still recorded occasionally and would be featured on a number of television broadcasts including a regular stint on the 1959 series "Pete Kelly's Blues".
Connee Boswell died at age 68 in 1976. A number of her recordings are now available on CD, both as a soloist and part of the Boswell Sisters.
Lullaby Of The Leaves
Connee Boswell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the sunny South when I was a tot so high,
And now that I have grown
And myself alone.
Cradle me where Southern skies can watch me with a million eyes,
Oh sing me to sleep,
Lullaby of the leaves
Oh sing me to sleep,
Lullaby of the leaves.
I'm breezing along, along with the breeze,
I'm hearing a song, a song through the trees,
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh.
That pine melody caressing the shore familiar to me, I've heard it before,
Ooh ooh ooh ooh.
That's Southland, don't I feel it in my soul,
And don't I know I've reached my goal,
Oh sing me to sleep,
Lullaby of the leaves.
In Connee Boswell's song "Lullaby Of The Leaves," the lyrics evoke a sense of nostalgia for the singer's childhood memories in the sunny South. The rustling of the leaves used to put her to sleep as a child and now she desires to be cradled where the Southern skies can watch her with a million eyes. She wants to be covered with heaven's blue and lulled to sleep by the lullaby of the leaves so she can dream a dream and feel at peace.
As the song progresses, the singer mentions a pine melody that's caressing the shore, which is familiar to her. She knows that she's in the Southland and feels it in her soul. She's reached her goal and wants to be sung to sleep by the lullaby of the leaves. The overall meaning of the song is that the singer wants to be transported back to her childhood where she felt safe and protected. She's looking for a sense of comfort and security that she believes can be found in the South.
Line by Line Meaning
Rustling of the leaves used to be my lullaby,
As a child, the sound of the leaves rustling was my comfort and put me to sleep.
In the sunny South when I was a tot so high,
I remember this from my childhood in the warm southern region when I was very young.
And now that I have grown
As I have matured,
And myself alone.
I find myself alone without the comfort of that lullaby from my youth.
Cradle me where Southern skies can watch me with a million eyes,
Hold me in a place where I can be seen by the vast Southern sky.
Oh sing me to sleep,
Sing a song that will lull me to sleep,
Lullaby of the leaves
With the rustling leaves as the soundtrack to help me feel comforted.
Cover me with heaven's blue and let me dream a dream or two,
Envelop me in the bright blue sky of heaven and let me dream for a little while.
Oh sing me to sleep,
Again, sing me a song that will help me fall asleep,
Lullaby of the leaves.
With the lullaby of rustling leaves to soothe me.
I'm breezing along, along with the breeze,
I'm moving along with the natural flow of the wind,
I'm hearing a song, a song through the trees,
I'm listening to the beautiful melody that the trees are creating.
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh.
Unintelligible vocalizations/melodic sounds.
That pine melody caressing the shore familiar to me, I've heard it before,
This beautiful melody from the pine trees is something I recognize, I've heard it many times before.
Ooh ooh ooh ooh.
More unintelligible vocalizations/melodic sounds.
That's Southland, don't I feel it in my soul,
I recognize that this sound is from the South, and it resonates deeply within me.
And don't I know I've reached my goal,
This experience is what I longed for and now I feel fulfilled.
Oh sing me to sleep,
Once again, please sing me a song to help me sleep,
Lullaby of the leaves.
With the sound of leaves rustling around me, like the lullaby of my childhood.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bernice Petkere, Joseph Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tiffanyholmes4960
Again, I wish radio stations played this music.....a few stations devoted to it. Nothing like it!
@DanteTimberwolf
I love her cover.
@gracencole2139
POV: dante
@michaeltuz608
I wasn't aware that Connee Boswell did any recordings without Martha and Vet this early on. Any time the Boswells and the Dorseys teamed up, magic happened. This is a perfect example.
@roybo1930
I have this Record! And when I first listened to it with My little Buddy Robert Creek, We both had GOOSE PIMPLES ON OUR GOOSE PIMPLES! HAUNTING IS A Understatement, OOOOOOO! Around 1:37 to 2:16 is AMAZING! The Guitar strumming and rumbling behind the very atmospheric deliberately off key chords behind Tommy Dorsey`s Trombone solo is just BLOW YOU OUT OF YOUR SEAT AWESOME! I Nearly fell to the floor when I first heard it! The whole Record is truly a Masterpiece, Connie sounds like a Angel giving this Record a well deserved treatment!
@brians78s94
one of her best, absolute magic
@frankiegray4569
Try college stations on the weekend...wvud in Newark DE plays this music sunday nites. 8- 11pm...u can hear it on the net too
@theprepperfrog167
Thank you, sir.
@the78prof72
You're welcome
@2ndAccountRiehl
Finally a nice quality upload of this song, thank you!!