Connie Haines learned to sing from her mother, a voice and dance teacher. Living in Jacksonville, she began performing on the radio before the age of ten. In 1931, she appeared over NBC radio as Baby Yvonne Marie, the Little Princess of the Air, sang with Paul Whiteman’s Orchestra one year later, and in 1934 won a vocal contest on The Fred Allen Show.
Haines first big band contract was with Howard Lally. At age of 16, she was singing with Harry James’ band (her first professional gig with Frank Sinatra). Financial problems forced James to fire both Sinatra and (later) Haines; both subsequently found work with Tommy Dorsey. Beginning in 1940, Haines, Sinatra, and the Pied Pipers made Dorsey’s one of the strongest bands from a pop standpoint, and Haines appeared on several hits: “Two Dreams Met,” “Oh, Look at Me Now,” “Kiss the Boys Goodbye,” and “What Is This Thing Called Love?”
After leaving Dorsey’s band, Haines joined the Bob Crosby Orchestra in 1941. As a solo singer, she recorded singles and LPs for a variety of labels during the next few decades, and continued performing into the 90s.
Let's Get Away from It All
Connie Haines Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Up to town on the eight fifteen
Back at night, off to bed and then
Get up and start it all over again
Let's take a boat to Bermuda
Let's take a plane to Saint Paul
Let's take a kayak to Quincy or Nyack
Let's take a trip in a trailer
No need to come back at all
Let's take a powder to Boston for chowder
Let's get away from it all
We'll travel 'round from town to town
We'll visit ev'ry state
And I'll repeat, I love you sweet
In all the forty eight
Let's go again to Niag'ra
This time we'll look at the fall
Let's leave our hut, dear
Get out of our rut, dear
Let's get away from it all
Hit the road
And really get away from it all
Let's motor down to Miami
Let's climb the Grand Canyon Wall
Let's catch a tuna
Way out in Laguna
Let's get away from it all
Let's travel South of the border
I'll get a real Spanish shawl
For me a muchacha
But not if I watcha
Let's get away from it all
They say there's no place
Quite like home
It's a charming thought and pure
But until the world we roam
How can we be sure
Let's spend a weekend in Dixie
I'll get a real southern drawl
Then off to Reno
But just to play keno
Let's get away from it all
We'll travel around from town to town
Visit every state
I'll repeat that I love you sweet
In all the forty eight
Off to Niag'ra
Next time we're digging the falls
Yes, we're leaving
We're hitting the road
Oh we're leaving
We're hitting the road
Yes, we're leaving
We're hitting the road
Oh, we're getting away from it all
The lyrics of Connie Haines’ song “Let’s Get Away From It All” express the desire to escape the monotony and boredom of everyday life for adventure and new experiences. The first verse conveys the tedium of a daily routine that consists of going to work and coming back home to sleep, only to begin the cycle all over again the next day. This sense of routine is juxtaposed against the excitement of the imagined destinations - Bermuda, Saint Paul, Quincy, Nyack, Miami, Laguna, among others - and activities - climbing the Grand Canyon Wall, catching a tuna, or visiting Dixie - that the singer wants to pursue. The lyrics express an underlying sense of yearning for freedom, exploration, and the unknown, while at the same time acknowledging the comforts and allure of home.
The chorus "Let's get away from it all" follows each stanza, emphasizing the urge to leave behind the predictable and venture into the unknown, whether it is a quick weekend getaway or an extended, open-ended journey. The song hints at the possibility of romance, as emphasized by the singer's repeated professions of love for a companion, who would presumably join them on their travels. In essence, Haines’ “Let's Get Away From It All” celebrates wanderlust as a way to rejuvenate one's spirit, escape the mundane, and create memorable experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm so tired of this dull routine
I am exhausted with this monotonous lifestyle
Up to town on the eight fifteen
Commute every day at 8:15 am
Back at night, off to bed and then
Return at nighttime, head to bed, and repeat
Get up and start it all over again
Wake up and restart the dull routine
Let's take a boat to Bermuda
Travel via boat to Bermuda
Let's take a plane to Saint Paul
Fly a plane to Saint Paul
Let's take a kayak to Quincy or Nyack
Paddle on a kayak to Quincy or Nyack
Let's get away from it all
Escape from the boring routine
Let's take a trip in a trailer
Tour in a mobile home
No need to come back at all
Never have to return
Let's take a powder to Boston for chowder
Take a break and visit Boston for clam chowder
We'll travel 'round from town to town
Tour various towns
We'll visit ev'ry state
Explore every state
And I'll repeat, I love you sweet
Say repeatedly, I love you dearly
In all the forty eight
In all the forty eight states
Let's go again to Niag'ra
Travel back to Niagara Falls
This time we'll look at the fall
This time we will see the waterfall
Let's leave our hut, dear
Abandon our dwelling, darling
Get out of our rut, dear
Escape our monotonous life, darling
Hit the road
Start the journey
And really get away from it all
Genuinely flee from the boring lifestyle
Let's motor down to Miami
Drive to Miami
Let's climb the Grand Canyon Wall
Climb the Grand Canyon's wall
Let's catch a tuna
Catch a tuna fish
Way out in Laguna
At Laguna (a coastal city)
Let's travel South of the border
Travel to south of the US border (Mexico)
I'll get a real Spanish shawl
I will buy an authentic Spanish shawl
For me a muchacha
Find a girl for me
But not if I watcha
But only if I can trust you
They say there's no place
It's often said there's nowhere else
Quite like home
As comfortable as one's home
It's a charming thought and pure
It's a lovely idea and true
But until the world we roam
But until we travel the world
How can we be sure
We wouldn't know for sure
Let's spend a weekend in Dixie
Let's spend a weekend in the South
I'll get a real southern drawl
I'll speak with a true southern accent
Then off to Reno
Next, travel to Reno
But just to play keno
But just for gambling on keno
Off to Niag'ra
Next, go back to Niagara Falls
Next time we're digging the falls
Next time, we will explore the falls thoroughly
Yes, we're leaving
Yes, we're departing
We're hitting the road
Starting the journey
Oh we're leaving
We're leaving now
We're getting away from it all
Escaping from the mundane life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Thomas Montgomery Adair, Matt Dennis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@The4MusketeersYT
i just noticed that flip at 02:36. thats a creative transition from A to B, i don’t know how that never caught my eye until now, but thank you to the comments thread for bringing that to my attention. great work as usual prof.👍
@coinneachmaclellan3121
I love the vocal arrangement...they gave the vocalists lots of air time and it really makes the song stand out as jukebox-worthy...
@franklee1550
Ziggy Elman’s 8 bar solo is pure genius. Remember this was back when there was no punching in to fix bad notes and no double tracking and no pro-tools or auto tune.
Great musicians.
@Vesnicie
Are you so old that you're actually dead?
@jourwalis-8875
A seamless transition between Part 1 and 2. Very skillful!
@songplugger8330
With opening verse by Jo Stafford!
@otrfan84128
Absolutely perfect production number, what a video this would have made.
@TheMunchlet
It should have been part of a movie back in the day, just as Harry James' band was featured in 20th Century Fox's film "Springtime in the Rockies," released November 1942. Same era.
@Trombonology
Tom Adair and Matt Dennis were essentially staff writers fro the Dorsey band; Matt had been recommended to Tommy by his old friend Jo Stafford, whom he had known in the lean years. This expansive arrangement by the great Sy Oliver, my favorite arranger, is one of those production numbers for which the Dorsey band became known, featuring the singing of the entire vocal department. Not surprisingly Sy, being an early Stafford fan, gave the verse to Jo. I like Frank's aside about Connee's southern drawl, as well as Heinie Beau's baritone sax behind the "Yes, we're leaving, we're hitting the road" coda.
@christophercanzoneri2962
This band always sounded like an MGM studio orchestra to me. Come to think of it...