Brubeck's style ranged from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills. Much of his music employed unusual time signatures, a fact jokingly referred to by his greatest hits album 'Time Signatures: A Career Retrospective'. Upon his death, a number of commentators noted his crossover appeal to mainstream pop audiences, something putting him in the company of other jazz legends such as Louis Armstrong and Herbie Hancock among others.
St. Louis Blues
Dave Brubeck Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hate to see that evening sun go down
Cause my baby, he's gone left this town
Feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
If I'm feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
I'll pack my truck and make my give-a-way
Pulls that man around by her, if it wasn't for her and her
That man I love would have gone nowhere, nowhere
I got the St. Louis blues, blues as I can be
That man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me
I love my baby like a school boy loves his pie
Like a Kentucky colonel loves his mint 'n rye
I love my man till the day I die
The Dave Brubeck Quartet's rendition of the classic tune St. Louis Blues is a poignant and heartfelt tribute to a lost love. The opening lines, "I hate to see that evening sun go down, Cause my baby, he's gone left this town," encapsulate the sorrow and heartbreak of a man whose world has been shattered by the departure of his love. The repetition of this line emphasizes the sense of loss and despair that consumes him.
The second verse, "Feelin' tomorrow like I feel today, If I'm feelin' tomorrow like I feel today, I'll pack my truck and make my give-a-way," reveals the singer contemplating his life without his love. The use of the phrase "make my give-a-way" suggests a sense of surrender and resignation, as though he has accepted that his life will never again be the same.
The song's refrain, "I got the St. Louis blues, blues as I can be, That man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea, Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me," conveys a sense of bitterness and anger towards the man who has left him. The image of a heart like a rock cast in the sea suggests an imperviousness to emotion, and reinforces the idea that the love between the two was not reciprocated.
Overall, the Dave Brubeck Quartet's rendition of St. Louis Blues is a beautiful and timeless piece that captures the essence of heartbreak and loss, and is a fitting tribute to the enduring power of love.
Line by Line Meaning
I hate to see that evening sun go down
I am sad to see the sun set because it reminds me that my loved one has left me
Cause my baby, he's gone left this town
My significant other has left this town, leaving me behind
Feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
I expect to feel the same way tomorrow as I do today
If I'm feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
If tomorrow I am still feeling as sad as I am today
I'll pack my truck and make my give-a-way
I will gather my things and leave this place behind
St. Louis woman with her diamond ring
There is a woman in St. Louis who wears a diamond ring
Pulls that man around by her, if it wasn't for her and her
Without this woman and her influence, the man I love would not have gone anywhere
That man I love would have gone nowhere, nowhere
The man I love would have stayed in one place if it were not for this woman's influence
I got the St. Louis blues, blues as I can be
I feel incredibly sad and lonely, which is why I have the St. Louis blues
That man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea
The man I love seems to have an unbreakable heart
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me
If he didn't have such a strong heart, perhaps he wouldn't have left me behind
I love my baby like a school boy loves his pie
I love my significant other with a childlike adoration
Like a Kentucky colonel loves his mint 'n rye
I love him with the passion of a Kentucky colonel enjoying his favorite drink
I love my man till the day I die
I will love my significant other until the day that I pass away
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MATTIAS HELLBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Winthrop
Joe Morello, the most musical drummer ever.
L Doumen
This is a MUST HAVE album. Fine jazz and superb audience. Good sound quality.
AA Ne
I actually bought a mint first edition copy printed in holland from a street vendor for 20 bucks, as a gift for my friend, he was stoked.
dale stuart
i have the original album. my father bought it in 1963 and then passed it on to me.
Mike Maddox
I've bought this double CD at least twice, wearing it out due to overuse both times. Best Brubeck recording ever.
anthony hencher
fantastic;Dave playing with the angels;;i have played this album 127 times;;cant get enough of Carnegie Hall.
MasterOfPuppies
Seriously, thank you for uploading this. It made me buy the vinyl, and it is hands down one of my favourite albums to throw on.
Daniel Thomas MacInnes
Thanks for sharing! I have this album on LP and it's a favorite of mine.
petec9686
Greatest live jazz recording ever. Would love to have been there, but I was born a few weeks too late.
Gloria Rivera
I cant stop hear it, wonderful