Earl Bostic (April 25, 1913 – October 28, 1965) was an American jazz and rh… Read Full Bio ↴Earl Bostic (April 25, 1913 – October 28, 1965) was an American jazz and rhythm and blues alto saxophonist.

Bostic was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He turned professional at age 18 when he joined Terrence Holder's band. He made his first recording with Lionel Hampton in 1942 where he played along with Red Allen, J.C. Higginbotham, Sid Catlett, Teddy Wilson and Hampton. Before that he performed with Fate Marable on New Orleans riverboats. Bostic graduated from Xavier University in New Orleans. He worked with territory bands as well as Arnett Cobb, Hot Lips Page, Rex Stewart, Don Byas, Charlie Christian, Thelonious Monk and other jazz luminaries. He formed his own band in 1945, and turned to rhythm and blues in the late 1940s. His biggest hits were "Temptation," "Sleep," "Flamingo," "You Go to My Head" and "Cherokee." At various times his band included Jaki Byard, John Coltrane, Benny Golson, Blue Mitchell, Stanley Turrentine, Tommy Turrentine, Keter Betts, Sir Charles Thompson, Teddy Edwards, Tony Scott, Benny Carter and other musicians who rose to prominence in jazz. Bostic held his musicians to a high standard and demanded that they read music faultlessly. He was influenced by the great Sidney Bechet. John Coltrane in turn was influenced by Earl Bostic. James Moody said that Bostic was the chief influence on John Coltrane. Moody mentioned that "Bostic knew his instrument inside out, back to front and upside down."

His virtuosity is documented in records such as Up There In Orbit, Earl's Imagination, Apollo Theater Jump, All On, Artistry by Bostic, Telestar Drive, Liza, Lady Be Good and Tiger Rag. Bostic was a master of the blues and he used this skill in a variety of musical settings. Although Bostic recorded many commercial albums, some notable jazz based exceptions on the King label include Bostic Rocks Hits of the Swing Age, Jazz As I Feel It and A New Sound.

Bostic's King album titled Jazz As I Feel It featured Shelly Manne on drums, Joe Pass on guitar and Groove Holmes on organ. Bostic recorded the King Album "A New Sound" about one month later again, featuring Holmes and Pass. These recordings allowed Bostic to stretch out beyond the 3 minute limit imposed by the 45 RPM format. Bostic was pleased with the sessions which highlight his total mastery of the blues but they also foreshadowed musical advances that were later evident in the work of John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy.

He wrote arrangements for Paul Whiteman, Louis Prima, Lionel Hampton, Gene Krupa, Artie Shaw, Jack Teagarden and Alvino Rey.

Bostic's signature hit, "Flamingo" was recorded in 1951 and remains a favorite among followers of Carolina Beach Music in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Their style of Beach Music is heavily influenced by Rhythm-and-Blues music from the 40's, 50's and 60's. Bostic recorded for Cincinnati-based King Records, a small label that was well known for releasing "R and B" and Bluegrass records. In fact, the biggest star on the King label was "the Godfather of Soul", James Brown. Bostic was also popular among R&B and jazz followers in the United Kingdom, thanks to his records that were released on the Parlophone label.

Bostic died from a heart attack in Rochester, New York, while performing with his band in 1965. His widow, Hildegarde, was still living in San Francisco as of the mid-1990s.

Lover Come Back To Me
Earl Bostic Lyrics

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You went away
I let you
We broke the ties that bind
I wanted to forget you
And leave the past behind
Still, the magic of the night I met you
Seems to stay forever in my mind

The sky was blue
And high above
The moon was new
And so was love
This eager heart of mine was singing
Lover where can you be

You came at last
Love had its day
That day is past
You've gone away
This aching heart of mine is singing
Lover come back to me
When I remember every little thing

You used to do
I'm so lonely
Every road I walk along
I walk along with you
No wonder I am lonely

The sky is blue
The night is cold
The moon is new
But love is old
And while I'm waiting here
This heart of mine is singing
Lover come back to me
When I remember every little thing

You used to do
I grow lonely
Every road I walk along
I walk along with you
No wonder I am lonely

The sky is blue
The night is cold
The moon is new
But love is old
And while I'm waiting here

This heart of mine is singing
Lover come back to me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Earl Bostic's song "Lover Come Back to Me" describe the regret and longing experienced by someone who let their lover go in the past. The singer admits to being the one who "let you [the lover] go" and breaking the "ties that bind." However, even though they wanted to forget the past and move on, they cannot seem to forget the night they met and the magical feelings they once had. The singer remembers the sky being blue, the moon being new, and their heart singing with eagerness when they first met.

As the song progresses, the singer's tone becomes more mournful as they describe how their lover has left them and they are left feeling lonely. The singer longs for their lover to return, and every little thing they used to do together reminds them of what they have lost. Even though the sky is blue and the moon is new, the singer realizes that love is old and that they cannot replace what they once had. The song ends with the singer still waiting and singing for their lover to come back to them.

Overall, the lyrics of "Lover Come Back to Me" are a poignant reminder of the pain and longing that can come from a lost love. The singer's regrets and desires are universal feelings that many listeners can relate to, making the song a timeless classic.

Line by Line Meaning

You went away
You left me

I let you
I didn't try to stop you

We broke the ties that bind
Our relationship ended

I wanted to forget you
I tried to move on from you

And leave the past behind
And not dwell on what we had

Still, the magic of the night I met you
But I still remember the special moment we first met

Seems to stay forever in my mind
It's a memory that I can't shake

The sky was blue
The sky was a clear blue color

And high above
And far up in the sky

The moon was new
The moon was in a new phase, barely visible

And so was love
And our love was in its early stages

This eager heart of mine was singing
I was filled with excitement and happiness

Lover where can you be
I was searching for you, wondering where you were

You came at last
Finally, you arrived

Love had its day
Our love flourished for a time

That day is past
But now that time has passed

You've gone away
And you've left me again

This aching heart of mine is singing
My heart is filled with pain and longing

Lover come back to me
I want you to return to me

When I remember every little thing
When I think back on every memory

You used to do
All the things you used to say and do

I'm so lonely
I'm filled with loneliness

Every road I walk along
No matter where I go

I walk along with you
I feel like you're still with me

No wonder I am lonely
It's no surprise that I feel lonely

The night is cold
The night air is chilly

But love is old
Our love has been around for a while

And while I'm waiting here
While I wait for you to come back

This heart of mine is singing
My heart is still filled with longing

Lover come back to me
I still want you to come back to me

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN, II, OSCAR II HAMMERSTEIN, SIGMUND ROMBERG

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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