He first became a pharmacist before turning full-time to music and beginning his new career with Leo Reisman's orchestra at the Central Park Casino in New York, an elegant nightclub where he became hugely popular in his own right and eventually became the Reisman orchestra's leader by 1932.
Playing what later came to be called "sweet" music rather than jazz, Duchin's success opened a new gate for similarly styled, piano-playing sweet bandleaders such as Henry King, Joe Reichman, Nat Brandwynne, Dick Gasparre, Little Jack Little, and particularly Carmen Cavallaro (who acknowledged Duchin's influence) to compete with the large jazz bands for radio time and record sales.
Duchin had no formal music training but he developed a style rooted in classical music that some believe the forerunner of Liberace's ornate, gaudy approach. Still, there were understatements in Duchin's music that were beyond Liberace's self-conscious glitz. By no means was Duchin a perfect pianist, but he was easy to listen to without being rote or entirely predictable. He was a pleasing stage presence whose favourite technique was to play his piano cross-handed, using only one finger on the lower hand, and he was respectful to his audiences and to his classical influences.
He became widely popular thanks to regular radio broadcasts that boosted his record sales, and he was one of the earliest pianists to lead a commercially successful large band.
Columbia Pictures, having enjoyed success with musical biographies, mounted a feature film based on the bandleader's life. The Eddy Duchin Story (1956) is a fictionalized tearjerker, with Tyrone Power in the title role
Riptide
Eddie Duchin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When silver moonlight beams
And then a new love beckoned me
Wrecking the ship of my dreams
Riptide caught in a riptide, torn between two loves
The old and the new
Riptide lost in a riptide
My heart is tossed on a sea of emotion
One love offers romance
The other devotion
A new love is calling
The old love is pleading
I'm caught in a riptide what shall I do?
Riptide caught in a riptide, torn between two loves
The old and the new
Riptide lost in a riptide
Where will it take me what shall I do?
My heart is tossed on a sea of emotion
One love offers romance
The other devotion
A new love is calling
The old love is pleading
I'm caught in a riptide what shall I do?
The lyrics to Eddie Duchin's song Riptide are a tale of a man caught in between two loves, torn apart by the contrasting emotions that each one offers. The beginning of the song describes the singer's life as calm as a summer sea, with the silver moonlight adding a touch of peacefulness. However, this tranquility is short-lived as a new love beckons him, ultimately wrecking the ship of his dreams. From this point on, the singer is stuck in a riptide, unable to break away from the old and the new loves, both tugging at his heartstrings.
The chorus of the song depicts the predicament that the singer is in, with his heart tossed on a sea of emotion. One love offers romance while the other provides devotion, leaving him feeling lost and confused. The new love is calling out to him, while the old love is pleading with him to stay. The riptide is taking him in unknown directions, and he is left wondering what he should do.
Overall, Riptide is a beautiful and poignant song about the complexities of love and the hard choices we sometimes have to make. It speaks to the inherent difficulties of letting go of past relationships, even when new ones come along.
Line by Line Meaning
Live was as calm as a summer sea
My life was peaceful and serene like the tranquil sea during summer nights
When silver moonlight beams
The moonlight was casting a shimmering silver on the water, creating a serene ambiance
And then a new love beckoned me
But suddenly, I found a new love that captivated my heart and soul
Wrecking the ship of my dreams
This new love shattered my dreams and expectations that I had earlier built in my life
Riptide caught in a riptide, torn between two loves
I am stuck in an emotional dilemma, unable to choose between two loves
The old and the new
One love is old, familiar and comforting while the other is new and exciting
Riptide lost in a riptide
I am confused and disoriented, struggling to find my way out of this emotional struggle
Where will it take me what shall I do?
I am uncertain about the future, and I don't know what decision to make
My heart is tossed on a sea of emotion
My emotions are in turmoil, and I'm unable to control them
One love offers romance
One of my loves offers me love, affection and romance
The other devotion
While the other one provides loyalty, commitment, and sincerity
A new love is calling
The new love is attractive and tempting, and it pulls me towards it
The old love is pleading
The old love is imploring me to stay, reminding me of the fond memories we shared
I'm caught in a riptide what shall I do?
I am entirely consumed by this emotional struggle, and I have no idea what to do next.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GUS KAHN, WALTER DONALDSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kirk Barkley
This one is so original with a rather "cheeky" sound!
Ed Reid
Oh my.. I was only familiar with Robert Palmer’s version, and so happy I researched it.. This is what makes the internet wonderful..😎
Lostintimes1
Terrific Eddy Duchin side!!
John Greene
Knew this song sounded old when the Robert Palmer album came out in the '80s but never knew it was a '30s cover. Awesome!
Ed Reid
Just made this revelation today.. It always sounded like an old tune, but there was internet to research it when Palmer recorded it..
John Greene
@Ed Reid you mean no internet :)
Ed Reid
@John Greene Typo obviously.. Grammarly always swaps out or changes words after you send..
John Greene
@Ed Reid 🤓
Ed Reid
@John Greene 🤔🙄
Main Account
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