Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio (30 March 1913 – 6 February 2… Read Full Bio ↴Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio (30 March 1913 – 6 February 2007), was an American singer and one of the more successful hit-makers of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Laine has had worldwide sales of over 250 million disks, and has earned 21 gold records. Originally a rhythm and blues influenced jazz singer, his energetic, passionate style has led some to consider him the first of the blue-eyed soul singers. Eventually he expanded to such varied genres as popular standards, gospel, folk, country, rock 'n' roll, and a hard-driving (and slightly campy) form of western/Americana.
... Throughout the 1950s, Laine enjoyed a second career singing the title songs of Hollywood films and television shows, including: Gunfight At OK Corral, 3:10 To Yuma, Bullwhip, and Rawhide. His rendition of the title song for Mel Brooks' 1974 movie Blazing Saddles won an Oscar nomination for Best Song, and his recording of "Rawhide" for the television series of the same name has become a classic of the genre.

Shine
Frankie Laine Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Cause my hair is curly
Just because my teeth are pearly
Just because I always wear a smile
Like to dress up in the latest style

Cause I'm glad I'm livin'
I take these troubles all with a smile
Just because my color's shady,

That's the difference, maybe, why they call me

Shine, sway your blues'ies.
Why don't you shine?
Start with your shoes'ies.
Shine each place up, make it look like new.
Shine your face up, I want to see you wear a smile or two.

Why don't you shine your these and thoseies?
You'll find everything gonna turn out right fine
Folks will shine up to ya'
Everybody's gonna howdy doody do-ya'
You'll make the whole world shine

Oh chocolate drop, that's me...

Cause my hair is curly, (man's got curly hair)
Now just because my teeth are pearly, (also got pearly teeth)
Just because I always wear a smile, (oh keep on smiling)
Like to dress us, babe, in the latest style.

Cause I'm glad I'm livin'
I take these troubles all with a smile
Now just because my color's shady (you's a shady baby)
That's the difference, maybe, why they call me...

Shine away your blues'ies

Shine, start with your shoes'ies
You'll make the whole world shine

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Frankie Laine's song "Shine" are a reflection of his personal experience as an African American man in a predominantly white society. The song expresses Laine's belief that despite being discriminated against because of his race, he can rise above it by maintaining a positive attitude, being proud of his heritage, and celebrating his unique qualities. The verses of the song focus on Laine's physical appearance such as his curly hair, pearly teeth, and stylish clothing, which he uses as a way to assert his individuality and express his identity. The chorus of the song, "Shine," is a call to action for people to embrace their own inner light and shine bright, despite any adversity they may face.

The lyrics of "Shine" were written in 1910 by Ford Dabney and lyricist Cecil Mack, and the song was initially popular as a ragtime hit. It was later recorded by a number of popular artists, including Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, and Ella Fitzgerald. Frankie Laine's version of the song was released in 1950 and became a top 10 hit in the U.S. The song has become a jazz standard and is regarded as a classic example of early 20th-century popular music.

Line by Line Meaning

Cause my hair is curly
The man has curly hair

Just because my teeth are pearly
The man also has pearly white teeth

Just because I always wear a smile
The man likes to smile and be happy

Like to dress up in the latest style
The man enjoys wearing fashionable clothes

Cause I'm glad I'm livin'
The man is happy to be alive

I take these troubles all with a smile
The man faces his problems with a positive attitude

Just because my color's shady,
The man has a darker skin color

That's the difference, maybe, why they call me
His skin color is the reason he is called something (possibly Shine)

Shine, sway your blues'ies.
Encouragement to be happy and positive

Why don't you shine?
Why not be happy and positive?

Start with your shoes'ies.
Begin by taking care of your appearance