Grant was born as Myrtle Audrey Arinsberg in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the eldest of six children of Russian Jewish parents, Rose (née Jacobson) and Alexander Arinsberg. At the age of 12, she moved to Los Angeles, where she attended Venice High School. In California, she won a teenage singing contest and appeared on television talent shows.
She worked as a car salesperson in the early 1950s.In 1952 she began to record, using first the name "Audrey Brown" and later "Audrey Grant." She was given the name "Gogi" by Dave Kapp, the head of Artists and Repertory at RCA Victor, who liked to patronize a restaurant called "Gogi's LaRue." (Another source says that Grant asked Kapp, "What is a Gogi?" She continued, "His answer was, 'Darned if I know, I dreamed it last night.'")
In 1955 Grant signed with a small record company, Era Records, and had her first top ten hit with "Suddenly There's a Valley." The next year, she had an even bigger hit, reaching number 1 on Billboard 's Top 100 chart with "The Wayward Wind" and holding there for six weeks. The song sold over one million copies in the United States alone, and peaked at No. 9 in the UK Singles Chart. She was voted the most popular female vocalist by Billboard magazine. This single returned to the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961.
In 1957, she supplied the vocals for Ann Blyth's portrayal of Helen Morgan in the biographical film, The Helen Morgan Story. The soundtrack occasioned her return to RCA Victor (the soundtrack album climbed to No. 25 in the Billboard album chart), where she had a minor hit the following year with "Strange Are the Ways of Love." Moreover, she was signed to star in The Big Beat in the spring of 1957. The film, which featured musical performances by the Cal Tjader Quintet, George Shearing, and the Del Vikings, was produced and directed by William Cowan and released in February 1958.
In 1958, Grant was one of the three solo singers featured in the first stereo LP of the classic musical Show Boat. The other solo singers were Howard Keel, who had appeared in the 1951 film version of the show, and Anne Jeffreys.
Although she made albums and appeared on television into the 1960s, her popularity declined and she initially retired from singing in 1967 after a final US chart single, "The Sea" (top 20 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart). An album of hers was released in UK some 20 years later. Grant survived cancer surgery and was in remission. In 2004, aged 80, she made an appearance on the PBS 1950s pop music special Magic Moments and sang "The Wayward Wind."
Grant headlined with The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies in Palm Springs, California. One of her more notable appearances of her later years was with the Follies on December 31, 2006. She was still performing as late as 2013, at the age of 89.
In 1959, Grant married attorney Robert Rifkind. The couple had two children.
Grant died on March 10, 2016, aged 91. Her death was announced by her son, Joshua Beckett. She also had a daughter, Jeri Brown.
When The Tide Is High
Gogi Grant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I remember your kiss of goodbye
As the wind and sea hit the bay
It was then that our love washed away
When the tide is low
I recall how you wanted me so
Not a cloud could be found in the sky
And our love never threatened to die
Your lips were mine to kiss
And your arms warm
Whoever thought that this
Could turn into a storm
[VERSE 4]
But the tide had changed
And you acted so differently strange
Then you suddenly said goodbye
And without ever telling me why
Now you're gone
And the tide is high
Your lips were mine to kiss
And your arms warm
Whoever thought such bliss
Could turn into a storm
[Repeat VERSE 4]
Now you're gone
And the tide is high
Now you're gone
And the tide is high
(Now you're gone)
(Now you're gone)
(Now you're gone)
Gogi Grant's song, When the Tide is High, tells the story of a love that was once beautiful and passionate, but has since been washed away by the tides. The lyrics describe how the singer remembers the love and the moments they shared whenever the tide is high or low. The beginning of the song describes the moment of their separation - the wind and sea hit the bay as they kissed goodbye and their love was washed away. The second verse describes how things used to be when the tide was low, when the singer recalls how much their lover wanted them and how their love never seemed to fade. The chorus repeats the words 'now you're gone and the tide is high', emphasizing that the love is now gone.
The third verse speaks of the unexpectedness of the storm that came into their relationship. The little hint that the singer displays here is that the lover's changing attitude affected the stability of their relationship. It was this change that brought the storm that eventually demolished the love that they had shared. The lyrics throughout the song express a sense of regret and longing for what once was. The singer continually thinks about their lost love, and how they never received any closure.
Line by Line Meaning
When the tide is high
I think of the moment you left me when the waves were crashing on the shore
I remember your kiss of goodbye
I recall the goodbye kiss you gave me when you left
As the wind and sea hit the bay
The wind and waves reminded me of the moment you left
It was then that our love washed away
Our love ended at that moment and washed away like the tide
When the tide is low
I reminisce about the time when you were really into me
I recall how you wanted me so
I remember how much you desired me at that time
Not a cloud could be found in the sky
Everything was perfect back then.
And our love never threatened to die
Our love was strong and never in danger of ending at that time.
Your lips were mine to kiss
We were in a relationship and shared intimate moments.
And your arms warm
Your embrace was comforting and safe.
Whoever thought that this
Neither of us expected things to turn out the way they did.
Could turn into a storm
Our relationship turned into something turbulent and negative.
But the tide had changed
Things changed between us and our relationship was altered.
And you acted so differently strange
You acted in a way I had never seen before, which was strange to me.
Then you suddenly said goodbye
You left me abruptly without any explanation.
And without ever telling me why
You never gave me a reason for leaving.
Now you're gone
You are no longer in my life.
And the tide is high
I am reminded of the moment you left when the waves are crashing on the shore.
Whoever thought such bliss
We never anticipated that our love would turn into a negative situation.
Could turn into a storm
Our once blissful relationship became a turbulent mess.
Now you're gone
You have left me.
And the tide is high
I am reminded of you leaving whenever the waves become choppy.
(Now you're gone)
(Now you're gone)
(Now you're gone)
Contributed by Daniel Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
ninetine62
Love Gogi!!
Linda Casey
Sooo good
barkbarkbarkbarkable
Her voice was creamy as butter !
Zim
Soaring.