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.
Who Are We
Gogi Grant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To doubt the things we see
A rose, a leaf, a tree
And who are they
To dare to say
Our love can never be
Ask yourself
Why bluebirds mate above
Then who are we to turn the key
That locks the door to love
[CHORUS]
As sure as summer follows spring
As sure as Sunday church bells ring
As sure as oceans ebb and flow
I know, I know
[VERSE]
Love is on
For mortals such as we
Just who would disagree
So to deny a love so true
My darling, who are we
[Repeat CHORUS]
[Repeat VERSE]
The song "Who Are We" by Gogi Grant talks about the nature of love and the futility of denying it based on society's preconceived notions. The lyrics point out that nature and its beautiful creations such as roses, leaves, and trees are merely a vivid portrayal of what can potentially be. These natural elements do not discriminate and show that love can blossom anywhere and between anyone. The song stresses that it is not wise to let naysayers discourage a love relationship, no matter how unconventional it may seem.
The song then asks listeners to question what gives humans the right to prevent love. The lyrics suggest that even birds and doves mate freely, and as humans, we should not stand in the way of love. The chorus of the song emphasizes the inevitability of love by comparing it to natural occurrences such as summer following spring, and the ebb and flow of the ocean. The song concludes by emphasizing that love is intended for everyone and should not be denied based on societal norms.
Line by Line Meaning
Who are we
Who are we as humans to question or doubt what we see and experience
To doubt the things we see
To be hesitant or uncertain about what we observe
A rose, a leaf, a tree
Simple and beautiful things in nature that we sometimes take for granted
And who are they
Who are others to judge us or our relationships
To dare to say
To have the audacity to declare or claim something
Our love can never be
To reject or deny the possibility of experiencing true love
Ask yourself
To reflect and introspect on your own thoughts and feelings
And ask the friendly dove
To turn to nature and seek guidance from peaceful creatures symbolizing love
Why bluebirds mate above
Questioning why certain creatures are able to experience love, even above us humans
Then who are we to turn the key
Asking ourselves who we are to prevent ourselves or others from experiencing true love
That locks the door to love
To block or prevent love from entering one's life
As sure as summer follows spring
Emphasizing the certainty and inevitability of love in our lives
As sure as Sunday church bells ring
Comparing the certainty of love to the tradition and familiarity of Sunday church bells
As sure as oceans ebb and flow
Emphasizing the natural and constant ebb and flow of love
I know, I know
A reaffirmation of the singer's belief in the certainty of love
Love is on
Love is present and available
For mortals such as we
For us ordinary humans
Just who would disagree
Questioning who would object or go against the idea of love
So to deny a love so true
To reject or deny experiencing a love that is genuine and authentic
My darling, who are we
Asking oneself who they are to deny or refuse true love, especially when it is between themselves and their beloved
Contributed by Leah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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