Was an American compo… Read Full Bio ↴Harold Arlen (February 15, 1905 – April 23, 1986)
Was an American composer of popular music. Having written over 400 songs, a number of which have become known the world over, Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the Great American Songbook. His 1938 song "Over the Rainbow” was voted the twentieth century's No. 1 song by the Recording Industry Association of America
Biography
Arlen was born Hyman Arluck, in Buffalo, New York, the child of a Jewish cantor. His twin brother died the next day. He learned the piano as a youth and formed a band as a young man. He achieved some local success as a pianist and singer and moved to New York City in his early 20s. He worked as an accompanist in vaudeville.[1] At this point, he changed his name to Harold Arlen. He performed on record with the "Buffalodians" orchestra, as well as those of Red Nichols, Henny Hendrickson and Arnold Johnson.
Between 1926 and about 1934, Arlen appeared occasionally as band vocalist on records by The Buffalodians, Red Nichols, Joe Venuti, Leo Reisman and Eddie Duchin, usually singing his own compositions.
In 1929, Arlen composed his first well-known song: "Get Happy" (with lyrics by Ted Koehler). Throughout the early and mid-1930s, Arlen and Koehler wrote shows for the Cotton Club, a popular Harlem night club, as well as Broadway musicals and Hollywood films. Arlen also continued to perform with some success, most notably on records with Leo Reisman's society dance orchestra.
Arlen's compositions have always been popular with jazz musicians because of his facility at incorporating a blues feeling into conventional American popular songs.
Arlen and Koehler wrote several hit songs during the early and mid-1930s.
In the mid-1930s, Arlen married, and spent increasingly more time in California, writing for movie musicals. It was at this time that he began working with lyricist E.Y. "Yip" Harburg. In 1938, the team was hired by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to compose songs for The Wizard of Oz. The most famous of these is the song "Over the Rainbow" for which they won the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song. They also wrote "Down with Love", a song later featured in the 2003 movie Down with Love.
Arlen was a longtime friend and former roommate of actor Ray Bolger who would star in The Wizard of Oz, the film for which "Over the Rainbow" was written.
In the 1940s, Arlen teamed up with lyricist Johnny Mercer, and continued to write hit songs like "Blues in the Night" ("My Mama Done Tol' Me") and "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive".
A Sleepin' Bee
Harold Arlen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When a bee lies sleepin'
In the palm of your hand
You're bewitched and deep in love's
Long looked after land
Where you'll see a sun up sky
With the mornin' dew
cs love comes callin' on you
Sleep on bee, don't 'waken
Can't believe what just passed
He's mine for the taken
I am happy at last
Maybe I dreams but he seems
Sweet golden as a crown
c sleepin' bee done told me
I will walk with my feet off the ground and
When my one true love
I has found
Sleep on bee, don't 'waken
Can not believe what just passed
He's mine for the taken
I am happy at last
Maybe I dreams but he seems
Golden as a crown
c sleepin' bee told me
I will walk with my feet off the ground
When my one true love
I has found
The lyrics to Harold Arlen's song "A Sleepin' Bee" depict a sense of enchantment and blissful love. The opening lines suggest that when a bee lies sleeping in the palm of your hand, it symbolizes being under a spell and deeply immersed in the wonderland of love. It is a surreal experience that transports the singer to a place where the sky is filled with the promise of a new day and the morning dew shines. The days seem joyful and carefree as love comes knocking on the door.
The chorus emphasizes the desire to let the bee continue sleeping, as it represents a symbol of happiness finally found. The singer can hardly believe their fortune, feeling that their true love is within reach. The mention of dreams adds an element of uncertainty, yet the sweetness and golden aura surrounding this love make it seem like a glorious crown. The final lines suggest that once the one true love is found, the singer will walk with their feet off the ground, indicating a state of sheer euphoria.
Overall, "A Sleepin' Bee" encapsulates the feelings of being captivated by love, both magical and surreal. It portrays the journey from longing and dreaming to the ultimate happiness of finding true love.
Line by Line Meaning
When a bee lies sleepin'
When you are in a state of blissful peace and contentment
In the palm of your hand
When you have someone special who brings you joy and comfort
You're bewitched and deep in love's
You are enchanted and completely immersed in the feelings of love
Long looked after land
A place where love has been longed for and finally found
Where you'll see a sun up sky
Where you can witness a bright and hopeful future
With the mornin' dew
With the freshness and renewal that a new day brings
And where the days go laughin' by
Where the passing of time is filled with happiness and joy
Love comes callin' on you
When love unexpectedly and wonderfully enters your life
Sleep on bee, don't 'waken
Stay in this dreamlike state of happiness
Can't believe what just passed
Unable to comprehend the wonderful reality of the moment
He's mine for the taken
I have finally found the love I have always desired
I am happy at last
I have achieved true happiness
Maybe I dreams but he seems
Perhaps this is a dream, but he appears to be
Sweet golden as a crown
Exceptionally precious and valuable, like a royal crown
Sleepin' bee done told me
The sleeping bee has revealed to me
I will walk with my feet off the ground
I will feel light, joyful, and uplifted
When my one true love
When I have found my soulmate, my perfect match
I has found
I have discovered
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HAROLD ARLEN, TRUMAN CAPOTE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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