Belafonte is perhaps best known for singing the "Banana Boat Song", with its signature lyric "Day-O". Throughout his career, he was an advocate for civil rights and humanitarian causes.
Belafonte won three Grammy Awards (including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award), an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. In 1989, he received the Kennedy Center Honors. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994. In 2014, he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards and in 2022 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Early Influence category and was the oldest living person to have received the honor.
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One for My Baby
Harry Belafonte Lyrics
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So set 'em up Joe, I've got a little story you ought to know
We're drinking my friend to the end of a grieve episode
Make it one for my baby and one more for the road
I've got the routine so drop another nickel in the machine
I'm feeling so bad, I wish you'd make the music dreamy and sad
Could tell a lot but you've got to be true to your code
You'd never know it but buddy I'm a kind of poet
And I got a lot of things to say
And when I'm gloomy you simply got to listen to me
Till it's all talked away well that's how it goes
And Joe I know you're getting anxious to close
So thanks for the cheer
I hope you didn't mind me bending your ear
This torch I found must be drowned or it soon will explode
So make it one for my baby and one more for the road
That long, long road
The lyrics to Harry Belafonte's song "One for My Baby" tell the story of a man who is in a bar at quarter to three in the morning with only the bartender for company. He asks the bartender, Joe, to set him up with a drink and the two of them begin to drink while the singer tells Joe a story. The drinks are a way of marking the end of a difficult time in the singer's life, and he asks for one more for the road. The singer then asks Joe to play some music that fits his melancholy mood, so he can tell Joe about his thoughts and feelings. He is a poet at heart, and he needs to talk to someone about what's going on in his life.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer is struggling with his own emotions. He is feeling down and needs someone to listen to him. He tells Joe that he could talk for hours, but he knows that Joe must close the bar soon. So, he thanks Joe for listening to him and reminds him that he needs one more drink before he goes. He tells Joe that he has found a metaphorical "torch" that he needs to "drown" before it "explodes," implying that he has some inner turmoil that he needs to work through. By asking for one more drink for the road, he indicates that he is continuing on his journey, down a long, long road, with a heavy heart.
Overall, the lyrics to "One for My Baby" are a powerful and poignant expression of human emotion. The singer is struggling to come to terms with his own feelings and is using the bar and alcohol as a way of coping. He turns to Joe, the bartender, as someone he can confide in, and in doing so, he reveals a deep sense of loneliness and sadness that is relatable to many people. The song is a testament to the healing power of music and the importance of human connection in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
It's quarter to three, there's no one in the place but you and me
It's very late and the bar is nearly empty except for us
So set 'em up Joe, I've got a little story you ought to know
Please pour us some drinks, I have a story I'd like to share
We're drinking my friend to the end of a grieve episode
We're drinking to forget the pain we've been through recently
Make it one for my baby and one more for the road
Give me another drink for me and one for the road as I leave
I've got the routine so drop another nickel in the machine
I know how this works, put another coin in the jukebox
I'm feeling so bad, I wish you'd make the music dreamy and sad
I'm feeling very low, so please play something slow and melancholic
Could tell a lot but you've got to be true to your code
I have a lot to say, but I understand your obligation to keep my secrets
So make it one for my baby, yes and one more for the road
I'll have another drink for myself and one more for my journey ahead
You'd never know it but buddy I'm a kind of poet
You probably didn't know, but I consider myself a poet of sorts
And I got a lot of things to say
I have a lot of thoughts and emotions to express
And when I'm gloomy you simply got to listen to me
When I'm feeling down, I need someone to listen to me
Till it's all talked away well that's how it goes
I'll keep talking until I've said everything I need to
And Joe I know you're getting anxious to close
I know you want to close up soon, Joe
So thanks for the cheer
Thank you for the drinks and company
I hope you didn't mind me bending your ear
I hope I didn't take up too much of your time with my talking
This torch I found must be drowned or it soon will explode
I need to let go of this painful memory before it destroys me
So make it one for my baby and one more for the road
One more for me and one for the road as I leave on my long journey
That long, long road
That's the difficult journey ahead of me
Contributed by Harper N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Franklin Childs
Soothing soft sounds by Belafonte