In 1983, she travelled to Toronto to seek a musical career. In 1986, she founded a trio with bassist David Piltch and pianist Aaron Davis. Offered a record deal in 1989, the Holly Cole Trio released an EP, Christmas Blues, that year, which featured a version of The Pretenders' "2,000 Miles". This was followed by their first full album, Girl Talk, in 1990.
A succession of releases followed through the early 1990s. For example, 1991's Blame It On My Youth, covered songs by Tom Waits ("Purple Avenue", aka "Empty Pockets"), Lyle Lovett ("God Will"), includes show tunes such as "If I Were a Bell" (from Guys and Dolls) and "On the Street Where You Live" (from My Fair Lady), and even remakes "Trust In Me", from Disney's The Jungle Book, into a strikingly sultry and sinister song of seduction and death. Also recorded in this period was "Alison", a reinterpretation of Elvis Costello's original.
Following 1993's Don't Smoke in Bed, the trio released a CD entirely of songs by Tom Waits, called Temptation. With this 1995 release, the "Trio" was dropped from the group's name.
Cole next went into a two-album flirtation with pop music, perhaps keeping with the "diva" fad of the late 90s. These albums, Dark Dear Heart (1997) and Romantically Helpless (2000) veered further from jazz by introducing pop elements to Cole's sound.
In 2001, she returned to the Christmas jazz roots of her first CD with Baby It's Cold Outside, which included such should-be classics as "Christmas Time is Here" (from A Charlie Brown Christmas), "Santa Baby", and the title track. Swapping cold for hot, she moved to a Summer theme in 2003's Shade, this time reinterpreting Cole Porter ("Too Darn Hot"), Irving Berlin ("Heatwave"), and The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson ("God Only Knows").
Cole's latest album, Holly Cole (originally entitled This House Is Haunted) was released in Canada in March 2007. It was released in the US in January 2008 and was followed by a US tour.
Cole tours frequently, particularly around the holiday season, in Canada. She was also a part of the 1999 Lilith Fair tour.
Cruisin'
Holly Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't be confused baby, the way is clear
And if you want it you got it forever
Just for a one night stand in bed
Let the music take your mind
And, just release and you would find
We gonna fly away, plan to go my way
Music was made for love, cruising is made for love
I love it when we're cruising together
Baby tonight belongs to us
Everything's right, do what you must
And inch by inch we get closer and closer oh
Every little part is in touch
Oh baby, baby oh
Let the music take your mind
Just release and you would find, baby
I love it I love it
We gonna fly away, plan to go my way
I love it when we're cruising together
Music was made for love, cruising is made for love
I love it when we're cruising together
Oh oh, cruise for me babe
Oh baby let's cruise
Let's flow, let's glide
Oh let's open up, and go inside
And if you want it you got it forever
I can just stay there inside you
And love you baby, oh
Let the music take your mind
Just release and you would find, baby
We gonna fly away, plan to go my way
I love it when we're cruising together
Music was made for love, cruising is made for love
I love it when we're cruising together
Oh, we gonna fly
We gonna fly away, plan to go my way
I love it when we're cruising together
Music was made for love, cruising is made for love
I love it when we're cruising together
The lyrics to Holly Cole's song "Cruisin'" convey a sense of escapism and desire between two lovers. The song opens with the suggestion of leaving behind whatever may be troubling them and embarking on a journey together. The singer reassures her partner that they should not be confused, and the way is clear. She promises that they'll have a good time, but only for one night. The chorus emphasizes the importance of music, suggesting that it was made for love and cruising is made for love. The second verse takes the focus back on the two lovers, with the first line suggesting that tonight belongs to them. As they draw closer together, every little part is in touch. And the final verse speaks of going inside and staying there, with the music again taking their minds away. Overall, the song paints an image of two lovers constantly on the move, seeking to escape whatever troubles they've left behind and find solace in each other.
One interesting fact about the song "Cruisin'" is that it was originally written and recorded by Smokey Robinson in 1979. Robinson was a singer-songwriter and record producer, and the original version of "Cruisin'" reached number four on the Billboard R&B charts. Holly Cole's version is quite different in tone, almost more sultry than Robinson's version. Another interesting fact is that Cole is a Canadian singer, born in Nova Scotia in 1963. She began her music career in the mid-1980s and has released several albums over the years. "Cruisin'" was one of the standout tracks from her 1990 album "Girl Talk". The album was critically acclaimed and helped establish Cole as one of Canada's most prominent jazz vocalists.
The song's popularity has led to it being covered by many other artists over the years, including Huey Lewis and the News, and even Gwyneth Paltrow in the movie "Duets". The song has also been featured in several movies and TV shows, including "The Night Shift" and "The Sopranos". Additionally, the song has been adapted into several different languages, including Spanish and French.
The chords for "Cruisin'" are as follows:
Verse: Gmaj7, Dmaj7, E7, Am7
Chorus: Gmaj7, Dmaj7, E7
Overall, "Cruisin'" is a classic love song that has stood the test of time. It's a song that evokes feelings of passion, escape, and desire, and it's no wonder that it has remained popular for so long.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby let's cruise, away from here
Let's escape from this current place and go on a romantic adventure.
Don't be confused baby, the way is clear
Don't worry, our path and destination are clear and we know where we're going.
And if you want it you got it forever
If you're willing to commit, I'm willing to make this last forever.
Just for a one night stand in bed
This isn't just about a one night stand, it's about exploring a deeper connection.
Let the music take your mind
Let the music transport us and help us to relax and enjoy the moment.
And, just release and you would find
Let yourself go and you'll discover the magic of being together in this moment.
Baby tonight belongs to us
This is our special night and nothing else matters.
Everything's right, do what you must
All the problems and distractions of the world fade away, so let's do whatever makes us happy.
And inch by inch we get closer and closer oh
Our physical and emotional closeness is growing with each passing moment.
Every little part is in touch
We're completely connected both physically and emotionally.
Oh baby, baby oh
I'm falling deeper in love with you in this moment.
Let the music take your mind
The music is a powerful force that helps us to forget the outside world and enjoy each other's company.
Just release and you would find, baby
Relax and let go of all your worries - this moment is all we need.
Oh oh, cruise for me babe
Let's take this romantic journey together, just you and me.
Let's flow, let's glide
We'll be free and easy as we explore the possibilities of our connection.
Oh let's open up, and go inside
Let's be honest and vulnerable with each other - we'll discover a deeper level of intimacy.
And if you want it you got it forever
This isn't just a fleeting moment, it's a chance to build something that could last forever.
I can just stay there inside you
We can stay together in this moment, growing closer and more in love.
And love you baby, oh
I'm falling completely in love with you and everything about this moment.
We gonna fly away, plan to go my way
Let's go on this adventure together, taking the journey I have planned for us.
Music was made for love, cruising is made for love
Love and music are the perfect combination, and cruising is ideal for exploring both.
I love it when we're cruising together
I'm falling more in love with you as we explore this special moment together.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Marvin Tarplin, Smokey Robinson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind