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.
Honeysuckle Rose
Holly Cole Lyrics
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Oh, honey, listen to my plea:
Every honeybee
Fills with jealousy,
When they see you out with me!
I don't blame them, goodness knows,
Oh, honey! suckle rose!
When you're passin' by,
Flowers droop and sigh
And I know the reason why,
You're my sweety, goodness knows,
Oh, honey! suckle rose!
I don't buy sugar,
You just have to touch my cup;
I don't need sugar,
It's sweet enough when you stir it up!
When I'm taking sips
From your dainty lips,
Seems the honey fairly drips,
You're confection, goodness knows,
Oh, honey! suckle rose.
Every honeybee
Fills with jealousy,
When they see you out with me!
I don't blame them, goodness knows,
Oh, honey! suckle rose!
When you're passin' by,
Flowers droop and sigh,
And I know the reason why,
You're my sweety, goodness knows,
Oh, honey ! suckle rose!
I don't buy sugar,
You just have to touch my cup;
I don't need sugar,
It's sweet -- stir it up!
When I'm taking sips
From your dainty lips,
Seems the honey fairly drips,
You're confection, goodness knows,
Oh, honey! suckle rose.
"Honeysuckle Rose" is a playful, jazzy love song that uses extended metaphors and double entendres to describe the singer's passion for their lover. The repeated refrain of "honey, honey" emphasizes the sweetness of the singer's feelings, and the use of the term "honeysuckle rose" as a pet name for their lover adds to the romantic and lovely nature of the song. The singer acknowledges that others may be envious of their relationship, but they cannot help how they feel.
The lyrics are full of playful innuendos, comparing the singer's lover to a honeysuckle rose that has the power to make flowers droop and sigh. They don't need sugar to make their cup of tea sweet, as their lover's presence is enough to make everything better. The imagery of the "honey fairly dripping" and the singer taking "sips from your dainty lips" is sensual and playful, suggesting an intimate and romantic relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Honey, honey,
My darling
Oh, honey, listen to my plea:
Please consider what I have to say
Every honeybee
All the bees
Fills with jealousy,
Become envious
When they see you out with me!
When they see us together
I don't blame them, goodness knows,
I can understand why
Oh, honey! suckle rose!
My darling
When you're passin' by,
When you are near me
Flowers droop and sigh
The flowers seem sad
And I know the reason why,
I know the cause of their sadness
You're my sweety, goodness knows,
You are my love
Oh, honey! suckle rose!
My darling
I don't buy sugar,
I don't need anything else
You just have to touch my cup;
Your presence is enough
I don't need sugar,
I don't need anything else
It's sweet enough when you stir it up!
Your love is enough to make me happy
When I'm taking sips
When I'm drinking
From your dainty lips,
From your pretty mouth
Seems the honey fairly drips,
It's so sweet
You're confection, goodness knows,
You are my sweet love
Oh, honey! suckle rose.
My darling
Every honeybee
All the bees
Fills with jealousy,
Become envious
When they see you out with me!
When they see us together
I don't blame them, goodness knows,
I can understand why
Oh, honey! suckle rose!
My darling
When you're passin' by,
When you are near me
Flowers droop and sigh,
The flowers seem sad
And I know the reason why,
I know the cause of their sadness
You're my sweety, goodness knows,
You are my love
Oh, honey! suckle rose!
My darling
I don't buy sugar,
I don't need anything else
You just have to touch my cup;
Your presence is enough
I don't need sugar,
I don't need anything else
It's sweet -- stir it up!
Your love is enough to make me happy
When I'm taking sips
When I'm drinking
From your dainty lips,
From your pretty mouth
Seems the honey fairly drips,
It's so sweet
You're confection, goodness knows,
You are my sweet love
Oh, honey! suckle rose.
My darling
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andy Razaf, Thomas Waller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind