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.
My Baby Just Cares For Me
Holly Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My baby don't care for clothes
My baby just cares for me
My baby don't care for cars and races
My baby don't care for high-tone places
Liz Taylor is not his style
And even Lana Turner's smile
My baby don't care who knows
My baby just cares for me
Baby, my baby don't care for shows
And he don't even care for clothes
He cares for me
My baby don't care
For cars and races
My baby don't care for
He don't care for high-tone places
Liz Taylor is not his style
And even Liberace's smile
Is something he can't see
Is something he can't see
I wonder what's wrong with baby
My baby just cares for
My baby just cares for
My baby just cares for me
The lyrics of this song are a declaration of undying love. The singer is explaining how their partner, referred to as baby, doesn't care about material things like fame or money. The first two lines, "My baby don't care for shows, my baby don't care for clothes" indicates that their partner isn't interested in flashy things. Instead, their partner loves them for who they are, and that's all that matters.
In the third line, "My baby just cares for me," emphasizes that the singer's love is the only thing that their partner cares about. It's a romantic notion that their love is strong enough to disregard everything else. The next two lines reinforce this notion by stating that their partner doesn't care about things like cars or high-tone places. They are content with their love and don't need anything else.
The next two lines refer to famous celebrities like Liz Taylor and Lana Turner, indicating that the singer's partner doesn't need these things to be happy. The chorus repeats that their partner only cares for them and that they don't care who knows it. The final line shows that the singer is wondering if there's something wrong with their partner, implying that it's unusual for someone to only care about love.
Line by Line Meaning
My baby don't care for shows
My partner is not interested in attending events or performances
My baby don't care for clothes
My partner is not preoccupied with fashion or garments
My baby just cares for me
My partner solely prioritizes and values me as an individual
My baby don't care for cars and races
My partner is not interested in automotive or competitive events
My baby don't care for high-tone places
My partner does not enjoy or prefer exclusive or upscale locales
Liz Taylor is not his style
My partner is not attracted to or influenced by Elizabeth Taylor's persona
And even Lana Turner's smile
My partner is not captivated by Lana Turner's appearance
Is somethin' he can't see
My partner is indifferent or unresponsive to these aspects and qualities
My baby don't care who knows
My partner is unbothered by others knowing about their feelings for me
I wonder what's wrong with baby
I am curious and concerned as to why my partner only cares for me
My baby just cares for
My partner exclusively favors
My baby just cares for
My partner solely values
My baby just cares for me
My partner prioritizes and cherishes me above all else
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Gus Kahn, Walter Donaldson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind