Irene's older brother, Roy Kral, was a successful musician when Irene started singing professionally as a teenager. She sung with bands on tours led by Woody Herman and Chubby Jackson, former Herman bass player.
Irene joined Maynard Ferguson's band in the late 1950s and sang with groups led by Stan Kenton and Shelly Manne.
Irene then started a solo career until her death at 46 years of age. She was a ballad singer who stated that Carmen McRae was one of her inspirations.
Irene was made more famous posthumously when Clint Eastwood used her recordings in his 1995 movie, The Bridges of Madison County.
(from Wikipedia)
Lazy Afternoon
Irene Kral Lyrics
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And the beetle bugs are zoomin'
And the tulip trees are bloomin'
And there's not another human in view
But us two.
It's a lazy afternoon
And the farmer leaves his reapin'
And the speckled trout stop leapin' up stream
As we dream.
A fat pink cloud hangs over the hill
Unfoldin' like a rose
If you hold my hand and sit real still
You can hear the grass as it grows.
It's a hazy afternoon
And I know a place that's quiet, 'cept for daisies running riot
And there's no one passing by it to see
Come spend this lazy afternoon with me
Irene Kral's song "Lazy Afternoon" is a simple, yet beautiful portrayal of an idyllic afternoon spent with a loved one. The song begins by setting the scene of a lazy afternoon where the only inhabitants are the beetles and the blooming tulip trees. The singer emphasizes their solitude by saying "there's not another human in view but us two", highlighting the intimacy of the moment being shared with her loved one.
As the song continues, the singer describes how all the creatures around them are taking a rest, with the farmer leaving his work in the meadow and the cows and trout sleeping. The imagery painted here is peaceful and calming, almost as if time has stopped just for them to dream.
The song takes a beautiful turn when the fat pink cloud hanging over the hill is described as unfolding like a rose. The imagery here is romantic and breath-taking, and the singer encourages her loved one to hold her hand and sit still to hear the grass as it grows. Overall, this song is a beautiful invitation to spend a lazy afternoon in the company of a loved one, enjoying the simple pleasures of life.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a lazy afternoon
The day is slow and calm.
And the beetle bugs are zoomin'
Beetle bugs are flying around.
And the tulip trees are bloomin'
The tulip trees are in full bloom.
And there's not another human in view
Nobody else is around except for us.
But us two.
It's just the two of us.
And the farmer leaves his reapin'
The farmer is taking a break from farming.
In the meadow cows are sleepin'
The cows are sleeping in the meadow.
And the speckled trout stop leapin' up stream
The fish aren't jumping upstream anymore.
As we dream.
We're both daydreaming.
A fat pink cloud hangs over the hill
There's a big pink cloud in the sky.
Unfoldin' like a rose
The cloud is blooming like a rose.
If you hold my hand and sit real still
If we hold hands and stay quiet,
You can hear the grass as it grows.
We can hear the sound of the grass growing.
It's a hazy afternoon
The day is a bit foggy.
And I know a place that's quiet, 'cept for daisies running riot
I know a quiet place, except for the daisies growing wild.
And there's no one passing by it to see
Nobody is around to see us.
Come spend this lazy afternoon with me
Spend the day with me and enjoy the laziness.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Latouche, Jerome Moross
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind