McShann was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and began working as a professional musician in 1931, performing around Tulsa, Oklahoma and neighboring Arkansas. He moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1936, and set up his own big band, which featured Charlie Parker (from 1937 to 1942), Bernard Anderson, Ben Webster and Walter Brown. Although its book included both swing and blues numbers, the band played blues on most of its records; its most popular recording was "Confessin' the Blues." The group disbanded when McShann was drafted into the Army in 1944, and he was unable to successfully restart it when he got out.
After the war McShann began to lead small groups featuring blues shouter Jimmy Witherspoon. Witherspoon started recording with McShann in 1945, and fronting McShann's band, had a hit in 1949 with "Ain't Nobody's Business." McShann then played in obscurity until 1969, when he became popular as a singer as well as a pianist, often performing with Claude Williams. He continued recording and touring through the 1990s. Well into his 80s McShann still performed occasionally, particularly in the Kansas City area and Toronto Ontario.
Crime-fiction writer Elmore Leonard featured McShann as a character in his 2005 novel, The Hot Kid.
On December 7, 2006, McShann died at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City.
Sweet Lorraine
Jay McShann Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't believe it yet, but it's true,
I'll give you just one guess,
My sweet Lorraine said "yes"
Waiting for the time, soon to be,
When the bells will chime merrily,
(I'm so happy,) when it's raining I don't miss the sun,
Just think that I'm the lucky one
Who will lend her down the aisle
Each night I pray
That nobody steals her heart away,
Just can't wait until that happy day,
When I marry sweet Lorraine
Everything is set, skies are blue,
Can't believe it yet, but it's true,
I'll give you just one guess,
My sweet Lorraine said "yes"
Waiting for the time, soon to be,
When the bells will chime merrily,
(I'm so happy,) when it's raining I don't miss the sun,
For it's in my sweeties smile,
Just think that I'm the lucky one
Who will lend her down the aisle
Each night I pray
That nobody steals her heart away,
Just can't wait until that happy day,
When I marry sweet Lorraine
The song "Sweet Lorraine" by Jay McShann expresses the excitement felt by a man who is eagerly anticipating his upcoming marriage to his beloved Lorraine. The lyrics showcase the pure joy and affection he feels for her, emphasizing his gratitude and luck in being with her. The opening lines "Everything is set, skies are blue, can't believe it yet, but it's true" reflect his disbelief and amazement that such happiness has come to his life. The following phrase, "I'll give you just one guess, my sweet Lorraine said 'yes'" emphasizes the importance of her acceptance of his proposal and how much he values her.
The chorus emphasizes further how much he adores his fiancee, reinforcing his deep love and gratitude for her. He references the rain, stating that even on a dreary day he does not miss the sunshine because it is found in her smile. He also states that he feels like the lucky one for being able to marry Lorraine and walk her down the aisle. He ends the chorus by declaring his desire to make sure nobody steals her heart away.
Overall, "Sweet Lorraine" is a classic love song that showcases the excitement and happiness felt by a man who is about to marry the love of his life. It emphasizes the gratitude and love felt towards his fiancee and their future together.
Line by Line Meaning
Everything is set, skies are blue,
All the necessary arrangements have been made and the environment is pleasant.
Can't believe it yet, but it's true,
Despite the feeling of disbelief, the reality is that the singer has reason to be happy.
I'll give you just one guess,
The singer has great news to share and wants to give the listener a chance to guess what it is.
My sweet Lorraine said "yes"
Lorraine, the person to whom the artist is romantically involved with, agreed to something.
Waiting for the time, soon to be,
Although it has not yet arrived, the artist is eagerly anticipating a future event.
When the bells will chime merrily,
In the future, a joyous occasion will be marked with the ringing of bells.
(I'm so happy,) when it's raining I don't miss the sun,
The singer's happiness is so great that they no longer feel the need for the sun's warmth and light on rainy days.
For it's in my sweeties smile,
The artist finds happiness in the smile of their loved one, Lorraine.
Just think that I'm the lucky one
The artist considers themselves fortunate to be with Lorraine.
Who will lend her down the aisle
The artist will accompany Lorraine to the altar on their wedding day.
Each night I pray
The singer engages in nightly prayer for something specific.
That nobody steals her heart away,
The artist worries that someone else may gain Lorraine's romantic affections.
Just can't wait until that happy day,
The singer is eagerly looking forward to a future event that will bring happiness.
When I marry sweet Lorraine
The singer will enter into marriage with Lorraine, securing their romantic relationship.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CLIFF BURWELL, CLIFFORD BURWELL, MITCHELL PARISH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind