Jimmy Raney began his jazz guitar career very early with the history showing he played in the Jerry Wald band in 1944 at age 17.
In 1946 he worked for a time as guitarist with the Max Miller Quartet at Elmer's in Chicago, his first paying gig. Raney also worked in the Artie Shaw Orchestra and collaborated with Woody Herman for nine months in 1948. He also collaborated and recorded with Buddy DeFranco, Al Haig and later on with Bob Brookmeyer. In 1967 alcoholism and other professional difficulties led him to leave New York City and return to his native Louisville. He resurfaced in the 1970s and also did work with his son Doug, who is also a guitarist. Raney suffered for thirty years from Meniere's Disease, a degenerative condition that eventually led to near complete deafness in both ears. Fortunately, his playing remained unaffected. Raney died of heart failure in Louisville Ky. on May 10th of 1995, just short of his 68th birthday. An obituary in the New York Times referred to Jimmy Raney as 'one of the most gifted and influential postwar jazz guitarists in the world .
A Foggy Day
Jimmy Raney Lyrics
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Out of town were the people I knew
I had that feeling of self-pity
What to do, what to do, what to do
The outlook was decidedly blue
But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known
A foggy day, in London town
Had me low, had me down
I viewed the morning, with much alarm
British Museum, had lost its charm
How long I wondered,
Could this thing last
But the age of miracles, hadn't past
For suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London town,
The sun was shining everywhere
For suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London town,
The sun was shining everywhere
Everywhere
Everywhere
Everywhere
The lyrics of Jimmy Raney's song, A Foggy Day, tell a story of a person who is feeling lost and down while being a stranger in the city. The feeling of self-pity is strong, and the outlook appears decidedly blue. However, as the person walks through the foggy streets of the city alone, it turns out to be the luckiest day they've ever known. Suddenly, they see someone they know, and through the foggy London town, the sun is shining everywhere.
The song is all about finding light in the darkness. The person is feeling lost and hopeless, but unexpectedly they stumble upon something that brings joy to their life. The fog is a metaphor for the hardships and challenges that we all face in life. It obscures our vision and makes it difficult for us to see the way forward. However, even when things seem bleak and uncertain, there is always the possibility of finding something good if we keep moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
I was a stranger in the city
I arrived at a new place where I knew no one
Out of town were the people I knew
All of the people I knew were not in this place
I had that feeling of self-pity
I was feeling sorry for myself
What to do, what to do, what to do
I was unsure of what steps to take next
The outlook was decidedly blue
My situation seemed bleak and depressing
But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
As I wandered around in the hazy, unclear environment all by myself
It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known
I ultimately felt fortunate that day
A foggy day, in London town
The day was enveloped in a thick fog, and the location was London
Had me low, had me down
It got me feeling sad and negative
I viewed the morning, with much alarm
I felt anxious when looking at the morning
British Museum, had lost its charm
The British Museum held no fascination for me
How long I wondered,
Could this thing last
I questioned how long this negative situation would last
But the age of miracles, hadn't past
I realized that miracles still happen sometimes
For suddenly, I saw you there
All of a sudden, I spotted you in the vicinity
And through foggy London town,
The sun was shining everywhere
Despite the misty weather, the sunlight seemed to light up the whole of London
Everywhere
Everywhere
Everywhere
The sunlight was shining all around, on everything
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind