It was Norman Granz, the iconic producer of Jazz at the Philharmonic and the founder of Verve Records, who, upon hearing Pass in 1970, immediately recognised the "new talent" and signed him to Granz's new Pablo Records label (named for Granz's friend Pablo Picasso).
In 1974, Pass released his landmark solo album "Virtuoso" on Pablo Records. Also in 1974, Pablo Records released the album "The Trio" featuring Pass, Oscar Peterson, and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. "The Trio" won a Grammy award for best jazz performance. As part of the Pablo Records "stable," Pass also recorded with Benny Carter, Robert Conti, Milt Jackson, Herb Ellis, Zoot Sims, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan and others.
Pass is known for his brilliant chord melody work where he simultaneously plays walking bass and chord melodies.
Love for Sale
Joe Pass Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is the heavy tread of the heavy feet
That belong to a lonesome cop
I open shop.
When the moon so long has been gazing down
On the wayward ways of this wayward town.
That her smile becomes a smirk,
Love for sale,
Appetizing young love for sale.
Love that`s fresh and still unspoiled,
Love that`s only slightly soiled,
Love for sale.
Who will buy?
Who would like to sample my supply?
Who`s prepared to pay the price,
For a trip to paradise?
Love for sale
Let the poets pipe of love
in their childish way,
I know every type of love
Better far than they.
If you want the thrill of love,
I`ve been through the mill of love;
Old love, new love
Every love but true love
Love for sale.
Appetising young love for sale.
If you want to buy my wares.
Follow me and climb the stairs
Love for sale.
Love for sale.
The lyrics of Joe Pass's Love For Sale are the embodiment of the blues. The song opens with the description of an empty street, with only the sound of a lonely cop walking in the background. The use of words like "lonesome" and "heavy" gives the impression of the solitude and misery that permeate this town. The emptiness and loneliness are then juxtaposed with the image of the singer opening shop to sell love. The imagery of the moon gazing down on the wayward town and the singer going to work when her smile turns to a smirk, creates a feeling of desperation and resignation. The singer is aware of the darkness of the world around her, but still she sells love.
The lyrics then delve into the cynical selling of this “appetizing young love”. The use of juxtaposition here is powerful. The love that is being sold is fresh and unspoiled, yet only slightly soiled. The description of the various types of love that the singer has experienced goes from old love, new love to every love but true love. The lyrics show that the singer is aware of love's transient nature, and that she sells it as a commodity because that is what it has become. The final stanza has the singer inviting the listeners to buy her wares, to follow her up the stairs to experience this love that is for sale.
Overall, the song’s lyrics paint a picture of a world that is dark and full of despair. It captures the desperation of living in a world where love is for sale, where promises are empty, and where the only certainty is heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
When the only sound in the empty street,
As silence prevails in the lonely streets,
Is the heavy tread of the heavy feet
The only audible sound is the weighty footsteps
That belong to a lonesome cop
Which belong to a solitary policeman
I open shop.
I commence my business.
When the moon so long has been gazing down
After the moon has watched for a significant period,
On the wayward ways of this wayward town.
On the deviant behavior of this deviant place.
That her smile becomes a smirk,
And her grin changes into a sneer,
I go to work.
I start my job.
Love for sale,
I am selling love,
Appetizing young love for sale.
Desirable youthful adoration available at a price,
Love that`s fresh and still unspoiled,
Pure and uncontaminated love,
Love that`s only slightly soiled,
Love that has only been slightly corrupt,
Love for sale.
Love is obtainable for purchase.
Who will buy?
Who is interested in buying this love?
Who would like to sample my supply?
Who desires to examine my merchandise?
Who`s prepared to pay the price,
Who is willing to pay the cost?
For a trip to paradise?
For a journey to heaven?
Love for sale
Inexpensive passion on sale
Let the poets pipe of love
Let the poets speak about love,
in their childish way,
In their silly, immature manner,
I know every type of love
I have experienced every form of love
Better far than they.
Far better than them,
If you want the thrill of love,
If you want to experience the excitement of love,
I`ve been through the mill of love;
I have been through a lot in the area of love;
Old love, new love
Love that has been lost and found again, love that is new and fresh,
Every love but true love
Every kind of love that is not actual love.
Love for sale.
Love is on sale.
Appetising young love for sale.
Buy lovely youthful love to your hearts’ desires.
If you want to buy my wares.
If you are interested in purchasing my products.
Follow me and climb the stairs
Follow me upstairs.
Love for sale.
Love is on sale.
Love for sale.
Love is for sale.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind