Born in Baltimore, Turner was first taught piano by his mother when he was five. He moved to New York around 1925 and enjoyed much popularity among musicians in Harlem, working with June Clark (1927-1928), Benny Carter (1929), and Louis Armstrong (1930). He accompanied the singer Adelaide Hall in a piano duo with Alex Hill and then with Francis Carter; he and Carter toured Europe with Hall in 1931. Turner performed as a soloist throughout Europe until 1939, and then in the USA. After working as a member of an army band led by Sy Oliver (1944-1945) and with Rex Stewart (1946) he returned to Europe and played in Hungary (1948) and Switzerland (1949-1962). He then settled in Paris, where from 1962 he held a residency at La Calvados; he also performed in Great Britain, Switzerland, and the USA. Turner was influenced mainly by James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Art Tatum, and Erroll Garner.
Down in Mexico
Joe Turner Lyrics
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Baby, when the sun goes down
In the evening, baby when the sun goes down
Well, ain't it lonesome, man ain't happy, Sonny Boy
When your love is not around
Oh, when the sun goes down
Last night I laid sleeping
Last night I lay there sleepin'
I was thinkin' to myself
Thinkin 'bout the one that we loved best, gone
Mistreat you for somebody else
Oh, when the sun goes down
Sun rises in the east
It sets in the west
Sun rising east, Sonny Boy
Said take me in the west
Well, ain't it hard to tell, your heart to *car'
Which ones that will fit you the best
Oh, when the sun goes down
Woo, hittin' me
Oh, ooh, oh
Hoo, hittin' you
Love, is cold, Sonny
Hoo, gettin' mean
Lordy!
Goodbye, my old sweetheart
Where have you been?
Yeah, just went away
I may be back there, see you again
Some rainy day
Well, in the ev'nin, in the ev'nin, baby
Honey, when the sun goes down
Oh, when the sun goes down.
Joe Turner's song "In the Evenin' When the Sun Goes Down" is a blues number that is often played by jazz and blues musicians. It is a song about lost love, loneliness, and heartbreak, the words speaking of a longing for someone who has left, and the pain that follows when that person is not around. The opening verse of "In the Evening" speaks of the loneliness that comes with the end of the day, the feeling of being with someone you love, and the pain that comes with being apart from that person.
The song follows with another verse that describes the singer's thoughts as he laid in bed at night. He thinks of the one he loved the best, but who has gone on to mistreat him and be with someone else. The chorus repeats, with the singer mentioning the rise and fall of the sun and the difficulty of knowing what heart to trust when it comes to finding love.
The song holds an overall sense of melancholy and sadness, as the singer deals with a heart-wrenching loss that he is still processing. The song is not only an important work of blues, but a testament to the pain of heartbreak and how music can be a vehicle for healing and processing that pain.
Interesting facts about the song include that it was written in 1947 by Leroy Carr, and recorded not long after by blues singer Ray Charles as part of his album "The Genius after Hours" in 1961. It was covered by many musicians since then, including the likes of B.B. King and Jimi Hendrix. It was also featured in the film "Animal House" in one of its iconic scenes. As for the chords, according to the sheet music available, the song is in the key of D and follows the progression D, G, D, A, E7, A.
D - D - G - D
In the evening, in the evening
A - E7 - A - D
Baby, when the sun goes down
D - D - G - D
In the evening, baby when the sun goes down
A - E7 - A - D
Well, ain't it lonesome, man ain't happy, Sonny Boy
D - A - D - A
When your love is not around
D - D - A - D
Oh, when the sun goes down
Line by Line Meaning
In the evening, in the evening
Let's meet in the evening, baby.
Baby, when the sun goes down
Let's meet when it gets dark outside, baby.
In the evening, baby when the sun goes down
Let's meet in the evening when it becomes dark, baby.
Well, ain't it lonesome, man ain't happy, Sonny Boy
It's really lonely and depressing when you are alone, Sonny Boy.
When your love is not around
It feels terrible when the person you love is not with you.
Last night I laid sleeping
Last night, I was asleep and dreaming.
I was thinking to myself
I was lost in thought and reflecting on something.
Thinkin 'bout the one that we loved best, gone
I was thinking about the person we both loved deeply, who is now no longer with us.
Mistreat you for somebody else
They left you for someone else, who they treat better than you.
Sun rising east, Sonny Boy
As the sun rises in the east, Sonny Boy.
Said take me in the west
Take me away to the west.
Well, ain't it hard to tell, your heart to *car'
It's difficult to understand what your heart really wants and what's best for you.
Which ones that will fit you the best
Which one will suit you the most.
Woo, hittin' me
Wow, it's really impacting me emotionally.
Hoo, hittin' you
Wow, it's really getting to you.
Love, is cold, Sonny
Love can feel cold and heartless sometimes, Sonny.
Hoo, gettin' mean
Wow, it's getting really cruel and harsh.
Goodbye, my old sweetheart
Goodbye, my beloved and dear old sweetheart.
Where have you been?
Where have you been all this time?
Yeah, just went away
Yeah, you just went away without any explanation or warning.
I may be back there, see you again
I may come back there and see you again someday.
Some rainy day
Maybe on a dark and depressing rainy day.
Well, in the ev'nin, in the ev'nin, baby
Let's meet in the evening, baby.
Honey, when the sun goes down
My dear, when it gets dark outside.
Oh, when the sun goes down.
Oh, when it gets dark outside.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LEON L. N. CARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind