John Pizzarelli has had a multi-faceted career as a jazz guitarist, vocalis… Read Full Bio ↴John Pizzarelli has had a multi-faceted career as a jazz guitarist, vocalist and bandleader. Internationally known for classic standards, late-night ballads, and the cool jazz flavor he brings to his performances and recordings, he has recently established himself as the consummate entertainer and radio program host with the launch of "Radio Deluxe with John Pizzarelli" a nationally syndicated radio program co-hosted with his wife, Broadway star Jessica Molaskey.

Born on April 6, 1960, in Paterson, New Jersey, Pizzarelli has been playing guitar since age six, following in the tradition of his father, guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli. Hanging out with his father, John was exposed to all the great jazz music of the era, from Erroll Garner and Les Paul to Django Reinhardt. He began playing with his father at age 20, before going out on his own.

John Pizzarelli has recorded as a bandleader for RCA, Chesky, Stash and Novus, and in 1997 appeared in the Broadway musical Dream, a revue of Johnny Mercer songs. Along the way, Pizzarelli and his band have earned rave reviews. Reviewers often compare the Pizzarelli Trio to jazz icons such as Nat "King" Cole: "The John Pizzarelli Trio has never been tighter, and Pizzarelli himself has never been looser," said The Village Voice of a recent New York show. "We can say we’re as lucky to listen to [Pizzarelli] as Nat Cole fans were in the years before he became a legend."

For Pizzarelli, the comparison to the Nat "King" Cole Trio is the highest of compliments. "I've always said in my concerts that Nat 'King' Cole is why I do what I do." Using greats like Nat "King" Cole and Frank Sinatra and the songs of writers like Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen as touchstones, Pizzarelli is among the prime contemporary interpreters of the great American songbook, bringing to the work his signature style and brilliant guitar playing.

With Telarc’s recent release of Dear Mr. Sinatra, an homage to 'Ol' Blue Eyes,' Pizzarelli's album count now stands at 21, an odyssey that began with My Blue Heaven in 1990. Some of his most recent CDs include, Knowing You (Telarc 2005), Bossa Nova (Telarc 2004), and Live at Birdland (Telarc 2003).

A veteran radio personality, Pizzarelli hosted "New York Tonight" on WNEW from 1984-1988. Now, with the launch of "Radio Deluxe with John Pizzarelli," he brings warmth, humor and that long-lost "live" feel back to radio. The show takes place in their "deluxe living room," where he and his guests play live and recorded music, and enjoy conversation that is relaxed, candid, and off-the-cuff. Recent guests include Regis Philbin, Liza Minnelli, Peter Cincotti, Keely Smith, Steve Tyrell and Tony Danza.

In addition to being a bandleader, radio personality and solo performer, John has been a special guest on recordings for major pop names such as James Taylor, Natalie Cole, Tom Wopat, Rickie Lee Jones and Dave Von Ronk, as well as leading jazz artists like Rosemary Clooney, Ruby Braff, Johnny Frigo, Buddy DeFranco, Harry Allen and, of course, Bucky Pizzarelli. He was recently featured opposite Donna Summer, Jon Secada and Roberta Flack on the Grammy Award winning CD, Songs From The Neighborhood: The Music of Mr. Rogers.

John has performed numerous times on the country's most popular national television shows such as "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "The Late Show with David Letterman," "Live With Regis & Kelly," "The Tony Danza Show," "The CBS Early Show," Fox News Channel and Jerry Lewis's Labor Day Telethon.

Pizzarelli continues to tour throughout the United States, Europe and Japan, performing classic pop, jazz and swing, while setting the standard for stylish modern jazz.

Full Discography:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Pizzarelli#Select_discography

I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry
John Pizzarelli Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The torch I carry is handsome
It's worth its heartache in ransom
Now when that twilight steals
I know how the lady in the harbor feels
When I want rain, I get sunny weather
I'm just as blue, blue as the sky
Since love has gone, I can't get myself together
Guess I'll hang my tears out to dry

My friend ask me out
But I tell them I'm busy
I've got to get a new alibi
I hang around at home, and ask myself
"Where is she?"
Guess I'll hang my tears out to dry

Dry little tear drops, my little tear drops
Moving on a stream of dreams
My little memories, those precious memories
Remind me of our crazy schemes
Then somebody says
Just forget about her
But I gave that treatment a try
Strangely enough
I got along without her

Then one day she passed me right by - oh well
I guess I'll hang my tears out to dry

Overall Meaning

In John Pizzarelli's song, "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry," the singer is carrying a torch that is worth the heartache he has experienced. He compares himself to the Lady in the Harbor, who is a symbol of hope for immigrants coming to America. However, he is feeling blue since love has left him and he can't get himself together. Therefore, he concludes that he will hang his tears out to dry, abandoning his feelings and moving on. He tells his friends that he is busy and hangs around at home thinking about where she is. He hopes that the memories of their crazy schemes will move on a stream of dreams.

The song carries a very emotional and melancholic tone, emphasizing the pain of losing someone who was dear to you. The metaphor of hanging tears out to dry elicits a sense of dehydration and neglect of one's emotions. The torch is also a significant metaphor as it symbolizes hope, but at the same time, it intensifies emotional pain.

Line by Line Meaning

The torch I carry is handsome
The love I had was beautiful and passionate

It's worth its heartache in ransom
Even though it caused me pain, it was worth it

Now when that twilight steals
Now when the day turns to night

I know how the lady in the harbor feels
I feel stuck and hopeless like the statue of liberty

When I want rain, I get sunny weather
When I want to be sad and cry, things seem to go well

I'm just as blue, blue as the sky
I'm sad and feeling down

Since love has gone, I can't get myself together
Since my love left me, I can't seem to pick myself up

Guess I'll hang my tears out to dry
I'll just let my sadness hang and stay within me

My friend ask me out
My friend invited me to go out

But I tell them I'm busy
But I make excuses to avoid going out

I've got to get a new alibi
I need to come up with a new excuse