Joseph Cyrus Smith was born in Sag Harbor, New York in 1883.[1] He was of Russian ancestry on his father's side, and Austrian on his mother's.[1] He was a working musician by the time he was 16, and by 1903 was known for working in dance bands. In 1914 he landed the important post as resident dance band at New York's Plaza Hotel, where he stayed for nine years.[1] He moved to Montreal and began a sequence of broadcasts on station CKAC. In the late 1920s he traveled widely as leader, including Canada, Europe, and both coasts of the United States. From the 1920s through the 1940s he worked as an arranger for the Robbins Music Corporation.[2] He settled down in the New York City area in the 1930s, and retired in 1945, moving to Florida.[1] He died of a myocardial infarction at a Miami Beach hospital on March 22, 1965.[1] At the time of his death he was married to Margaret Lynch.[1]
Smith was instrumental in the transition from the heavy sound of military marching bands so popular before World War 1 to the lighter sounding dance music of the 1920s.[1] Most of his recorded output are instrumentals, although Victor Records would sometimes assign an in-house vocalist to some sides.[2] He was the first to record a Cole Porter song.[2] Although not a jazz unit as thought of in the modern sense, Smith did often use jazz colorings in his arrangements.[3] It was Smith's lack of use of instrumental soloists that led to his sound becoming outdated and the corresponding decline in his popularity as a recording artist.[1]
Smith was active as a recording artist from 1916 until 1925. He first recording session was for Victor, and his first recordings met with mediocre success,[1] but in late 1917 several of his records became big sellers. Joel Whitburn estimates that 21 of his records were among the top-15 in popularity at some point.[4] His recording of Smiles, featuring Harry Macdonough on vocals, is estimated to have been the #1 record for a week in August 1918.[4] Many of his records featured medleys taken from current Broadway shows.[2] By 1922 his records were not selling as well,[1] and he made his last recordings for Victor in March of that year.[5] He then recorded briefly for Brunswick Records in 1923.[1] He last recorded in Montreal in 1925.[3]
Sally
Joseph C. Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For her life
Now she's stranded in the violent south
The end is on its way
"Look, it's my friend Jake"
"Hey!" I scream for help
"Wait, is that a knife?"
"Oh, hello Sally
Well, it's just, you know
All the times you told me you didn't want me
Well, they, they drove me a little crazy, you know
It's nothing personal, it's just the way I feel
I gotta act on it, you know, I can't let it go
I can't let it go"
I put it away
Inside this
You put me away
Inside this
I wanna ride through the city of gold
Where all my loving could be wild
My loaded gun
Free to belong
I had my way
Inside you
Won't you tell me
You don't love me
Won't your ride me
Through the door
Sally Peterson died on the 3rd of October of 2017
Stabbed to death, she was found next to a silo, in the Kangwon Province of North Korea
Authorities have no suspects, and will not pursue any further investigations
The case is now closed
May she rest in peace
I won't let go
I won't let go
I won't let go
I won't let go
I won't let go
I won't let go
I won't let go
I won't let go
I won't let go
I won't let go
I had my way
Inside you
Won't you tell me
You don't love me
Won't your ride me
Through the door
Ride along if I don't come out
Ride along if I don't go
If you tell me
You don't love me
No, you knock me
Through the door
Coming back home in the southern rain
Coming back home in the southern rain
You got me lying down
Coming back home in the southern rain
Coming back home in the southern rain
You got me lying down
Coming back home in the southern rain
Coming back home in the southern rain
The lyrics appear to tell a story of a woman named Sally who is running for her life in the violent South. She encounters her friend Jake who has a knife and is threatening her. He confesses that her rejection of him drove him crazy and he had to act on his feelings. In the end, Sally is found dead next to a silo in North Korea and the case remains unsolved.
The lyrics paint a chilling picture of domestic violence and obsession, highlighting the danger that women face in abusive relationships. The use of vivid imagery and graphic language creates a sense of urgency and tension throughout the song, as Sally tries to escape and Jake becomes increasingly erratic.
The line "I had my way inside you" can be interpreted as a reference to sexual violence, adding another layer of complexity to the dark themes explored in the lyrics. The repeated refrain of "I won't let go" further emphasizes the power struggle between the two characters and the sense of control that Jake is trying to exert over Sally.
Overall, Joseph C. Smith's "Sally" is a haunting depiction of the dangers of toxic relationships and the horrifying consequences that can result from them.
Line by Line Meaning
She had to run
Sally was forced to flee for her life.
For her life
The danger Sally faced was grave and immediate.
Now she's stranded in the violent south
Sally finds herself trapped in a dangerous and unstable place.
The end is on its way
Sally's fate is sealed, and her end is approaching quickly.
"Look, it's my friend Jake"
Sally encounters someone she knows and trusts.
"Hey!" I scream for help
Sally realizes she is in danger and reaches out for assistance.
"Wait, is that a knife?"
Sally recognizes that her friend Jake intends to harm her.
"Jake, what the fuck!"
Sally is horrified by Jake's unexpected violence.
"Oh, hello Sally"
Jake pretends to be friendly and disarms Sally.
"Well, it's just, you know"
Jake tries to justify his violent behavior as a response to Sally's rejection of him.
"All the times you told me you didn't want me"
Jake is angry and bitter about Sally's rejection of him over time.
"Well, they, they drove me a little crazy, you know"
Jake's obsession with Sally has led him to irrational behavior.
"It's nothing personal, it's just the way I feel"
Jake tries to minimize the severity of his actions.
"I gotta act on it, you know, I can't let it go"
Jake is unable to control his violent impulses.
I put it away
Jake hides the weapon he used to kill Sally.
Inside this
The weapon is concealed within a physical object or location.
You put me away
Jake has imprisoned Sally and taken control over her life.
Inside this
Sally is confined within a physical object or location.
I wanna ride through the city of gold
Sally yearns for adventure and excitement.
Where all my loving could be wild
Sally desires passionate, uninhibited love.
My loaded gun
Sally feels prepared to face danger and assert her independence.
Free to belong
Sally wants to break free from her current circumstances and find a place where she truly fits in.
Won't you tell me
Sally seeks honesty and clarity in her relationships.
You don't love me
Sally is afraid of being rejected and abandoned by those close to her.
Won't your ride me
Sally seeks a companion to join her in her journey.
Through the door
Sally wants to pass into a new phase of her life, leaving her current problems behind.
Ride along if I don't come out
Sally wants someone to come after her if she runs into danger.
Ride along if I don't go
Sally wants someone to accompany her on her journey.
No, you knock me
Sally fears being betrayed or hurt by those she trusts.
Coming back home in the southern rain
Sally returns to her origin point, but things have changed.
You got me lying down
Sally is no longer in control of her situation and must submit to circumstance.
Sally Peterson died on the 3rd of October of 2017
Sally is the victim of a violent crime and has passed away.
Stabbed to death, she was found next to a silo, in the Kangwon Province of North Korea
Sally's body was discovered in a remote, unfamiliar place.
Authorities have no suspects, and will not pursue any further investigations
The perpetrator of Sally's murder remains at large and will likely face no consequences.
The case is now closed
The investigation into Sally's death has failed to provide closure for her loved ones.
May she rest in peace
Sally is no longer in pain and is at peace in the afterlife.
I won't let go
Jake is determined to keep control of Sally's life even after her death.
I won't let go
Jake's obsession with Sally has not abated.
I won't let go
Jake's grip on Sally's life has hardened into a permanent hold.
I won't let go
Jake refuses to relinquish his power and control over Sally's fate.
I won't let go
Jake's obsession has replaced any semblance of rationality or empathy.
I won't let go
Jake's behavior has become pathological and self-destructive.
I won't let go
Jake will continue to be haunted by Sally's memory for the rest of his life.
I won't let go
Jake's violent actions have caused irreversible damage to himself and those around him.
I won't let go
Jake's obsession and violence have destroyed any hope of a happy, fulfilling life.
Coming back home in the southern rain
The cycle of violence and despair continues, even without Sally's presence.
Coming back home in the southern rain
The Southern rain is a symbol of loss and pain that will never completely disappear.
You got me lying down
The pain and suffering caused by Sally's death will always have an impact on those who knew and loved her.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Sasha Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@docmurph8681
Jerome Kern music hits my soft spot every time. “Look For The Silver Lining” is a tune I’ve known since I was 4. Many thanks, too, for the set of Joseph C Smith records today. His band was a very important one before Paul Whiteman became the top band of the twenties.
@StevenSmith-nq5xe
Love that unexpected violin obbligato on Whip-per Will.
@ulrichroesch9114
That's the stuff, right there !
@thescoobymike
I hear a little bit of You Are My Sunshine in there