Early life
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, the daughter of Carrie McDonald. Her father is identified as vaudeville drummer Eddie Carson by the official biography of her estate. She was of mixed ethnic background: Native American/African American. She descended from Apalachee Indians and Black slaves in South Carolina.[4] She started her career as a busker, dancing in the street as a child. She entered vaudeville joining the St. Louis Chorus at 15. She then headed toward New York City during the Harlem Renaissance, performing at the Plantation Club and in the chorus of the popular Broadway revues Shuffle Along (1921) and The Chocolate Dandies (1924). She performed as the last dancer in a chorus line, a position in which the dancer traditionally performed in a comic manner, as if they were unable to remember the dance, until the encore, at which point they would not only perform it correctly, but with additional complexity. Although she was later to claim that she went unnoticed in America, she was billed as "the highest-paid chorus girl in vaudeville."
On October 2, 1925, she opened in Paris at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, where she became an instant success for her erotic dancing and for appearing practically nude on stage. After a successful tour of Europe, she reneged on her contract and returned to France to star at the Folies Bergère, setting the standard for her future acts. She performed wearing only high heels and a skirt made of bananas; she was often accompanied by her pet leopard, Chiquita, who was adorned with a diamond collar. The leopard frequently escaped into the orchestra pit, where it terrorized the musicians, adding yet another element of excitement to the show.
Rise to fame
After a short while she was the most successful American entertainer working in France—whereas in the U.S., she would have suffered from the racial prejudices common to the era. Ernest Hemingway called her "the most sensational woman anyone ever saw." In addition to being a musical star, Baker also starred in several successful films, among them Zouzou (1934) and Princesse Tamtam (1935).
Upon marrying her manager Giuseppe Pepito Abatino—a Sicilian stonemason who passed himself off successfully as a Sicilian count—Baker transformed her stage and public persona into a sophisticated cultural figure. (The marriage was reportedly a publicity stunt and not legally binding.)
At this time she also scored her greatest song hit "J'ai deux amours" (1931) and became a muse for contemporary authors, painters, and sculptors including Langston Hughes, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Pablo Picasso.
She was so well-known and popular that even the Nazis, who occupied France during World War II were hesitant to cause her harm. In turn, this allowed Baker to show her loyalty to her adopted country by participating in the Underground. After the war, Baker was awarded the Croix de Guerre for her underground activity.
Yet despite her popularity in France, she was never really able to obtain the same reputation at home. Upon a visit to the United States in 1936, she starred in a failed version of the Ziegfeld Follies (being replaced by Gypsy Rose Lee later in the run); her personal life similarly suffered, and she went through six marriages, some legal, some not. During this time, when Baker returned to the United States, she was allegedly at a dinner party and began to speak in French as well as English with a French accent. An African-American maid was reputed to tell her, "Honey, you is full of shit. Speak the way yo' mouth was born". She had the woman fired.[citation needed]
In 1973, Josephine Baker opened at Carnegie Hall to a standing ovation. She wept openly onstage in response to the warm welcome.
Civil rights involvement
Though based in France, she supported the American Civil Rights Movement during the 1950s, and protested racism in her own unique way, adopting twelve multi-ethnic orphans, whom she called her "Rainbow Tribe." She also integrated several places in the United States and worked with the NAACP.[citation needed] For some time she lived with all of her children and an enormous staff in a castle (Les Milandes in the Dordogne) in France. (Baker had only one child of her own, stillborn in 1941, an incident that precipitated an emergency hysterectomy.)
On tours of the United States, she refused to perform in segregated nightclubs, and her insistence on mixed audiences helped to integrate shows in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevertheless, her career was on a downturn and she was near bankruptcy until she was bailed out and given an apartment by her close friend, Princess Grace of Monaco, another expatriate American living in Europe.
During her life, she was also a great figure of the French freemasonry,[citation needed] fighting for freedom, civil rights, equality and against racism in France and other countries.
Death
On April 8, 1975, her fortunes seemed to be turning to the better when she was the star of a retrospective show at Club Bobino in Paris, Joséphine, celebrating her fifty years in the theater. The show opened to rave reviews. She died of a cerebral hemorrhage less than a week later at the age of 68 and was cremated. She was found lying peacefully in her bed surrounded by newspapers with glowing reviews of her performance.
She became the first American-born woman to receive French military honors at her funeral, which was held at L'Église de la Madeleine. Paris came to a standstill on the day of her funeral and 20,000 filled the streets to watch her procession. She was interred at the Cimetière de Monaco. "Place Josephine Baker" in the Montparnasse Quarter of Paris was named in her honor. She has also been inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame.
Marriages and relationships
Josephine Baker went through six marriages:
* Foundry worker Willie Wells (1919, divorced)
* Pullman porter William Howard Baker (1921, divorced)
* Giuseppe Pepito Abatino (1926, publicity stunt, not legally binding)
* French sugar magnate Jean Lion (1937-1940, divorced)
* French orchestra leader Jo Bouillon (1947, separated 1957, eventually divorced)
* American artist Robert Brady (1928-1986, married 1973, also not legally binding, separated 1974).
There is also some speculation that Josephine Baker was bisexual. Most notably Josephine was linked with Mexican cultural surrealist Frida Kahlo, who was married to Communist revolutionary artist Diego Rivera. Some believe that one of the lesbian lovers depicted in the film Frida, a simple yet provocative shot of a beautiful black lounge songstress in France, is a portrayal of Baker.
Baker wrote several autobiographies, each containing a different story about her family and career.
After I Say I'm Sorry
Josephine Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm sorry sweetheart and yet
Though you shouldn't be lenient with me
I hope you'll forgive and forget
What can I say, dear, after I say I'm sorry?
What can I do to prove it to you, I'm sorry?
I didn't mean to ever be mean to you
I was all wrong but right or wrong I don't blame you
Why should I take somebody like you and shame you
I know that I made you cry, and I'm so sorry dear
So what can I say, dear, after I say I'm sorry?
You made me glad, I made you sad
I made you lonesome and blue
And who ever knew
Who'd ever think that I would be crying to you
What can I say, dear, after I say I'm sorry?
What can I do to prove it to you, I'm sorry?
I didn't mean to ever be mean to you
If I didn't care I wouldn't feel like I do
I was all wrong but right or wrong I don't blame you
Why should I take somebody like you and shame you
I know that I made you cry, and I'm so sorry dear
So what can I say, dear, after I say I'm sorry?
In Josephine Baker's song "After I Say I'm Sorry," the singer reflects on a moment where she made her lover cry and expresses remorse for her actions. The lyrics convey the singer's genuine contrition and desire for forgiveness. The song acknowledges that while saying "I'm sorry" is important, it may not be enough to heal the hurt that has been caused. The lyrics touch on the difficulty of repairing a relationship after trust has been broken, but the singer acknowledges her responsibility in the situation and asks for a chance to make it right.
Overall, the song highlights the complexity of emotions in relationships and the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions. It showcases Josephine Baker's vocal range and ability to convey heartfelt emotions through her singing. Through her lyrics, the singer conveys a deep sense of regret and the desire to make amends.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know why, I made you cry
I regret that I made you cry, though I don't understand why it happened.
I'm sorry sweetheart and yet
I apologize and hope you can forgive me, but I understand if you can't.
Though you shouldn't be lenient with me
I hope you'll forgive and forget
I don't expect you to go easy on me, but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me and move on.
What can I say, dear, after I say I'm sorry?
What can I do to prove it to you, I'm sorry?
I'm at a loss for words and actions that can make up for my mistakes and show how sorry I am.
I didn't mean to ever be mean to you
If I didn't care I wouldn't feel like I do
I didn't intend to hurt you, and my remorse shows how much you mean to me.
I was all wrong but right or wrong I don't blame you
Why should I take somebody like you and shame you
I know I was in the wrong, but I don't blame you for how I acted. You don't deserve to be put through that.
I know that I made you cry, and I'm so sorry dear
So what can I say, dear, after I say I'm sorry?
I'm aware that my actions caused you pain, and I'm truly sorry. But I'm not sure what else I can do or say to make things right.
You made me glad, I made you sad
I made you lonesome and blue
And who ever knew
Who'd ever think that I would be crying to you
I brought you down while you lifted me up, and it's ironic that I'm now the one in need of your comfort.
Lyrics © DONALDSON PUBLISHING CO, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Walter Donaldson, Abe Lyman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Troy Smith
Wow! It is interesting to hear what she sounded like in the early years before training, experience and age turned her into a phenomenal singer/performer.
redrocks20
Beautiful voice and style.
Thunkful2
one of the best female vocalists; reminds me of Betty Boop's voice. The expression is just incredible
Ana Jil
Beautiful lyrics... Thanks jazzgirl1920s for posting this song and Kostas for sharing... ***** It's always hard to say "sorry"... But this word might be really magic!
YouTreen
Amazing talent....1 dislike? SMH
Corrie121
Great post. Thanks for sharing this gem, which I have added to my "Favourites" list.
Giorgio Nikola Rigas Nenadov
i love this song
Agustin Cisneros
Josephine, eras espectacular. Tenias ese espíritu de cambiar lo ya existente. Whopee!
plasticfloor
<3 this song
Sol-de-Cuba
C'est spectaculaire, j'aime beaucoup Joséphine Baker, la Sirène belle