Josephine Baker (June 3, 1906 - April 12, 1975), born Freda Josephine McDon… Read Full Bio ↴Josephine Baker (June 3, 1906 - April 12, 1975), born Freda Josephine McDonald, was an American-French dancer, actress and singer, sometimes known as "The Black Venus". Although born American, she became a French citizen in 1937.
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.
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.
Rêves
Josephine Baker Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Rêves' by these artists:
B-NØM Yeah C'est moi J'suis avec Meel B on fait des hits mane,…
Cafe Tacuba Excepcional se ve revés, Excepcional es se ve el revés. …
Cafè Tacuba Es opcional ser de revés Excepcional que se vé al revés. Es…
Café Tacvba Exepcional se ve ReVeS Exepcional que ReVeS se ve Exepci…
Chily Noxious On te fait si tu payes pas, j'veux du cash,…
Cianboy En ce moment je ne quitte plus ma chambre Car à…
d-formes J'ai vu un cœur dans les nuages Puis un chien puis…
DIa-Tomé Resulta sabio el nuevo lenguaje que aprendí. Parece fácil, e…
Garba 50 feat. Jessika Yeah Nos rêves sont si géants qu'ils ne peuvent pas s'allong…
Leith Toujours dans le casino (yeah) Toujours dans le casino Toujo…
Louis Bertignac C'était un rêve qui m'a balancé dans un étrange pays Où…
LyCos Ouais J′fais plus la guerre J'ai vu mes rêves s′transformer …
Meel B Yeah C'est moi J'suis avec Meel B on fait des hits mane,…
Peet Ik heb geen tijd om niks te doen Wil enkel schrijven…
Rêves Preguntar la hora a un ciego, pedirle justicia a un…
Rosana Você faz parte de mim Eu parte sou de você Não dá…
Shurik'n "Le rêve que l'on y a enfermé peut durer jusqu'à…
Shurik'n Freeman Le rêve que l'on y a enfermé peut durer jusqu'à…
Shurik´n "Le rкve que l'on y a enfermй peut durer jusqu'а…
Sirap J'rêve de grosses liasses cudemars j'suis devant, faut que j…
Varaha Say now, it's time. Say now: did I say Goodbye? And then…
Vilk Hann vilk, apprend moi à vivre en forêt Waaaw C'est vilk Rêv…
Yannou JR Millions d’euros après promis que j’me casse J’aime pas la f…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Josephine Baker:
(What Can I Say) After I Say I'm Sorry I don't know why, I made you cry I'm sorry sweetheart…
A Message from the Man in the Moon The man in the moon looked into my window And found…
A Message From The Man On The Moon The man in the moon looked into my window And found…
Afraid to Dream Here we are, two silhouettes in the blue Here we are,…
After I Say I I don't know why, I made you cry I'm sorry sweetheart…
Always Intro: Everything went wrong, And the whole day long I'd fee…
April In Paris I never knew the charm of spring I never met it…
Aux iles Hawai Aux Iles Hawaï Tous les amoureux Se disent des mots charmeur…
Avec Avec Un tout petit, petit rien de rien Les femmes Obtiennent…
Bansoir My Love I love my baby, my baby loves me Don't know nobody…
Bésame Mucho Besame, besame mucho, Embrasse-moi mon amour que je puisse o…
Blue Skies I was blue, just as blue as I could be Ev'ry…
Bonsoir My Love I love my baby, my baby loves me Don't know nobody…
Breezin I have been a rover since I was a child No…
Bye Bye Blackbird Blackbird, blackbird singing the blues all day right outside…
C'est Lui Quatre fois par jour, par douzaines Des messieurs très amour…
Chiquita madame Chiquita madame, de la Martinique Dites-moi, je vous en prie…
Confessin I'm confessin' that I love you, Tell me, do you love…
Dans mon village Sur le parvis de Notre-Dame Un vieillard disait, tout attend…
De Temps en Temps Josephine Baker Ne me dis pas que tu m…
Dinah Carolina Gave me Dinah; I'm the proudest one Beneath the…
Dis moi josephine Dites-nous, Joséphine Puisqu'on te revoit Charmante et divin…
Doudou Petite fleur de la Louisiane Petite soeur de l'oiseau des li…
Easy to Love I know too well that I'm just wasting precious time In…
Everybody Loves My Baby Everybody loves my baby, But my baby don't love nobody but…
Haiti Ah ! Qui me rendra mon pays Haiti C'est toi mon seul parad…
Hava Naguila Hava nagila, hava nagila, hava nagila Ve-nisma-cha, ve-nisma…
Hello Hear that bluebird up in a tree, Hear him, what a…
I I love my baby, my baby loves me Don't know nobody…
I Am Feelin' Like a Million Though I'm flat, though I'm broke, Though I'm bent, I'm cont…
I Love Dancing I love my baby, my baby loves me Don't know nobody…
I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight I burned up ev'ry letter And thought that I'd feel better I…
I'm Feelin' Like A Million Though I'm flat, though I'm broke, Though I'm bent, I'm cont…
I've got you under my skin I've got you under my skin. I've got you deep in…
J On dit qu'au-delà des mers Là-bas sous le ciel clair…
J'ai lu dans les étoiles si está noche se llena de sonrisas y es una…
J'ai un message pour toi VIctor Nimekam na moto–oh Moto moto–oh (Dj Venji) Dance to …
J'attendrai J'attendrai, le jour et la nuit J'attendrai toujours Ton ret…
Jai deux amours On dit qu'au-delà des mers Là-bas sous le ciel clair…
J’ai lu dans les étoiles Si está noche se llena de sonrisas y es una…
La Conga Blicoti Le Blicoti Con te voy Il y a perdu Et a lui On la…
La petite église C'est moi qui suis sa petite Son Anana, son Anana, son…
La petite tonkinoise C'est moi qui suis sa petite Son Anana, son Anana, son…
La Vie En Rose Des yeux qui font baisser les miens Un rire qui se…
Le marchand de bonheur Je suis le vagabond, le marchand de bonheur, Je n'ai que…
Ma Petite Tonkinoise C'est moi qui suis sa petite Son Anana, son Anana, son…
Me revoil Spend all your time waiting For that second chance For a bre…
Moi Lyrics are sung in both French and English…
Mon Paris Sur le parvis de Notre-Dame Un vieillard disait, tout attend…
Nuit d'Alger Oh, douce Nuit d'Alger Quand la brise se lève Et caresse mon…
Paris R : PARIS CHERI Mon beau PARIS c’est toujours Toi que…
Paris cheri Paris chéri, mon beau Paris, C'est toujours toi que j'aime P…
Paris Mes Amours Spend all your time waiting For that second chance For a bre…
Paris Paris R : PARIS CHERI Mon beau PARIS c’est toujours Toi que…
Paris, Paris, Paris Ne me demandez pas si j'aime la grâce Ne me demandez…
Paris...Paris Ne me demandez pas si j′aime la grâce Ne me demandez…
Partir sur un bateau tout blanc Partir sur un bateau tout blanc Vers de nouveaux océans S'en…
Peg De Mon Coeur Peg o'my heart I love you, don't let us part I love…
Peg O' My Heart Peg o'my heart I love you, don't let us part I love…
Petite Tonkinoise C'est moi qui suis sa petite Son Anana, son Anana, son…
Piel Canela C'est toi, c'est toi, Pour toi, pour toi, Que toi, que toi, …
Princesse sans Amour Dans ce grand Paris Si loin de mon pays De longs mois Oui,…
Romance aux étoiles J′ai dit ce soir aux étoiles Combien j'avais de peine Nul au…
Romance aux étoiles (Anoche Hablé Con la Luna) J'ai dit ce soir aux étoiles Combien j'avais de peine Nul au…
Sans Amour Dans ce grand Paris Si loin de mon pays De longs mois Oui…
Si J'etais Blanche Je voudrais être blanche Pour moi quel bonheur Si mes seins …
Sleepy Time Gal Wouldn't it be a change for you and me to…
Sonny Boy Climb upon my knee, Sonny Boy, Though you're only three, Son…
Sous le ciel d'Afrique Sous le ciel d’Afrique Dans le film Princesse Tam Tam Parol…
Stormy Weather Don't know why There's no sun up in the sky Stormy weather…
Sue deux notes Tu veux que je te chante une belle chanson, Mais je…
Sympathique Lyrics to Sympathique Ma chambre a la forme d'une cage Le so…
That Certain Feeling Knew It From The Start Love Would Play A Part Felt…
Voulez vous de la canne a sucre Je vois la-bas près de son mari Une dame qui se…
Vous Faites Partie De Moi Lyrics are sung in both French and English…
What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry I don't know why, I made you cry I'm sorry sweetheart…
You You left me sad and lonely; Why did you leave…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
@wehrhaftedemokratie4624
I fell in love with Josephine
end of 80ies
I LOVE her songs since
just bought a Selmer
Alto-Saxophone in black & gold
this Black Beauty will be named
'Joséphine'
in honor of this courageous
and outstanding artist
and so ambitious
warm-hearted Woman 💖
now I can accompany her
throughout all of her songs 🎵🎶
what a privilege & JOY 😘
VOUS FAITES PARTIE DE MOI 💗
@hmxr715
While Jo's beauty and talent are obvious to most all it's overlooked she had excellent linguistic skills. Learning French is not easy for Americans. I listen to her and am amazed she sounds like a native French speaker. I'm so glad this short clip has survived into the 21st century.
@henryquenin6580
It's from the feature length film Princes Tam Tam. I think the entire movie can be found on youtube.
@I-AM-BELIEVER
@@henryquenin6580 Someone said she learned by reading children books and Pepito arranged for her to get private lessons in other languages too
@JordanWilliams-ix2td
gosh she was gorgeous...
@varadero1839
+Jordan Williams Thanks for writing!
I posted this, and I've always been a big fan! She worked that beauty and talent for many, many years! She appeared all over the world! No one was immune to her charms! Happy to hear from you, and thank you very much!
varadero
@modigbeowulf5482
.... u r more gorgeous ..... great name also ....
@michaelmalan1621
varadero1St.Louis839 The Queen of
@starsackaney4996
@Jordan Williams YES! Agreed!! We must do more of this!!! (LOL) Cheers from moi The Leona!!
@quellesurprise4399
She sure was
@mabel8179
Wow Josephine's voice is so sweet and flute like with a lot of heart in it. She looks very beautiful in this scene- her skin is divine, and her eye make up looks wonderful on her. I also love her hairstyle. I am presuming that this is a clip from Princess Tam Tam.