After his discharge from the Army in 1953, Mance worked as a sideman and accompanist with musicians such as Dinah Washington, Cannonball Adderley, and Dizzy Gillespie before recording his first album as a leader and forming his own trio in 1961. To date he has recorded over thirty albums, for labels such as Verve, Jazzland, Riverside, Capitol, Atlantic, Milestone, Polydor, Inner City, JSP, Nilva, Sackville, Bee Hive, and others.
Since 1988 he has been a member of the faculty of the Jazz and Contemporary Music Program at the New School University in New York City.
In 1997, Junior Mance was inducted into The International Jazz Hall of Fame.
(2) Junior Mance is well-known for his soulful bluesy style, but he is also expert at playing bop standards. He started playing professionally when he was ten. Mance worked with Gene Ammons in Chicago during 1947-1949, played with Lester Young (1950), and was with the Ammons-Sonny Stitt group until he was drafted. He was the house pianist at Chicago's Bee Hive (1953-1954), worked as Dinah Washington's accompanist (1954-1955), was in the first Cannonball Adderley Quintet (1956-1957), and then spent two years touring with Dizzy Gillespie (1958-1960). After a few months with the Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis/Johnny Griffin group, Mance formed his own trio and has mostly been a leader ever since. He has led sessions for Verve, Jazzland, Riverside, Capitol, Atlantic, Milestone, Polydor, Inner City, JSP, Nilva, Sackville, and Bee Hive, among other labels. ~ Scott Yanow
Spinning Wheel
Junior Mance Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Spinning Wheel got to go 'round
Talkin' 'bout your troubles
It's a cryin' sin
Ride a painted pony
Let the Spinning Wheel spin
You got no money, you got no home
Spinning Wheel all alone
You never learn
Ride a painted pony
Let the Spinning Wheel turn
Did you find your directing sign
On the straight and narrow highway
Would you mind a reflecting sign?
Just let it shine within your mind
And show you the colors that are real
Someone is waiting just for you
Spinning Wheel spinning true
Drop all you troubles by the river side
In "Spinning Wheel" by Junior Mance, the lyrics "What goes up must come down, Spinning Wheel got to go round" are referring to the inevitable cycles of life. This is a reminder to listeners that life is full of ups and downs and that we need to embrace these changes as it is important for our personal growth. The phrase "Talkin' 'bout your troubles, it's a cryin' sin" is telling listeners to not dwell on their troubles but instead to try and find a way to deal with them or let go of them. The lyrics then go on to say "Ride a painted pony, let the Spinning Wheel spin, you got no money, you got no home, Spinning Wheel all alone" which is describing how some people may feel like they are alone in their struggles and that they do not have the resources to overcome them. However, the lyrics suggest that we can find a way to cope by riding a painted pony (our imagination) and letting life take us where it may.
The next set of lyrics discuss the importance of finding direction in life. "Did you find your directing sign on the straight and narrow highway, would you mind a reflecting sign? Just let it shine within your mind and show you the colors that are real", is a message to listeners that they should seek guidance and look for a sign to show them the way forward. The lyrics advise that this guiding sign can be found within ourselves and it is up to us to let it shine and see the real colors of life. The song concludes with "Someone is waiting just for you, Spinning Wheel spinning true, drop all your troubles by the riverside" which is a positive message encouraging listeners to let go of their worries and focus on moving forward. The Spinning Wheel will keep spinning and life will keep moving, but there is always hope and happiness awaiting us.
Line by Line Meaning
What goes up must come down
Whatever goes up is bound to come down eventually
Spinning Wheel got to go 'round
Time and life keeps moving forward regardless of how you feel
Talkin' 'bout your troubles
Complaining about your problems does nothing but make you more miserable
It's a cryin' sin
It's a waste of time to feel sorry for yourself and cry because of your issues
Ride a painted pony
Create your own happiness and enjoy the little things in life
Let the Spinning Wheel spin
Let go and allow life to unfold naturally
You got no money, you got no home
Without material possessions, life can still go on and happiness can still be found
Spinning Wheel all alone
You are the only one responsible for your happiness in life
Talkin' 'bout your troubles and you
Constantly focusing on your problems only amplifies them
You never learn
If you continue to repeat the same mistakes, you will never find true happiness
Did you find your directing sign
Have you found your purpose in life?
On the straight and narrow highway
Are you staying true to your goals and values?
Would you mind a reflecting sign?
Do you welcome feedback and constructive criticism?
Just let it shine within your mind
Take time to reflect and find clarity within yourself
And show you the colors that are real
Discover the true beauty in life and embrace it
Someone is waiting just for you
There is always someone out there who cares for you and wants you to be happy
Spinning Wheel spinning true
Time and life keeps moving forward regardless of how you feel
Drop all your troubles by the river side
Relax and let go of your worries, even for just a moment, to enjoy the beauty of life
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rafaelrieck6655
Great piano, one of my favourite pianoplayers.
@regnesublunar
Horacio Fumero certainly
@OldKingDooji
Gràcies per la confirmació. I enhorabona pel concert d'homenatge a Charles Tolliver que hi ha en el teu canal. M'ha semblat boníssim.
@regnesublunar
@@OldKingDooji els agraIments són per Mr. Tolliver per tants anys d'activitat creativa, i per Jazz Terrassa, que va fer possible la producció