Wiley was born in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma. While still in her early teens, she left home to pursue a singing career with the Leo Reisman band. Her career was temporarily interrupted by a fall while horseback riding. Wiley suffered temporary blindness, but recovered, and at the age of 19 was back with Reisman again, with whom she recorded three songs: "Take It From Me," "Time On My Hands," and her own composition, "Got The South In My Soul." She sang with Paul Whiteman and later, the Casa Loma Orchestra. A collaboration with composer Victor Young resulted in several songs for which Wiley wrote the lyrics, including "Got The South in My Soul" and "Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere," the latter an R&B hit in the 1950s.
In 1939, Wiley recorded eight Gershwin songs on 78s with a small group for Liberty Music Shops. The set sold well and was followed by 78s dedicated to the music of Cole Porter (1940) and Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart (1940 and 1954), Harold Arlen (1943), and 10" LPs dedicated to the music of Vincent Youmans and Irving Berlin (1951). The players on these recordings included Bunny Berigan, Bud Freeman, Max Kaminsky, Fats Waller, Billy Butterfield, Bobby Hackett, Eddie Condon, Stan Freeman, Cy Walter, and the bandleader Jess Stacy, to whom Wiley was married for a number of years. These influential albums launched the concept of a "songbook" (often featuring lesser-known songs), which was later widely imitated by other singers.
Wiley's career made a resurgence in 1950 with the much admired ten-inch album Night in Manhattan. In 1954, she opened the very first Newport Jazz Festival accompanied by Bobby Hackett. Later in the decade she recorded two of her finest albums, West of the Moon (1956) and A Touch of the Blues (1957). In the 1960s, Wiley retired, although she acted in a 1963 television film, Something About Lee Wiley, which told her life story. The film stimulated interest in the singer. Her last public appearance was a concert in Carnegie Hall in 1972 as part of the New York Jazz Festival, where she was enthusiastically received.
Keepin' Out of Mischief Now
Lee Wiley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you're not by my side,
I stay home by my radio,
But I'm satisfied!
All my flirtin' days are gone,
On the level from now on!
Don't go for any excitement now,
All my opinions have changed somehow,
Old-fashioned as can be!
When you really learn to care,
There's a thrill in solitaire!
Keepin' ou of mischief now,
Really am in love, and how!
I'm through playing with fire,
It's you whom I desire!
All the world can plainly see
You're the only one for me!
I've told them in advance
They can't break up our romance!
Living up to every vow,
I'm keepin' out of mischief now!
All the world can plainly see
That you're the only one for me!
Say I've told them, told them in advance
That they can't break up our romance!
Living up to every vow,
I'm keepin', keepin' out of mischief now!
The lyrics to Lee Wiley's song, "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now," tell the tale of a person who has found love and has given up their old habits of flirting and seeking excitement. They continue to stay faithful and content by abstaining from activities they used to enjoy, such as going to the movies, and instead listening to the radio at home. The verse "When you really learn to care, there's a thrill in solitaire" suggests that solace and joy can be found in one's own company when they have found a deep and profound love.
The chorus of the song reiterates the person's commitment to their love, claiming that they are "through playing with fire," and that their lover is the only one for them. The lines "Living up to every vow, I'm keeping' out of mischief now" highlight the singer's promise and dedication to their relationship.
Overall, the song speaks to the importance of finding true love and the satisfaction that comes with staying committed to that love. It also suggests that when one finds such a love, they find joy in different activities and habits than they did before.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't even go to a movie show
I don't want to do things without you by my side.
If you're not by my side,
I only feel truly content when I'm with you.
I stay home by my radio,
When you're not around, I'd rather be alone, listening to my radio.
But I'm satisfied!
Even though I miss you, I'm happy knowing that you'll return to me.
All my flirtin' days are gone,
I'm no longer interested in flirting, now that I've found you.
On the level from now on!
I will be sincere and honest with you from now on.
Don't go for any excitement now,
I'm not interested in anything that might cause trouble or disrupt our relationship.
Books are my best company.
I'm happy spending time alone with my books when you're not here.
All my opinions have changed somehow,
Since falling in love with you, my beliefs and values have shifted.
Old-fashioned as can be!
I know I might seem traditional, but I believe in true love and commitment.
When you really learn to care,
Now that I love you deeply, I understand the beauty of taking care of someone.
There's a thrill in solitaire!
Even though I enjoy time alone, nothing compares to the joy of being with you.
Keepin' ou of mischief now,
I don't want to do anything that might hurt our relationship.
Really am in love, and how!
I'm so in love with you and nothing can change that.
I'm through playing with fire,
I'm done being reckless and taking risks that might harm our love.
It's you whom I desire!
You are the only person I want to spend my life with.
All the world can plainly see
Everyone can see how much I love you.
You're the only one for me!
I know you are the person I was meant to be with.
I've told them in advance
I've warned everyone that nothing can come between us.
They can't break up our romance!
No one can destroy our love.
Living up to every vow,
I'm committed to keeping every promise I've made to you.
I'm keepin', keepin' out of mischief now!
I will do everything in my power to avoid anything that might harm our relationship.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andy Razaf, Thomas 'Fats' Waller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johnwhitehead3360
Devine - Thank You
@MultiMusicbuff
What a great "classic"!Too bad we don't have music like that anymore.
@whispperson
Wonderfull
@busessuck1
Her face reminds me of like a girl frank langella... great singer and song
@RiskyBidnas
i can see it too
@Leebm29
who was the trumpet player ? He has a great feel for the tune Leebm29
@jorgenrasmussen8568
Doesn't sound like Hackett, so I'd guess Max Kaminsky. Date? late 30's, maybe 1939.
@timallen7090
The trumpet player is Billy Butterfield, from a Sept. 26,1956 recording. Lou McGarrity, trombone; Peanuts Hucko, clarinet; Al Klink, ten; Moe Wechsler, piano; Barry Galbraith, guitar; Milt Hinton, bs; Don Lamond, dr. Ralph Burns, arr. Billy Butterfield had a pretty big career; check out his performances with Artie Shaw's small group.
@campmatt116
Out of curiosity, what year was this released? I've tried to find out but no luck.
@Courtneyful27
@campmatt 1932 I'm pretty sure!