Les Paul (Lester William Polsfuss, June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009) and Mary Ford (Iris Colleen Summers, July 7, 1924 – September 30, 1977) were introduced to each other by Gene Autry in 1946 and married in 1949.
They first appeared in the pop charts in 1950. Between the years 1950 and 1954, Les Paul and Mary Ford had 16 top-ten hits. They had five top-ten hits within nine months. "Tennessee Waltz", "Mockin' Bird Hill", "How High the Moon" (#1 for nine weeks), "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise" and "Whispering". From August 1952 to March 1953 they had five more top-ten hits; "My Baby's Coming Home", "Lady of Spain", "Bye Bye Blues", "I'm Sitting on Top of the World" and "Vaya Con Dios" (#1 for 11 weeks). Their 1954 version of "I'm a Fool to Care" went to #6, and was featured in a memorable Southern Comfort commercial in 2013 that got over 1 million views on YouTube.
In 2009, they were inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
Les Paul and Mary Ford are famous for creating a makeshift recording studio in their garage. In their garage studio, they used multitrack recording to record many of their hits including ‘Lover’, ‘Nola’, ‘Brazil’ and ‘Whispering' with only the two of them.
YouTube has a large selection of clips from their syndicated TV show "Les Paul & Mary Ford At Home" (1954-'55).
Les Paul and Mary Ford divorced acrimoniously in December 1964, which also ended the collaboration between the two.
The duo have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Les Paul had hosted a 15-minute radio program, The Les Paul Show, on NBC in 1950, featuring his trio (himself, Ford, and rhythm player Eddie Stapleton) and his electronics, recorded from their home and with gentle humour between Paul and Ford bridging musical selections, some of which had already been successful on records, some of which anticipated the couple's recordings, and many of which presented dazzling re-interpretations of such jazz and pop selections as "In the Mood," "Little Rock Getaway," "Brazil," and "Tiger Rag." Several recordings of these shows survive among old-time radio collectors today.
The show also appeared on television a few years later with the same format, but excluding the trio and retitled The Les Paul & Mary Ford Show (aka Les Paul & Mary Ford At Home) with "Vaya Con Dios" as a theme song. Sponsored by Warner Lambert's Listerine, it was widely syndicated during 1954–55 and was only five minutes long (one or two songs) on film and therefore used as a brief interlude or fill-in on programming schedules. Since Les created the entire show himself, including audio and video, he maintained the original recordings and was in the process of restoring them to up-to-date quality at the time of his death.
Hummingbird
Les Paul & Mary Ford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too restless to settle too wild to tame
Too restless to settle too wild to tame
Hummingbird, hummingbird should be your name
Hummingbird, hummingbird winging along
No tender young blossom can hold you for long
No tender young blossom can hold you for long
You'd hug me and kiss me like others I've known
You'd promise to love me and call me your own
Then all of my dreams would be shattered apart
By the hum hum of your hummingbird heart
Hummingbird, hummingbird, feathered so fine
If I clipped your wings it would not make you mind
If I clipped your wings it would not make you mind
Hummingbird, hummingbird, feathered so fine
Hummingbird, hummingbird, fly right on by
Some folks like to gamble but darling not I
Some folks like to gamble but darling not I
Hummingbird, hummingbird, fly right on by
I'd rather be lonely, I'd rather be blue
Yes, I'd rather spend my whole life without you
Then feather a nest to be shattered apart
By the hum hum of your hummingbird heart
By the hum hum of your hummingbird heart
The lyrics to Les Paul and Mary Ford's song "Hummingbird" describe a restless and wild lover who cannot be tamed. The song compares this lover to a hummingbird, constantly in motion and fleeting in their affections. The singer of the song has been hurt by this kind of lover before and recognizes the pattern of promising love and then leaving. They ultimately decide that they would rather be alone than risk having their heart broken again.
The use of the hummingbird as a metaphor is creative and effective in painting a picture of this kind of lover. Hummingbirds are known for their speed and agility, flitting from flower to flower in search of nectar. They are also difficult to capture or hold onto, making them a fitting symbol for a lover who cannot be contained. The use of repetition in the lyrics, particularly in the chorus, further reinforces the idea of constant motion and restlessness.
Additionally, the lyrics touch on the idea of vulnerability and the fear of being hurt. The line "I'd rather spend my whole life without you" shows the singer's reluctance to risk being hurt again. This vulnerability is also present in the line "Then feather a nest to be shattered apart," suggesting that the singer fears being too invested in a relationship that they know will ultimately fail.
Overall, the lyrics to "Hummingbird" are poetic and insightful in their portrayal of a particular type of lover and the singer's response to them.
Line by Line Meaning
Hummingbird, hummingbird should be your name
You are too restless and wild to be named otherwise
Too restless to settle too wild to tame
You cannot be contained or controlled
Hummingbird, hummingbird winging along
You fly through life without pause or delay
No tender young blossom can hold you for long
No one can capture your heart for more than a moment
You'd hug me and kiss me like others I've known
You would show affection, just like past lovers
You'd promise to love me and call me your own
You would profess your love and make me feel special
Then all of my dreams would be shattered apart
But eventually, reality would set in and my dreams would be crushed
By the hum hum of your hummingbird heart
Because your love is fleeting, and you cannot be counted on
Hummingbird, hummingbird, feathered so fine
You are beautiful and delicate like a fine feather
If I clipped your wings it would not make you mind
Even if I tried to change you, you would still be who you are
Hummingbird, hummingbird, fly right on by
You will continue to move forward, without looking back
Some folks like to gamble but darling not I
Some enjoy taking risks, but I am not one of them
I'd rather be lonely, I'd rather be blue
I would rather be sad and alone, than be hurt by you
Then feather a nest to be shattered apart
I would rather not build a life with you, only to have it fall apart
By the hum hum of your hummingbird heart
Because your heart is fleeting, and love cannot be sustained
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Don Robertson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bobanderika1
This song is the poster child for music between 1950 -1955. “My favourite music period)
@BigBobber19
I still have this record form 1955...crackles and all. When I put it on I'm driving around in my '55 Ford convertible...wish I would have kept that too.
@CatLoverPA88
My Mother and I were talking across country tonight on the phone when she mentioned this was one of her and my Dad's favorite songs. She was having a rough night and missing him pretty bad. They were married in 1955 and she lost him in 2008. I played this for her only to make her cry but when it was over she said it had made her night. Thank you so much CatsPjamas1 for sharing this : )
@keithkimmeysr953
Thanks for sharing touched my heart
@1TBX69
my heart sings along
@ruthfeder7049
I LOVE LES PAUL AND MARY FORD!!!
@niallwalsh6598
Glorious, the equal of Frankie Laines version, which I've known for a long time, but it's the first time I've ever heard this version
@juliancolomasi9500
Hearing Les makes you think about how much he contributed to the music industry, a time ago I was listening to a Beatle's rehearsal audio on youtube, and they were atempting to do this same song, with Lennon singing i believe, was great to find.
@msattler111
I have long considered Les to be one of the greatest contributors to American music..........and I thought I had heard everything he recorded.
But, I must confess, I had not heard this song until today.
@CatsPjamas1
@Isrek1 I love hearing about your memories of these songs. Also, thanks for telling Nadir about my channel too!