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.
It's Been a Long Long Time
Les Paul & Mary Ford Lyrics
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Then kiss me once again
It's been a long, long time
Haven't felt like this, my dear
Since I can't remember when
It's been a long, long time
You'll never know how many dreams
Or just how empty they all seemed without you
So kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long, long time
Ah, kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long time
Haven't felt like this, my dear
Since I can't remember when
It's been a long, long time
You'll never know how many dreams
I dreamed about you
Or just how empty they all seemed without you
So kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long, long time
Long, long time
The lyrics to Les Paul & Mary Ford's song "It's Been a Long Long Time" express the overwhelming emotions of a person reunited with a lover after a long separation. The song begins with the singer asking for multiple kisses, indicating that they have deeply missed their lover's affection. The phrase "It's been a long, long time" is repeated frequently, emphasising the long separation between the two lovers. The singer then acknowledges that they haven't felt this way in a long time, indicating that their feelings for their lover are stronger than ever before. They reveal that they have been dreaming about their lover during their absence, and the absence has left them feeling empty. The song ends with the singer requesting more kisses, conveying their unwillingness to part from their lover.
The lyrics showcase the profound impact of separation on lovers and how it can deepen their bond. It also highlights the importance of physical intimacy in relationships, and how it can help bridge the gap between two individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
Kiss me once, then kiss me twice
I want you to show your affection for me multiple times.
Then kiss me once again
I want you to kiss me once more and feel my love.
It's been a long, long time
It's been a really long time since I felt this way about you.
Haven't felt like this, my dear
I haven't felt this much love for you before, my love.
Since I can't remember when
I can't even remember the last time I felt such strong emotions.
You'll never know how many dreams
You cannot understand how many dreams I had of you.
I dreamed about you
I often thought about you and imagined what it would be like to be with you.
Or just how empty they all seemed without you
Those dreams felt empty because you were not there with me.
So kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Please show me your love and kiss me multiple times.
Then kiss me once again
Kiss me once more and make me feel your love.
It's been a long, long time
It's been such a long time since I last felt your love.
Long, long time
It's been a really long time.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind