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.
On The Sunny Side Of The Street
Les Paul & Mary Ford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I had nothing but shadows
Then one morning you passed
And I brightened at last
Now I greet the day and complete the day
With the sun in my heart
All my worry blew away
When you taught me how to say
Grab your coat and get your hat
Leave your worry on the doorstep
Just direct your feet
To the sunny side of the street
Can't you hear a pitter-pat?
And that happy tune is your step
Life can be so sweet
On the sunny side of the street
I used to walk in the shade
With those blues on parade
But I'm not afraid
This Rover crossed over
If I never have a cent
I'd be rich as Rockefeller
Gold dust at my feet
On the sunny side of the street
Grab your street
The lyrics of Les Paul & Mary Ford's "On The Sunny Side Of The Street" express the emotional transformation of the singer. The song begins with the acknowledgment of a period of negative experiences, a life without joy and companionship, symbolized by shadows. However, everything changes when the singer meets someone who helps them see the bright side of life. The presence of this person becomes a significant source of happiness that fills their heart with sunlight. The singer no longer worries, and they embrace the day with open arms.
The chorus encourages listeners to let go of all their worries, leave them behind, and focus on the positive things in life. This attitude leads to a feeling of lightheartedness, represented by the image of a little dance step that accompanies the lyrics. The song's message is to remain upbeat, no matter the situation, to find joy, and celebrate life.
Line by Line Meaning
Walked with no one and talked with no one
I had no friends or confidants and I kept to myself.
And I had nothing but shadows
My life was empty and bleak, filled with darkness and despair.
Then one morning you passed
You came into my life unexpectedly.
And I brightened at last
You brought light into my life and I felt happy for the first time in a long time.
Now I greet the day and complete the day
I start and end each day with joy and positivity.
With the sun in my heart
My heart is filled with happiness and warmth because of you.
All my worry blew away
I no longer have any worries or fears thanks to you.
When you taught me how to say
You helped me find my voice and taught me to speak up for myself.
Grab your coat and get your hat
Get ready to go outside and enjoy the day.
Leave your worry on the doorstep
Don't bring your problems with you, leave them behind.
Just direct your feet
Keep walking in the direction of happiness and positivity.
To the sunny side of the street
Go towards the side of life that is bright and optimistic.
Can't you hear a pitter-pat?
Listen to your heart beating with excitement and joy.
And that happy tune is your step
Your footsteps are light and happy because you're feeling good.
Life can be so sweet
Life is beautiful and enjoyable when you have a positive attitude.
On the sunny side of the street
The optimistic side of life is where you want to be.
I used to walk in the shade
I existed in darkness and misery.
With those blues on parade
I was constantly sad and depressed.
But I'm not afraid
Now I have hope and confidence in my future.
This Rover crossed over
I have moved from darkness to light, from sadness to happiness.
If I never have a cent
Even if I am not wealthy,
I'd be rich as Rockefeller
I feel like I have everything because of you.
Gold dust at my feet
I am surrounded by abundance and positivity.
On the sunny side of the street
I am living in peace and contentment because of my outlook on life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind