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.
Stumbling
Les Paul & Mary Ford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is one on me
Took my gal to a dance
At the armory
Music played, dancers swayed
Then we joined the crowd
I can't dance, took a chance
And right then we started
Stumbling all around, stumbling all around
Stumbling all around so funny
Stumbling here and there, stumbling everywhere
And I must declare, I stepped right on her toes
And when she bumped my nose
I fell and when I rose
I felt ashamed and told her
That's the latest step, that's the latest step
That's the latest step, my honey
Notice all the pep, notice all the pep, notice all the pep
She said, "Stop mumbling, tho you are stumbling
I like it just a little bit, just a little bit, quite a little bit"
Young and small short and tall
Folks most everywhere
Take a chance do this dance
They think it's a bear
People rave and they crave
Just to do this step
Off they go, nice and slow
When the band starts playing
Stumbling all around, stumbling all around
Stumbling all around so funny
Stumbling here and there, stumbling everywhere
And I must declare, I stepped right on her toes
And when she bumped my nose
I fell and when I rose
I felt ashamed and told her
That's the latest step, that's the latest step
That's the latest step, my honey
Notice all the pep, notice all the pep, notice all the pep
She said, "Stop mumbling, tho you are stumbling
I like it just a little bit, just a little bit, quite a little bit"
The song "Stumbling" by Les Paul and Mary Ford is a lighthearted tune about a couple who attend a dance and try their best to dance, but end up stumbling and making a fool of themselves. The lyrics are filled with playful and comical descriptions of their awkward moves, and the woman's response is supportive and encouraging despite their missteps. The chorus repeats the phrase "stumbling all around" with different variations, emphasizing the stumbling nature of their dance. The couple is determined to enjoy themselves and not take things too seriously, even if they don't quite know what they're doing.
One possible interpretation of the song is that it celebrates the joy of dancing, even if you're not particularly skilled at it. The couple in the song may not be the most graceful or coordinated, but they're having fun and enjoying each other's company. Their stumbling becomes an endearing and endearing quality, rather than a flaw or a source of embarrassment. The song encourages listeners to let loose and embrace their imperfections, rather than worrying about looking perfect or avoiding mistakes.
Another possible interpretation is that the song is a commentary on the social pressures to conform and fit in. The couple in the song may feel out of place at the dance, or worry that they're not doing the dance "right." However, their stumbling becomes a unique and memorable feature, setting them apart from others and making them stand out. The song celebrates individuality and authenticity, rather than conformity or adherence to social norms.
Overall, "Stumbling" is a cheerful and upbeat song that celebrates the fun and spontaneity of dancing, while also encouraging listeners to embrace their quirks and imperfections.
Line by Line Meaning
Tention folks, speak of jokes
Attention everyone, I have a humorous story to tell
This is one on me
The joke is at my expense
Took my gal to a dance
I brought my girlfriend to a social event
At the armory
The location of the dance
Music played, dancers swayed
The band started playing and the dancers began to move
Then we joined the crowd
We began dancing along with everyone else
I can't dance, took a chance
I am not a skilled dancer, but I tried anyway
And right then we started
We began dancing together
Stumbling all around, stumbling all around
We were clumsily moving around
Stumbling all around so funny
Our awkward movements were amusing
Stumbling here and there, stumbling everywhere
We were tripping and bumping into things throughout the dance floor
And I must declare, I stepped right on her toes
I accidentally stepped on my girlfriend's foot
And when she bumped my nose
My girlfriend accidentally elbowed me in the face
I fell and when I rose
I stumbled and fell, but got back up
I felt ashamed and told her
I was embarrassed and apologized to my girlfriend
That's the latest step, that's the latest step
I tried to play it off as a new dance move
My honey
A term of endearment for my girlfriend
Notice all the pep, notice all the pep, notice all the pep
I tried to distract her from my poor dancing with my enthusiasm
She said, 'Stop mumbling, tho you are stumbling
My girlfriend noticed my nervousness and asked me to calm down
I like it just a little bit, just a little bit, quite a little bit'
My girlfriend appreciated my effort, but also found it entertaining
Young and small short and tall
Regardless of age, height or size
Folks most everywhere
Everyone loves to dance
Take a chance do this dance
Give this dance a try
They think it's a bear
They believe it's difficult
People rave and they crave
People talk enthusiastically about this dance
Just to do this step
To simply perform this dance move
Off they go, nice and slow
They start dancing at a leisurely pace
When the band starts playing
As soon as the music begins
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EDWARD E CONFREY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind