Donaldson attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro in the early 1940s. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was trained at the Great Lakes bases in Chicago, where he was introduced to bop music in the lively club scene there. At the war's conclusion, he returned to Greensboro, where he worked club dates with the Rhythm Vets, a combo composed of A and T students who had served in the U.S. Navy. The band recorded the soundtrack to a musical comedy featurette, "Pitch a Boogie Woogie," in Greenville, North Carolina, in the summer of 1947. The movie had a limited run at black audience theatres in 1948 but its production company, Lord-Warner Pictures, folded and never made another film. "Pitch a Boogie Woogie" was subsequently restored by the American Film Institute in 1985 and re-premiered on the campus of East Carolina University in Greenville the following year. Donaldson and the surviving members of the Vets performed a reunion concert after the film's showing. In the documentary made on "Pitch" by UNC-TV, "Boogie in Black and White", Donaldson and his musical cohorts recall the film's making—he originally believed that he had played clarinet on the soundtrack. A short piece of concert footage from a gig in Fayetteville, North Carolina, is included in the documentary.
Donaldson's first jazz recordings were with the Charlie Singleton Orchestra in 1950 and then with bop emissaries Milt Jackson and Thelonious Monk in 1952, and he participated in several small groups with other jazz luminaries such as trumpeter Blue Mitchell, pianist Horace Silver and drummer Art Blakey.
In 1953, he also recorded sessions with the trumpet virtuoso Clifford Brown, and Philly Joe Jones.
He was a member of Art Blakey's Quintet and appeared on some of their best regarded albums, including the two albums recorded at Birdland in February 1954 Night at Birdland.
Donaldson has recorded in the bop, hard bop, and soul jazz genres. For many years his pianist was Herman Foster.
He was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame on October 11, 2012.
That's All
Lou Donaldson Lyrics
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And the promise to be near each time you call,
And the only heart I own is yours and yours alone, that's all, that's all.
I can only give you country walks in springtime,
And a hand to hold when leaves begin to fall,
And a love whose burning light to warm the winter night, that's all, that's all.
There are those I am sure who have told you,
They will give you the world for a toy.
If you're wond'ring what I'm asking in return, dear,
You'll be glad to know that my demands are small.
Say it's me that you'll adore for now and ever more, that's all, that's all.
The lyrics to Lou Donaldson's song "That's All" convey a sense of simplicity and sincerity in love that lasts forever. The lyrics are a declaration of love that aims to reiterate the fact that relationships do not always have to be about grand gestures and material possessions. The singer makes promises of being present every time the person calls, of being dependable and steadfast in their love for them. The lyrics speak of finding joy in the simple things, such as taking leisurely walks in the countryside, holding hands while walking surrounded by autumn leaves or simply enjoying a warm fire on a cold winter night.
In the second verse, the singer acknowledges that other people may have promised extravagant gifts and material possessions, but all they want is to hold the person they love and have that love reciprocated. They don't want the materialistic things that others may offer, all they want is a steady love that will stand the test of time. The singer acknowledges that their demands are small, but they ask that the person they love adores them for now and forever more.
Overall, the lyrics of "That's All" paint a picture of a simple, genuine love, in which the singer promises to love the person for all eternity, offering only their heart and simple pleasures in life.
Line by Line Meaning
I can only give you love that lasts forever,
I have only one thing to give you, and that is my love that will never fade away.
And the promise to be near each time you call,
I promise to be there for you whenever you need me, regardless of anything else.
And the only heart I own is yours and yours alone, that's all, that's all.
You have full and exclusive ownership over my heart, and it belongs to you alone.
I can only give you country walks in springtime,
I can offer you simple pleasures like walking through the countryside in the season of rebirth and renewal.
And a hand to hold when leaves begin to fall,
When the symbols of growth and life begin to fade away and wither, I'll be there to hold your hand and support you.
And a love whose burning light to warm the winter night, that's all, that's all.
My love is strong and passionate enough to comfort and protect you even during the darkest and coldest times of the year.
There are those I am sure who have told you,
I am aware that other people may have made grandiose offers and promises to you before.
They will give you the world for a toy.
Perhaps they bragged that they could offer you everything you could ever want for a mere trinket, but I do not subscribe to that materialistic mindset.
All I ask for these arms to enfold you, and a love, time can never destroy.
All that I desire is to embrace you and provide you with a love that cannot be eroded or inhibited by the passage of time.
If you're wond'ring what I'm asking in return, dear,
In case you are curious about what I expect from you in exchange for my commitment.
You'll be glad to know that my demands are small.
I do not need or want much from you, I am quite happy with the essentials.
Say it's me that you'll adore for now and ever more, that's all, that's all.
The only thing I ask from you is that you love, cherish, and worship me forever, until the end of time. That's all I need, and that's all I want.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ROBIN SPIELBERG, BOB HAYMES, ALAN BRANDT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind