As a vocalist, Maxine Sullivan was active for half a century, from the mid-1930s to just before her death in 1987. She is best known for her 1937 recording of a swing version of the Scottish folk song "Loch Lomond". Throughout her career, Sullivan also appeared as a performer on film as well as on stage. A precursor to better-known later vocalists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughan, Maxine Sullivan is considered one of the best jazz vocalists of the 1930s.
Maxine Sullivan was born in Homestead, Pennsylvania in 1911. Sullivan began her music career singing in her uncle's band, The Red Hot Peppers, in her native Pennsylvania, in which she occasionally played the flugelhorn and the valve trombone, in addition to singing. In the mid-1930s she was discovered by Gladys Mosier (then working in Ina Rae Hutton's big band). Mosier introduced her to Claude Thornhill, which led to her first recordings made in June of 1937. Shorty thereafter, Sullivan became a featured vocalist at the Onyx Club in New York. During this period, she began forming a professional and close personal relationship with bassist John Kirby, to whom she was married from 1938 to 1941.
Early sessions with Kirby in 1937 yielded a hit recording of a swing version of the Scottish folk song "Loch Lomond" featuring Sullivan on vocals. This early success "branded" Sullivan's style, leading her to sing similar swing arrangements of traditional folk tunes mostly arranged by pianist Claude Thornhill, such as "Darling Nellie Gray", "I Dream of Jeanie", "Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes", and "If I Had a Ribbon Bow". Her early popularity also led to a brief appearance in the movie Going Places opposite Louis Armstrong. In 1940, Sullivan and Kirby were featured on the radio program Flow Gently Sweet Rhythm, making them the first black jazz stars to have their own weekly radio series. From 1940-1942, Sullivan often performed with her husband Kirby's sextet. During the 1940s Sullivan then performed with a wide range of bands, including those of Teddy Wilson, Benny Carter, and Jimmie Lunceford. Sullivan also performed at many of New York's hottest jazz spots such as the Ruban Bleu, the Village Vanguard, the Blue Angel, and the Penthouse.
In 1956, Sullivan shifted away from her earlier style and recorded the album A Tribute to Andy Razaf. Originally on the Period record label, A Tribute to Andy Razaf featured Sullivan's interpretations of a dozen tunes featuring the lyrics of the poet and lyricist Andy Razaf. The album also highlighted the music of Fats Waller, including versions of "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now", "How Can you Face Me?", "My Fate is in Your Hands", "Honeysuckle Rose", "Ain't Misbehavin'", and "Blue Turning Grey Over You". Sullivan was joined by a sextet that was reminiscent of John Kirby's group of 15 years prior, including trumpeter Charlie Shavers and clarinetist Buster Bailey. In 1953 Sullivan starred in the play, Take a Giant Step.
From 1958 to 1966, Sullivan began working as a nurse and raising her children, which largely consumed most of her time. Her music career did not reassert itself until 1966, when she began performing in jazz festivals alongside her new husband, Cliff Jackson, who can be heard on the 1966 live recording of Sullivan's performance at the Manassas Jazz Festival.
Sullivan continued to perform throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and produced an output of recordings during the 1980s despite being over 70 years old. She was nominated for the 1979 Tony Award for Featured Actress in a Musical for her role in My Old Friends. She participated in a documentary film portrait, Maxine Sullivan: Love to Be in Love, shortly before her death.
Maxine Sullivan died in 1987 in New York. She was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1998.
The Very Thought of You
Maxine Sullivan Lyrics
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And I forget to do
The little ordinary things that everyone ought to do
I'm living in a kind of daydream
I'm happy as a king
And foolish though it may seem
To me that's everything
The mere idea of you
You'll never know how slow the moments go
Till I'm near to you
I see your face in every flower
Your eyes in stars above
It's just the thought of you
The very thought of you
My love
The lyrics to Maxine Sullivan's song "The Very Thought Of You" express the profound impact that a person can have on one's life. The song is about the overwhelming effect that someone can have on the singer, to the point where they forget to do the little things in their daily routine. The mere thought of this person elicits such strong emotions that the singer feels like they are living in a daydream. This person becomes the singer's everything, and the very idea of them brings a sense of happiness and contentment that the singer cannot find anywhere else.
The song's preoccupation with the power of feelings is further accentuated by the chorus, where the singer states that the longing for this person consumes them and how slow time seems to go until they are with them. The singer's infatuation reaches a level where they begin to see this person in everything, from flowers to stars. For the singer, even the mere thought of this person is enough to invoke the strongest feelings of love and devotion.
In conclusion, "The Very Thought Of You" is a powerful love song that captures the intensity of infatuation and longing that can arise between two people. Through its lyrics, the song highlights the profound effect that love can have, as well as the joy and contentment that it can bring.
Line by Line Meaning
The very thought of you
The mere idea of you takes over my mind and emotions completely.
And I forget to do
I am so consumed by thoughts of you that I forget to perform basic everyday activities.
The little ordinary things that everyone ought to do
Routine tasks that are expected of everyone become unimportant due to the overwhelming presence of thoughts of you.
I'm living in a kind of daydream
My mind is filled with visions and fantasies of you, as if I am in a dream-like state.
I'm happy as a king
The joy that your very thought brings me exceeds any material wealth or superficial status.
And foolish though it may seem
Others may view my obsession with thoughts of you as silly or irrational.
To me that's everything
Despite outside opinions, thoughts of you are the most important thing to me.
The longing here for you
My desire and yearning for you is immense and all-consuming.
You'll never know how slow the moments go
Life without you feels painfully slow and uneventful.
Till I'm near to you
The only solace is being in your presence and feeling your love.
I see your face in every flower
Every aspect of nature reminds me of you and invokes strong memories and emotions.
Your eyes in stars above
Even the celestial sky reminds me of your beauty and allure.
It's just the thought of you
The mere idea of you has the power to consume my thoughts and emotions completely.
The very thought of you
You are all-encompassing in my mind and heart.
My love
You are the object of my affection and devotion.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ray Noble
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
zerblis
She really was the queen!! A great voice even late in life. I miss her.
ramon alfredo Rebai
no puedo parar de escucharla que voz hermosa
baddbuoy1
Maxine has a unique and wonderful voice. She does an outstanding job on this song BRAVO
george wittner
This is so perfect I wish I was there for the recording session
rillloudmother
any idea what year this was recorded?
Peter Miller
Maxine: most charming delivery and great legacy with an impeccable repertoire! Unforgettable! One of the greats and major Classic American singers!
Kirk Barkley
So pure, so wonderful!
stars2luv
Thank you for the video. I just got to know Maxine's voice, and it's wonderful.
S Bingham
I just cannot believe that I have not known of this tremendous vocal artist until today. I heard her mentioned by another great vocalist, Rebecca Kilgore - again, I realize there are so many underrated and unknown greats out there -- thanks for this post.
rropo1
Fantastic and what a great backing band! Who was the saxophonist? Super stuff! Are there any singers out there today to match this lady? NO! NO!