In 1943, Torme made his movie debut in Frank Sinatra's first film, the musical "Higher and Higher." He went on to sing and act in a number of films and television episodes throughout his career, even hosting his own television show in 1951-52. His appearance in the 1947 film musical "Good News" made him a teen idol for a few years. In the last years of his career he toured and sang with the wonderful George Shearing Quartet, often sitting in at drums, for a number or two in a set. To hear two such accomplished jazz artists was an evening not to be forgotten.
In that year he also formed the vocal quintet "Mel Torme and His Mel-Tones," modeled after Frank Sinatra and the Pied Pipers. The Mel-Tones, which included Les Baxter and Ginny O'Connor, had several hits fronting Artie Shaw's band and on their own, including Cole Porter's "What is This Thing Called Love?" The Mel-Tones were among the first jazz-influenced vocal groups, blazing a path later followed by The Hi-Los, The Four Freshmen, and The Manhattan Transfer.
In 1947, Torme went solo. His singing at New York's Copacabana led a local DJ, Fred Robbins, to give him the nickname "The Velvet Fog", thinking to honor his high tenor and smooth vocal style, but Torme detested the nickname. As a solo singer, he recorded a number of romantic hits for Decca (1945), and with the Artie Shaw Orchestra on the Musicraft label (1946-48). In 1949, he moved to Capitol Records, where his first record, "Careless Hands," became his only number one hit. His versions of "Again" and "Blue Moon" became signature tunes. His composition "California Suite," prompted by the Gordon Jenkins's "Manhattan Tower," became Capitol's first 12 inch LP. Around this time, he helped pioneer cool jazz.
From 1955 to 1957, Torme recorded 7 jazz vocal albums with Red Clyde's Bethlehem Records, all with groups led by Marty Paich, most notably "Mel Torme with the Marty Paich Dektette." These recordings proved a creative peak for Torme and for Paich, a leading figure in the West coast jazz of the time.
When rock & roll music (which Torme called "three chord manure") came on the scene in the 1950s, commercial success became elusive. During the next two decades, Torme often recorded mediocre arrangements of the pop tunes of the day, never staying long with any particular label. He was sometimes forced to make his living by singing in obscure clubs. He had two minor hits, his 1956 recording of "Mountain Greenery," and his 1962 R&B song "Comin' Home, Baby," arranged by Claus Ogerman. The latter recording led the jazz and gospel singer Ethel Waters to say that "Torme is the only white man who sings with the soul of a black man." It was later covered instrumentally by Quincy Jones and Kai Winding.
In 1963–64, Torme wrote songs and musical arrangements for the The Judy Garland Show, and made two guest appearances on the show itself. A few years later, after Garland's death, his time with her show became the subject of his first book, "The Other Side of the Rainbow." Although the book was praised, it led to an unsuccessful lawsuit by Garland's family.
Torme continued to play jazz drums as an adult, and befriended drummer Buddy Rich, who became the subject of his book "Traps-The Drum Wonder-The Life of Buddy Rich." Torme also owned and played a drumset that renowned drummer Gene Krupa had used for many years.
Although a jazz and popular musician, Torme also respected classical music, especially that of Frederick Delius and Percy Grainger.
The resurgence of vocal jazz in the 1970s resulted in another artistically fertile period for Torme, whose live performances during the 1960s and 70s fueled a growing reputation as a jazz singer. He found himself performing as often as 200 times a year around the globe. In 1976, he won an Edison Award (the Dutch equivalent of the Grammy) for best male singer, and a Downbeat award for best male jazz singer. For a number of years around this time, his September appearances at Michael's Pub, on the Upper East Side would unofficially open New York's fall cabaret season.
Tormé viewed his 1977 Carnegie Hall concert with George Shearing and Gerry Mulligan as a turning point. Shearing later said:
"It is impossible to imagine a more compatible musical partner… I humbly put forth that Mel and I had the best musical marriage in many a year. We literally breathed together during our countless performances. As Mel put it, we were two bodies of one musical mind."
Starting in 1982, Torme recorded a number of albums with Concord Records, including:
* Five albums with pianist George Shearing;
* His big band work with Rob McConnell and his Boss Brass orchestra (see Mel Torme, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass);
* A reunion with Marty Paich, resulting in a live recording in Tokyo (In Concert Tokyo) and a studio album (Reunion).
In the 1980s, he often performed with pianist John Colianni. In the last years of his career he toured and sang with the wonderful George Shearing Quartet, often sitting in at drums, for a number or two in a set. To hear two such accomplished jazz artists was an evening not to be forgotten.
Torme made 9 guest appearances as himself on the 1980s sitcom Night Court whose main character, Judge Harry Stone (played by Harry Anderson), was depicted as an unabashed Tormé fan. In the mid-90s, Torme gained a following among Generation Xers by appearing in a series of Mountain Dew commercials and on an episode of the sitcom Seinfeld, in which he dedicates a song to the character Kramer (played by Michael Richards). Torme also recorded a version of Nat King Cole's "Straighten up and Fly Right" with his son, alternative/adult contemporary/jazz singer Steve March Torme.
In February 1999, Tormé was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. On August 8, 1996, a stroke abruptly ended his 65-year singing career; another stroke in 1999 ended his life. In his eulogistic essay, John Andrews wrote about Tormé: "Tormé's style shared much with that of his idol, Ella Fitzgerald. Both were firmly rooted in the foundation of the swing era, but both seemed able to incorporate bebop innovations to keep their performances sounding fresh and contemporary. Like Sinatra, they sang with perfect diction and brought out the emotional content of the lyrics through subtle alterations of phrasing and harmony. Ballads were characterized by paraphrasing of the original melody which always seemed tasteful, appropriate and respectful to the vision of the songwriter. Unlike Sinatra, both Fitzgerald and Tormé were likely to cut loose during a swinging up-tempo number with several scat choruses, using their voices without words to improvise a solo like a brass or reed instrument."
Tormé wrote more than 250 songs, a number of which became jazz standards. He also often wrote the arrangements for the songs he sang. He often collaborated with Bob Wells, and the best known Tormé-Wells song is "The Christmas Song", often referred to by its opening line "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire." First recorded by Nat King Cole in 1946, it has been a holiday favorite ever since. Tormé said that he wrote the music to the song in only 40 minutes, and that it was not one of his personal favorites.
Every Day's a Holiday
Mel Tormé Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Loved him by Tuesday afternoon
Woke up on Friday
Changed my whole life to make some room
Around a quarter to two
I have remembered all of my lines
I say when I think of you
You're like a favorite song to
That melody, that melody I love
And it goes
La da da da da da da da da da
La da da da da
La da da da da
La da da da
Hopped on the Metro
And I'm on my way home
But I can't get him out of my mind
No matter just how hard I try
And if the rumors were true
I could look forward to some
Better days and get aways
Are so nice 'cause when I am with you
You're the cresendo to that melody, that melody I love
La da da da da da da da da da
Better days and get aways
'Cause every day is a holiday with you
La da da da da..
Better days and get aways
'Cause every day is a holiday with you
Gotta let them know
Gotta know for sure
Dont leave me I'm in the cold
Gotta know for sure
La la la la
When I think of you
Better days and get aways
'Cause every day is a holida with you
La da da da da da da da da da
Better days and get aways
'Cause every day is a holiday with you
La da da da da
The lyrics of Mel Torme's "Ev'ry Day's a Holiday" describe the intoxicating feeling of falling in love and the overwhelming desire to be with someone constantly. The singer meets their love interest on a Sunday and by Tuesday afternoon, they're already in love. By Friday, they've changed their whole life to make room for this new love. The lyrics compare the feeling of being with this person to listening to a favorite song, a melody that they love, and the chorus repeats the phrase "Better days and getaways, 'cause every day is a holiday with you." The singer can't even get this person out of their mind on their way home from seeing them.
The second verse brings up rumors that things might get better with this person, and the singer feels like they're in a state of bliss when they're with them. They describe being in the "crescendo" of that beloved melody when they're together. The final repetition of the chorus brings in a plea to not be left in the cold and a final declaration that every day is a holiday with this person.
The song portrays the overwhelming feeling of love and the desire to spend every moment with that person. The lyrics imply that everything else fades away when you're with the person you love, and it feels like a perpetual holiday.
Line by Line Meaning
Met him on Sunday
I first met him on a Sunday
Loved him by Tuesday afternoon
I fell in love with him by Tuesday afternoon
Woke up on Friday
By Friday I had a realization
Changed my whole life to make some room
I had to make some major changes to my life to accommodate him
Around a quarter to two
It was around 1:45 PM
I have remembered all of my lines
I have rehearsed what to say to him repeatedly
I say when I think of you
The words I rehearsed to say when I think of him
You're like a favorite song to
You are like a beloved melody
That melody, that melody I love
I really love that melody
And it goes
And it continues
La da da da da da da da da da
Repetition of nonsensical but catchy sounds
Hopped on the Metro
I got on the subway train
And I'm on my way home
I'm heading back to where I live
But I can't get him out of my mind
I'm unable to stop thinking about him
No matter just how hard I try
Despite my best efforts
And if the rumors were true
Assuming the rumors I heard are correct
I could look forward to some
I might get the opportunity to enjoy some
Better days and get aways
Good times spent with each other away from our usual routine
Are so nice 'cause when I am with you
It's wonderful because when we're together
You're the cresendo to that melody, that melody I love
You're like the glorious peak of that beloved melody
La da da da da da da da da da
Repetition of nonsensical but catchy sounds
Gotta let them know
I have to make sure they understand
Gotta know for sure
I need to be absolutely certain
Dont leave me I'm in the cold
Don't abandon me when I need you the most
When I think of you
Whenever you come to mind
La la la la
Repetition of nonsensical but catchy sounds
Better days and get aways
Good times spent with each other away from our usual routine
'Cause every day is a holiday with you
Every day feels like a celebration when I'm with you
La da da da da
Repetition of nonsensical but catchy sounds
La da da da da
Repetition of nonsensical but catchy sounds
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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