Some of her best known hits are "It's So Peaceful in the Country", "Trust In Me", "Where Are You", "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart", "Small Fry", "Please Be Kind", "Darn That Dream", "Rockin' Chair", "Blame It On My Last Affair", and "Says My Heart".
Born Mildred Rinker in Tekoa, Washington, her mother, Josephine, was an enrolled member of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and a devout Roman Catholic. Her father, Charles, played fiddle and called square dances. Her mother played piano every evening after supper and taught Mildred to play and sing. Her brothers were the vocalist and composer Al Rinker, and the lyricist Charles Rinker.
[edit]Career
At the age of seventeen, Bailey moved to Seattle and worked as a sheet music demonstrator at Woolworth's. She married and divorced Ted Bailey, keeping his last name because she thought it sounded more American than Rinker.[3] With the help of her second husband, Benny Stafford, she became an established blues and jazz singer on the West Coast. According to Gary Giddins' book Bing Crosby – A Pocketful of Dreams – The Early Years 1903-1940, in 1925 she secured work for her brother, Al Rinker, and his partner Bing Crosby. Giddins further states that Crosby first heard of Louis Armstrong and other Chicago black jazz records from Bailey's own record collection. Crosby helped Bailey in turn by introducing her to Paul Whiteman. She sang with Paul Whiteman's band from 1929 to 1933 (Whiteman had a popular radio program and when Bailey debuted with her version of "Moaning Low" in 1929, public reaction was immediate, although she did not start recording with Whiteman until late 1931).
Her first two records were as uncredited vocalist for an Eddie Lang Orchestra session in 1929 ("What Kind O' Man Is You?", an obscure Hoagy Carmichael song that was only issued in the UK) and a 1930 recording of "I Like To Do Things For You" for Frankie Trumbauer. She was Whiteman's popular female vocalist through 1932 (recording in a smooth crooning style), when she left the band due to salary disagreements. She then recorded a series of records for Brunswick in 1933 (accompanied by The Dorsey Brothers), as well an all-star session with Benny Goodman's studio band in 1934 that featured Coleman Hawkins.
In the mid-1930s, she recorded with her third husband Red Norvo. A dynamic couple, they earned the nicknames "Mr. and Mrs. Swing". During this period (1936–1939) Norvo recorded for Brunswick (with Bailey as primary vocalist) and Bailey recorded her own set of recordings for Vocalion, often with Norvo's band. Some of her recordings instead featured members of Count Basie's band. Despite her divorce from Norvo, she and Red would continue to record together until 1945. Suffering from diabetes and depression (during her adult life Bailey was overweight), she only made a few recordings following World War II.
Mildred Bailey died December 12, 1951, in Poughkeepsie, New York, of heart failure, aged 44, chiefly due to her diabetes. Her ashes were scattered. Red Norvo outlived Bailey by nearly half a century, dying in April 1999, a week after his 91st birthday.
The Man I Love
Mildred Bailey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The man I love
And he'll be big and strong
The man I love
And when he comes my way
I'll do my best
To make him stay
I'll understand
And in a little while
He'll take my hand
And though it seems absurd
I know we both
Won't say a word
Maybe
I shall meet him Sunday
Maybe Monday, maybe not
Still I'm sure
To meet him one day
Maybe Tuesday
Will be my good news day
He'll build a little home
Just meant for two
From which I'd never roam
Who would, would you?
And so all else above
I'm waiting
For the man I love
The song "The Man I Love" by Mildred Bailey is a touching and emotional piece that talks about a woman's longing for a man she has not yet met. The song describes the man she hopes to find as someone who is "big and strong" and the chorus repeats "the man I love" in a longing tone. She anticipates that she will meet this man someday and will do her best to make him stay once she does. When they finally meet, she believes that they will understand each other just by looking and not have to say a word. The song also touches on the idea that she will build a life with him and never want to leave his side.
The lyrics of this song evoke a strong sense of longing for companionship and love that many can relate to. The portrayal of the man as someone who is big and strong conveys a sense of protection and security that is important to the singer. The repetition of "the man I love" adds to the emotional weight of the song, highlighting the deep yearning for a connection with another person.
Overall, "The Man I Love" is a beautiful and poignant song that expresses the desire for love and connection. It illustrates the importance of companionship and the joy that can come from building a life with someone you love.
Line by Line Meaning
Someday he'll come along
I have hope that one day, the perfect man for me will cross paths with me.
The man I love
I am seeking a romantic partner who I love and who loves me back.
And he'll be big and strong
I desire a man who exudes physical strength and is capable of taking care of me.
And when he comes my way
When I finally meet this man, I will be ready to receive him with open arms.
I'll do my best
I will put in my best effort to keep him interested and make him want to stay with me.
To make him stay
It is important to me that the man I love stays with me.
He'll look at me and smile
I want a connection with a man where we can share silent moments and communicate with our eyes.
I'll understand
I know that when he smiles at me, we will have a deep understanding of each other's feelings.
And in a little while
After we share a moment of mutual understanding, he will take action in pursuing a relationship.
He'll take my hand
He will make a physical gesture of affection, comforting and reassuring me of his intentions.
And though it seems absurd
To others, our love may seem unconventional or strange, but to us it is perfect.
I know we both
Our connection is so strong that we are in sync with each other's thoughts and feelings.
Won't say a word
Our bond transcends mere words, and we can communicate without speaking.
Maybe
There is a chance that I will meet this man soon, but I am willing to wait for him.
I shall meet him Sunday
I hope to find the man I love on a Sunday, but I know that timing is beyond my control.
Maybe Monday, maybe not
Meeting him on a specific day of the week is not as important as actually finding him.
Still I'm sure
Despite the uncertainty, I am confident that I will eventually find the man I love.
To meet him one day
My heart longs to meet the perfect man for me, and I believe that day will come.
Maybe Tuesday
I might stumble upon him on a Tuesday, but that is not something I can predict.
Will be my good news day
Whenever we meet, it will be the happiest day of my life.
He'll build a little home
I envision a future where I am sharing a small, intimate space with the man I love.
Just meant for two
Our home will be a private sanctuary, meant only for us to share.
From which I'd never roam
Our love and home will be enough for me, and I will never feel the need to look elsewhere.
Who would, would you?
I cannot imagine why anyone would want to leave a love like this.
And so all else above
No matter what else happens in life, being with the man I love will be my top priority.
I'm waiting
I am patiently waiting for the day I meet the man I love.
For the man I love
He is the one I am waiting for, the man who will make all of my dreams come true.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind