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.
They Can't Take That Away from Me
Mildred Bailey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Though by tomorrow you're gone
The song is ended, but as the songwriter wrote,
The melody lingers on.
They may take you from me, I'll miss your fond caress.
But though they take you from me, I'll still possess.
The way you wear your hat
The memory of all that
No, no, they can't take that away from me
The way your smile just beams
The way you sing off key
The way you haunt my dreams
No, no, they can't take that away from me
We may never, never meet again
On the bumpy road to love
Still, I'll always, always keep the memory of
The way you hold your knife
The way we danced till three
The way you changed my life
No, no, they can't take that away from me
No, they can't take that away from me
We may never, never meet again
On the bumpy road to love
Still, I'll always, always keep the memory of
The way you hold your knife
The way we danced till three
The way you changed my life
No, no, they can't take that away from me
No, they can't take that away
Can't take that away
Can't take that away from me
The lyrics of Mildred Bailey's song 'They Can't Take That Away From Me' speak about the everlasting nature of memories and how love, no matter how fleeting, can leave a permanent mark on one's heart. Mildred sings that although her romance with her lover may end soon and they may be separated, the memories they have shared will always stay with her. She talks about the things that she loves about her lover, such as the way he wears his hat, the way he sips his tea, the way he smiles, and even the way he holds his knife. These memories are so significant that no one can take them away from her, not even time or distance.
In the lines "We may never, never meet again on the bumpy road to love", Mildred accepts the possibility that their love story may never continue, but she will always cherish the shared moments and memories they created together. In essence, the song is a tribute to the enduring power of memories and the profound impact they have on one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Our romance won't end on a sorrowful note,
Even if our time together ends soon, our love will still have been special and meaningful.
Though by tomorrow you're gone
Although we may have to part ways soon.
The song is ended, but as the songwriter wrote,
The romance may be over, but the memories will last forever, like a song does.
The melody lingers on.
The memories of our love will continue to resonate and stay with me.
They may take you from me, I'll miss your fond caress.
If circumstances force us apart, I will miss your touch and affection.
But though they take you from me, I'll still possess.
Even if you are far away, I will still feel the love and connection we shared.
The way you wear your hat
I remember how you used to wear your hat.
The way you sip your tea
I remember how you used to drink your tea.
The memory of all that
The memories of those small, intimate moments we shared.
No, no, they can't take that away from me
No matter what happens, those cherished memories will always be mine to keep.
The way your smile just beams
I remember how bright and beautiful your smile was.
The way you sing off key
I remember how endearing it was when you sang out of tune.
The way you haunt my dreams
I still think of you often and dream of our time together.
We may never, never meet again
There is a chance that we may never see each other again.
On the bumpy road to love
Our journey together was not always easy, but it was worth it.
Still, I'll always, always keep the memory of
Despite the difficulties, I will always remember our time together fondly.
The way you hold your knife
I remember the small, specific things about you, like the way you held a knife.
The way we danced till three
I remember how much fun we had together, even staying up late to dance.
The way you changed my life
You have had a profound impact on my life, and I will always be grateful for that.
No, they can't take that away from me
No one can ever take away the memories and feelings I have for you.
No, no, they can't take that away
Even if I am forced to give up many things in life, no one can take away the love and memories I have for you.
Can't take that away from me
Those memories will always be a part of who I am and shape my future.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Walsh
What a classy performance a beautiful voice on a classic song. What else could anyone want. Still amazingly good after all those years. Simply brilliant
Steven Torrey
She had such a simple voice, that was her charm and accomplishment!
dukesgal39
What a treat!!! Gershwin song, Mildred Bailey with the vocal, and great backup! It doesn't get much better than this! Thanks for a great post!
myrnaukelele
I once had an old Rambler named Mildred ~after Mildred Bailey. She was a fabulous singer and I still love listening to her lovely voice.
orchardist1965
The absolute test of a great singer is when you sing along with them they make you sound much better than you actually are,and Mildred Bailey certainly passes this test. Thank you.
Elijah.
I'm 17 and this is beautiful ❤
Leah Olson
I’m 12 and this is beautiful🥺
Elijah.
I love jazz ❤
Miss Lemon
there's something about mildred's music that i can't find with anyone else
Wesley Satterfield
I've known her music for decades but knew nothing about her until the PBS program about Indian music and performers. She grew up in the Coeur d'Alene reservation in Idaho. I'm glad to know that!