Allison learned piano in grammar school, followed by trumpet in high school. He went to college at the University of Mississippi and Louisiana State University. He received a BA in English with a minor in Philosophy. After serving in the U.S. Army, he moved to New York City and launched his music career.
Allison's first exposure to blues on record was through Louis Jordan recordings, including "Outskirts of Town" and "Pinetop Blues." Allison credits Jordan as being a major influence on him, and also credits Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller. He started out on trumpet but later switched to piano. In his youth, he had easy access, via the radio, to the music of Pete Johnson , Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis . Allison also credits the songwriter Percy Mayfield , "The Poet Laureate of the Blues," as being a major inspiration on his songwriting.
After a stint in college and the Army, Allison's first professional gig was in Lake Charles, LA, in 1950. He returned to college to finish up at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, where he studied English and Philosophy, a far cry from his initial path as a chemical engineering major.
Allison began his recording career with the Prestige label in 1956, shortly after he moved to New York City. He recorded an album with Al Cohn and Bobby Brookmeyer , and then in 1957 got his own record contract. A big break was the opportunity to play with Cohn and Zoot Sims shortly after his arrival in New York, but he later became more well known after playing with saxophonist Stan Getz. After leaving Prestige Records, where he recorded now classic albums like Back Country Suite (1957), Young Man Mose (1958), and Seventh Son (1958-59), he moved to Columbia for two years before meeting up with Nesuhi Ertegun of Atlantic Records. He recalled that he signed his contract with Atlantic after about ten minutes in Nesuhi's office. Allison spent a big part of his recording career at Atlantic Records, where he became most friendly with Ertegun. After the company saw substantial growth and Allison was no longer working directly with him, he became discouraged and left. Allison has also recorded for Columbia (before he began his long relationship with Atlantic), and the Epic and Prestige labels.
Allison's discography is a lengthy one, and there are gems to be found on all of his albums, many of which can be found in vinyl shops. His output since 1957 has averaged at least one album a year until 1976, when he finished up at Atlantic with the classic Your Mind Is On Vacation. There was a gap of six years before he recorded again, this time for Elektra's Musician subsidiary in 1982, when he recorded Middle Class White Boy. Since 1987, he's been with Bluenote/Capitol. His debut for that label was Ever Since the World Ended. Allison has recorded some of the most creative material of his career with the Bluenote subsidiary of Capitol Records, including My Backyard (1992) and The Earth Wants You (1994), both produced by Ben Sidran. Also in 1994, Rhino Records released a boxed set, Allison Wonderland.
Although his boogie woogie and bebop-laden piano style is innovative and fresh sounding when it comes to blues and jazz, it is as a songwriter that Allison really shines.
His music has influenced many blues and rock artists including The Rolling Stones, John Mayall, JJ Cale and The Who, who played his song Young Man Blues on several tours. Allison is the subject of the Pixies song Allison and Greg Brown song Mose Allison played here. His song Look Here was covered by The Clash on their album Sandinista; and Blue Cheer famously covered Parchman Farm but renamed or misspelled it as Parchment Farm. Van Morrison released an album of his songs entitled Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison.
He is the father of country songwriter Amy Allison.
Mose Allison was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006.
Do Nothing Til You Hear from Me
Mose Allison Lyrics
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But they wouldn't hurt you, not much
Since everyone spread the story
With his own little personal touch
Do nothin' till you hear from me
Pay no attention to what's said
Why people tear the seam of anyone's dreamIs over my head
Do nothin' till you hear from me
At least consider our romance
If you should take the word of others you've heard
I haven't a chance
True I've been seen with someone new
But does that mean that I'm untrue
When we're apart the words in my heart
Reveal how I feel about you
Some kiss may cloud my memory
And other arms may hold a thrill
But please do nothin' till you hear it from me
And you never will
Do nothin' till you hear from me
Do nothin' till you hear from me
Pay no attention to what's said
Why people tear the seam of anyone's dream
Is over my head
Do nothin' till you hear from me
At least consider our romance
If you should take the word of others you've heard
I haven't a chance
True I've been seen with someone new
But does that mean that I'm untrue
When we're apart the words in my heartReveal how I feel about you
Some kiss may cloud my memory
And other arms may hold a thrill
But please do nothin' till you hear it from me
And you never will
The lyrics of Mose Allison's "Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me" is a plea to a lover to not believe everything they hear about the singer without first hearing it from him. The song sings about how rumors spread despite being unverifiable and how they can affect someone, especially when it comes to romance. The singer acknowledges the fact that he has been seen with someone new, but pleads with his lover to believe him when he says that it doesn't mean he is untrue to her. The singer believes that the rumors are over his head in the sense that he has no power or control over them.
The song's lyrics are a cautionary tale about the dangers of believing rumors that spread about someone without first verifying it. The singer wants his lover to be cautious and not make any conclusions without first hearing from him. The song also highlights how memory can be clouded by other experiences, but the true words from the heart will reveal how someone truly feels.
In summary, the lyrics of "Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me" is a call to action to not believe rumors and make assumptions without first verifying with the source. It highlights the risks of believing in unverifiable information and how it can lead to misunderstandings.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone told someone and someone told you
Gossip about me has spread, passed from person to person until it reached you.
But they wouldn't hurt you, not much
The people spreading rumors about me might not intend to hurt you, but their words could still cause harm.
Since everyone spread the story with his own little personal touch
Each person who shared the story about me added their own perspective, making the truth harder to discern.
Do nothin' till you hear from me
Don't make any decisions based on what you've heard until you've heard directly from me.
Pay no attention to what's said
Don't give any weight to the rumors and gossip about me.
Why people tear the seam of anyone's dream is over my head
The reasons why people feel the need to tear down someone else's reputation or relationship are beyond my understanding.
At least consider our romance
Before jumping to conclusions or believing the rumors, think about the affection we share.
If you should take the word of others you've heard, I haven't a chance
If you believe what others have said about me without hearing from me directly, our relationship doesn't stand a chance.
True I've been seen with someone new, but does that mean that I'm untrue
Even though I've been seen with another person, that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm being unfaithful to you.
When we're apart the words in my heart reveal how I feel about you
Even if we're physically separated, my feelings for you remain true and heartfelt.
Some kiss may cloud my memory and other arms may hold a thrill
While I may have shared a moment with another person, it doesn't diminish the love and passion I feel for you.
But please do nothin' till you hear it from me and you never will
I want you to wait to hear the truth from me, but you'll never hear it from me because there's nothing to confess.
Lyrics © Freibank Musikverlags und vermarktungs GmbH, MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DUKE ELLINGTON, BOB RUSSELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind