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.
You Belong To Me
Mose Allison Lyrics
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Watch the sun rise on a tropic isle
Just remember, darling, all the while
You belong to me
See the market place in old Algiers
Send me photographs and souvenirs
But remember when a dream appears
I'll be so alone without you
Maybe you'll be lonesome too and blue
Fly the ocean in a silver plane
Watch the jungle when it's wet with rain
Just remember till you're home again
You belong to me
Mose Allison's song "You Belong to Me" is a sentimental tribute to a loved one who has left to explore a foreign land. The song speaks to the idea that distance may separate two people, but it does not diminish the emotional connection that they share. Through the lyrics, Allison brings up memories of the exotic locations the subject might be visiting, but also how those memories belong to him, even if he isn't physically there. The verses talk of seeing the pyramids in Egypt, the marketplace in Algiers, and flying through the rainforest, all while the chorus confirms the emotional truth that the subject belongs to him, no matter where they are.
The song's sentiment is relatable for anyone who has been in a long-distance relationship, whether it's friends or lovers, communicating their feelings through photographs and souvenirs. The melancholic tone of the song emphasizes the pain of longing for someone who is unreachable, while also romanticizing the idea of connection despite the distance. Allison beautifully captures the conflicting emotions of hope, longing, and despair that one experiences in a long-distance relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
See the pyramids along the Nile
Bear in mind that while you may be traveling to see great sights like the pyramids along the Nile, your heart still belongs to me.
Watch the sun rise on a tropic isle
As you watch the sun rise on a tropic isle, always remember that I still have claim on your heart.
Just remember, darling, all the while
Throughout your travels, never forget that you are mine.
You belong to me
No matter where you go or what you do, you are mine and will always belong to me.
See the market place in old Algiers
As you explore the market place in Algiers, know that I still hold your heart.
Send me photographs and souvenirs
If you bring back photographs and souvenirs, remember that they are just small tokens of your heart that already belongs to me.
But remember when a dream appears
Don't get lost in the excitement of the moment, remember that you are still mine.
You belong to me
No matter where you go or what you do, you are mine and will always belong to me.
I'll be so alone without you
Without you, I'll be devastated and feel extremely lonely.
Maybe you'll be lonesome too and blue
And maybe you'll feel the same way too.
Fly the ocean in a silver plane
Even if you fly across the ocean in a luxury plane, your heart still belongs to me.
Watch the jungle when it's wet with rain
As you enjoy the beauty of the jungle in the rain, always remember that you are still mine.
Just remember till you're home again
While you're away, just remember that your heart still belongs to me until you get back home.
You belong to me
No matter where you go or what you do, you are mine and will always belong to me.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Pee Wee King, Chilton Price, Redd Stewart
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind