Odetta (December 31, 1930 - December 2, 2008) was an African-American singe… Read Full Bio ↴Odetta (December 31, 1930 - December 2, 2008) was an African-American singer whose repertoire consists largely of American folk music, blues, and spirituals.

She was born Odetta Holmes in Birmingham, Alabama, grew up in Los Angeles, California, and studied music at Los Angeles City College. Having operatic training from the age of 13, her first professional experience was in musical theater, with a touring company of the musical Finian's Rainbow in 1949.

While on tour with Finian's Rainbow, Odetta "fell in with an enthusiastic group of young balladeers", and after 1951 concentrated on folksinging. She made her name by playing around the country: at the Blue Angel nightclub (New York City), the hungry i (San Francisco), and Tin Angel (San Francisco), where she and Larry Mohr recorded Odetta and Larry in 1954, for Fantasy Records.

A solo career followed, with Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues (1956) and a live album recorded at the Gate of Horn in Chicago in 1957. Harry Belafonte included her in a nationwide television special in 1959, and Odetta Sings Folk Songs was one of 1963's best-selling folk albums.

Odetta was active in the civil rights movement and Martin Luther King, Jr. called her "the queen of American folk music". Bob Dylan and Joan Baez were among many folk musicians who credited Odetta with being a major influence on their work.

Having previous acting experience, Odetta also acted in several films, notably the film of William Faulkner's Sanctuary (1961) and The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974).

On December 02, 2008, Odetta died from heart disease in New York City. She was 77 years of age.

Sail Away Ladies
Odetta Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It ain't no use to sit and cry
You'll be an angel by and by
Don't you rock it
Don't you rock it
Don't you rock on by
Don't you rock it daddy-oh

I got a home in Tennessee

That's the place I want to be
Don't you rock it
Don't you rock it
Don't you rock on by
Don't you rock 'em daddy-oh

Ever I get my new house done
Give my old one to my son
Don't you rock it
Don't you rock it daddy-oh
Don't you rock it my Daddy-oh
Don't you rock 'em daddy-oh

Ain't no use to sit and cry
Sail away ladies, sail away
You'll be an angel by and by
Sail away ladies, sail away

Don't you rock it daddy-oh
Don't you rock 'em Daddy-oh

Don't you rock it my Daddy-oh
Don't you 'em daddy-oh

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Odetta's song "Sail Away Ladies" offer a message of hope and encouragement to the listener. The song speaks to the idea that it is futile to sit and cry over one's current circumstances, for better times are ahead. The refrain of "Don't you rock it, Don't you rock it, Don't you rock on by" is a reminder to stay strong and not let life's challenges derail one's progress. The repeated phrase "You'll be an angel by and by" suggests that the struggles we face in this life are only temporary, and that we will eventually find peace and happiness. Additionally, the verse about wanting to give one's old house to their son once they build a new one suggests a desire to build a better future for one's family.

Overall, "Sail Away Ladies" is a song that inspires perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity. By emphasizing the importance of forward motion and positivity, the lyrics encourage listeners to keep pushing through tough times and strive for a better future.

Line by Line Meaning

It ain't no use to sit and cry
There is no point in being sad and upset

You'll be an angel by and by
Someday you will be in a better place, like an angel in heaven

Don't you rock it
Don't disturb or upset the situation

Don't you rock on by
Don't ignore or pass by without notice

Don't you rock it daddy-oh
Don't upset or disrupt the situation, my father

I got a home in Tennessee
I have a home in a place I love

That's the place I want to be
That's where I belong and feel happy

Don't you rock 'em daddy-oh
Don't upset or disrupt the situation, my father

Ever I get my new house done
When I finish building my new house

Give my old one to my son
I will give my old house to my child

Ain't no use to sit and cry
There is no point in being sad and upset

Sail away ladies, sail away
Move on to new horizons and adventures, ladies

You'll be an angel by and by
Someday you will be in a better place, like an angel in heaven

Don't you rock it daddy-oh
Don't upset or disrupt the situation, my father

Don't you rock 'em Daddy-oh
Don't upset or disrupt the situation, my father

Don't you rock it my Daddy-oh
Don't upset or disrupt the situation, my father

Don't you 'em daddy-oh
Don't upset or disrupt the situation, my father

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Written by: Gregory Alan Farley, Ian Felice, James Felice, Josh Rawson, Simone Felice, Traditional Traditional

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

Michael Connolly

2y↑5

Great interpretation of this song. And she's a damn good whistler too.

sandra morey

Nobody can put across a song the way Odetta did. There's another version of this on an album called "odetta and Larry" where there is a really nice harmony to the chorus. It's an East Texas knockdown. That's what this kind of song is called.