Kirk was born Ronald Kirk on 7th August 1935, in Columbus, Ohio, but felt compelled by a dream to transpose two letters in his first name to make Roland. After another dream in about 1970 he added Rahsaan to his name.
His playing was generally rooted in soul jazz or hard bop, but Kirk's encyclopedic knowledge of jazz history allowed him to draw convincingly on any element of the music's history, from ragtime to swing and free jazz. Kirk also regularly explored classical and pop music.
Kirk played and collected a vast number of musical instruments, mainly various saxophones, clarinets, and flutes. His main instruments were tenor saxophone, and two obscure saxophones: the manzello (similar to a soprano sax) and the stritch (a straight alto sax lacking the instrument's characteristic upturned bell). Kirk modified these instruments himself to accommodate his simultaneous playing technique. He typically appeared on stage with all three horns hanging around his neck, as well as a variety of other instruments, including flutes and whistles. Kirk also played harmonica, cor anglais, recorders, and was a competent trumpeter. He often used unusual instruments or combinations of instrument parts, using a saxophone mouthpiece on a trumpet or playing nose flute. He additionally used many extramusical sounds in his music, such as alarm clocks, whistles, sirens, and even primitive electronic sounds (before such things became commonplace).
In addition to the saxophones, Kirk was also an influential flautist, employing several novel techniques that he developed himself. One technique was to sing or hum into the flute at the same time as playing. (This technique was adopted later by many other players, including Jeremy Steig and Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull.) Another was to play the standard transverse flute at the same time as a nose flute.
My Cherie Amour
Rahsaan Roland Kirk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My cherie amour, lovely as a summer day
My cherie amour, distant as the milky way
My cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore
You're the only girl my heart beats for
How I wish that you were mine
In a cafe or sometimes on a crowded street
I've been near you, but you never noticed me
That behind that little smile I wore
How I wish that you were mine
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
Maybe someday, you'll see my face amoung the crowd
Maybe someday, I'll share your little distant cloud
Oh, cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore
You're the only girl my heart beats for
How I wish that you were mine
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
The classic song "My Cherie Amour" by Rahsaan Roland Kirk is a beautiful love song about an unrequited love. The song starts with "La la la la" which sets the tone for its light and airy melody. The first verse of the song begins with "My cherie amour, lovely as a summer day" which is a compliment likening the person to something beautiful and bright. However, the next line "My cherie amour, distant as the milky way" is a bit more melancholic as it illustrates how the person is far away and out of reach.
The second verse of the song expresses the singer's frustration of being near the person but never being noticed by them. "In a cafe or sometimes on a crowded street, I've been near you, but you never noticed me" shows that the singer has attempted to attract the person's attention but to no avail. The chorus "My cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore, you're the only girl my heart beats for, how I wish that you were mine" repeats throughout the song emphasizing the singer's deep desire for the person they love.
The final verse of the song holds some hope as the singer suggests that perhaps someday they will be noticed by the person they love. "Maybe someday, you'll see my face among the crowd, maybe someday, I'll share your little distant cloud" is a wistful hope and a glimmer of possibility that the singer's love may someday be reciprocated. The song is a beautiful expression of love and longing and has become a classic love song that has stood the test of time.
Fact 1: "My Cherie Amour" was written by Stevie Wonder, Sylvia Moy, and Henry Cosby.
Fact 2: The song was released in 1969 and became a hit on the charts.
Fact 3: "My Cherie Amour" has been covered by several artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Julio Iglesias, and Michael Jackson.
Fact 4: The song has been featured in several films including "The Nutty Professor" and "Lethal Weapon 4".
Fact 5: "My Cherie Amour" was one of Stevie Wonder's first big hits as a songwriter.
Fact 6: The song won the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 1970.
Fact 7: The song's original title was "Oh My Marcia" but was changed to avoid any legal issues because a songwriter named Marcia was already using that name.
Fact 8: The song was originally recorded in 1966 but had to be re-recorded due to a technical issue.
Fact 9: Rahsaan Roland Kirk's version of the song features his signature multi-instrumentalism.
Fact 10: The song has been covered by musicians in various genres such as jazz, pop, and R&B.
Chords (as played by Rahsaan Roland Kirk): Ebmaj7 - Dm7 - G7 - Cm7 - F7 - Bb7.
Line by Line Meaning
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
The singer is making a melody with the rhythm and the sound of his voice.
My cherie amour, lovely as a summer day
The singer's beloved is as beautiful and lovely as a day in summer.
My cherie amour, distant as the milky way
The singer's beloved seems remote, like the stars in the Milky Way galaxy.
My cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore
The singer is expressing his love and adoration towards his beloved.
You're the only girl my heart beats for
The singer's beloved is the only one who makes his heart beat with love.
How I wish that you were mine
The singer longs for his beloved to be his.
In a cafe or sometimes on a crowded street
The singer imagines seeing his beloved in different social settings.
I've been near you, but you never noticed me
The singer has been close to his beloved, but she doesn't pay attention to him.
My cherie amour, won't you tell me how could you ignore
The singer wants to know why his beloved is ignoring him.
That behind that little smile I wore
The singer wonders if his beloved can see the sorrow and longing behind his smile.
Maybe someday, you'll see my face amoung the crowd
The singer hopes that one day his beloved will notice him in a group of people.
Maybe someday, I'll share your little distant cloud
The singer wishes to be close to his beloved, even if it means sharing her remote life.
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
The singer repeats the melody, conveying his feelings through the music.
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
The singer repeats the melody, conveying his feelings through the music.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Henry Cosby, Stevie Wonder, Sylvia Moy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind