Renee developed a great love for music at an early age and honed her voice by singing
along with the radio. Before long she was entering talent contests and appearing in
local musical productions. Her aspirations for stardom were documented on video and
became the subject of two E! television documentaries,
"The Making of a Child Star" and "The Journey Continues".
In 1995, Renee appeared in her first commercial, the award winning ad for Levi Jeans.
In 1998 she did a Segento Cheese commercial.
She made her first foray in TV in 1995 in "Streets Of Laredo".
In 1998, Renee appeared in the episode "Doodlebug" in "Touch By An Angel".
In 1999, she was seen in two shows, "Chicken Soup For The Soul" and "Providence".
In 1999, Renee’s first major motion picture roles were "The Insider",
starring Al Pacino and Russell Crowe, and "End Of Days" with
Arnold Schwarzenegger. And, in 2000, she appeared in "Space Cowboys".
In 2002, she had her first major role in the CBS comedy "Still Standing", a four year run.
But, by 2002, Renee’s second career, her singing career, began to take shape.
After she saw the movie "Pleasantville", she fell in love with Etta James’s "At Last",
which began a love affair with the music of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald,
Anita O’Day and the Great American Songbook.
Then Renee was able to perform with Eddie Reed’s Swing Band playing LA area clubs.
In September 2002, she released "By Request" to commemorate her club performances.
"At Last" being one of the tracks.
Renee gained the attention of Grammy Award winning producer David Foster
and subsequently signed a contract with the Warner Records label.
In 2003, 13 year old Renee performed at the Playboy Jazz Festival singing
"At Last" to an amazed jazz audience, who gave Renee a standing ovation.
Bill Cosby, whose jazz band backed Renee quipped that “she’s only 13
and knows only one song”.
Finally, in May 2004, all elements of Renee’s career came together.
On the "Still Standing" final episode, of the second season, she performed "Summertime",
in a dream sequence, the first track on her self-titled CD "Renee Olstead",
produced by David Foster, released that month.
The release started Renee on a whirlwind promotional tour starting with
the "Today Show" and "Jazz At Lincoln Center Spring Gala" in NYC.
Montreux Jazz Festival, as part of a European tour, David Letterman and
finally Oprah ended a busy 2004. Renee’s CD was #5 on the
Billboard Jazz Chart, for 2004, after many rave reviews.
In 2004, Renee recorded two songs for movie soundtracks.
She recorded "Merry Christmas In Love" for the Italian movie "Christmas In Love"
and "A Love That Will Last", a track on her CD, was used in "Princess Diary 2".
Also, in the summer of 2004, Renee’s next film "13 Going On 30" was released.
During and after the end of the "Still Standing" run, in the Spring of 2006,
Renee continued to perform her music around the world.
She performed in numerous charity events in the US.
Renee again toured Europe, this time with B.B. King, performed in Live 8,
in Berlin, and with Chris Botti and at the "Unite The Stars" charity event,
in South Africa.
Performance highlights include the "28th Gift Of Life Celebration" hosted
by George Lopez, with Renee performing "Midnight Man" with David Foster,
in 2007. The Java Jazz Festival, in 2008, "My Baby Just Cares For Me",
where Renee received the International Jazz Talent Award, and the "Hit Man:
David Foster And Friends" tribute to David Foster with Renee performing Through The Fire, in 2008.
In 2008, she recorded her third movie soundtrack with "Ain’t we Got Fun"
for the movie "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl".
TV came back in the picture, in 2008, as Renee was cast in the series
"The Secret Life Of The American Teenager" as Madison.
In the final episode, of the second season, again her two careers came together,
as Madison sang "Fly Me To The Moon" and
"Someone To Watch Over Me" at a wedding reception.
In 2009, Renee’s long awaited CD "Skylark", again produced by David Foster,
was released, and peaked at #3 on the Billboard Jazz Chart.
Discography:
2000: Stone Country
2000: Unleashed
2002: By Request
2004: Renee Olstead
2009: Skylark
Official Web Site: www.ReneeOlstead.com
Official Fan Site: www.ReneeOlstead.info
Is You Is Or Is You Ain
Renee Olstead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Any time we have a date
But I love him
Yes I love him
So I'm gonna walk up to his gate
See if I can get it straight
Cause I want him
I'll just ask him
Is you is or is you ain't my baby
Well, the way you're acting lately, well it makes me doubt
You were still my baby, baby
But it seems like my flame in your heart, well it's just gone out
A man is a creature
That has always been strange
Just when you're sure of one
You'll find that he's gone and made a change
Is you is or is you ain't my baby
Well, maybye my baby found somebody new
Or is my baby still my baby too
The opening lines of Renee Olstead's song "Is You Is or Is You Ain't" tell the story of a woman in love with a man who is always late for their dates. Despite this, she loves him and decides to confront him about their relationship. She goes to his gate and asks him if he is still committed to her or if he has moved on to someone else. The chorus repeats the question, "Is you is or is you ain't my baby," emphasizing the uncertainty and doubt that the woman is feeling. The lyrics go on to explore the complexities of relationships and the difficulty in understanding the opposite sex. The final lines of the song express the fear that the man may have found someone new and moved on, leaving the woman heartbroken and alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, I got a man that's always late
I have a partner who is never on time for our appointments.
Any time we have a date
No matter what time we decide to meet, my partner never shows up on time.
But I love him
Despite his behavior, I have deep feelings for my partner.
Yes I love him
I want to express that my love for my partner is true and unconditional.
So I'm gonna walk up to his gate
I have decided to visit my partner at his home.
See if I can get it straight
My intention is to clear up any confusion or misunderstandings between us.
Cause I want him
I am determined to express my feelings to my partner and make things right.
Yeah I can't help it
I am unable to control my desire to be with my partner and resolve any issues.
I'll just ask him
My plan is to directly ask my partner if he still feels the same way about me.
Is you is or is you ain't my baby
I want to know if my partner still sees me as his significant other or not.
Well, the way you're acting lately, well it makes me doubt
My partner's recent behavior has caused me to question whether he still loves me or not.
You were still my baby, baby
I am hoping that my partner still loves me and considers me his significant other.
But it seems like my flame in your heart, well it's just gone out
It appears that my partner's love and passion for me has faded away and is no longer there.
A man is a creature
Men are individuals with varying personalities and traits.
That has always been strange
It can be difficult to understand why men behave a certain way or make certain decisions.
Just when you're sure of one
Just when you think you know a man well enough, he can surprise you with unexpected behavior.
You'll find that he's gone and made a change
Men are capable of changing their minds and hearts, even when you least expect it.
Is you is or is you ain't my baby
I am hoping for a clear answer from my partner about his feelings towards me.
Well, maybye my baby found somebody new
It is possible that my partner has found a new love interest and has moved on from me.
Or is my baby still my baby too
Alternatively, I hope that my partner is still in love with me and wants to continue our relationship.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BILLY AUSTIN, LOUIS JORDAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind