Coolidge's early career was as a backing vocalist, for artists such as Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton, and Leon Russell. Her performance of "Superstar" on the Cocker/Russell Mad Dogs and Englishmen album helped gain her attention. She became known as "The Delta Lady" and inspired Leon Russell to write a song of the same name for her. It was during this time that she met Kris Kristofferson; the two married in 1973. With him, she recorded several duet albums which sold well, and earned them a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1974 for From the Bottle to the Bottom, and in 1976 for Lover Please.
In 1997, Coolidge was one of the founding members of Walela, a Native American music trio, that also includes Coolidge's sister Priscilla and Priscilla's daughter Laura Satterfield. The trio released albums in 1997 and 2000. Walela means hummingbird in Cherokee.
Don't Smoke In Bed
Rita Coolidge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And my old wedding ring
With these few goodbye words
How can I sing
Goodbye old sleepy head
I'm packing you in like I said
Take care of everything
Don't look for me
I'll get a hand
Remember darling
Don't smoke in bed
Don't look for me
I'll get a hand
Remember darling
Don't smoke in bed
In Rita Coolidge's song, "Don't Smoke In Bed," the lyrics depict a woman leaving her sleeping partner. She has left a note and her wedding ring while reminding him not to smoke in bed. The lyrics show the emotions of a woman who has made a decision to leave her partner and is thoughtful enough to leave a reminder to avoid the dangerous habit of smoking in bed. The lines "I'm packing you in like I said, take care of everything" indicate that the woman has made up her mind and is determined to leave, suggesting that there may have been underlying issues leading to her decision.
The repetition of "Don't look for me, I'll get a hand, Remember darling, don't smoke in bed" highlights the importance of not smoking in bed as it can lead to dangerous consequences such as fire or health issues. The tone of the lyrics is melancholic, but the message is stark and practical. The symbolism of the wedding ring adds to the weight of the decision made by the woman, and her leaving note adds to the sentimentality of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I left a note on his dresser
I left a note on his dresser to let him know that I'm leaving him.
And my old wedding ring
I left my old wedding ring as a symbol of the end of our marriage.
With these few goodbye words
I expressed my farewell in a few simple words.
How can I sing
I'm unable to be happy and sing when my heart is breaking.
Goodbye old sleepy head
I say goodbye to my loved one who's asleep and unaware of my departure.
I'm packing you in like I said
I'm leaving and taking my belongings with me as I promised earlier.
Take care of everything
I trust you to take care of everything after I leave.
I'm leaving my wedding ring
Leaving my wedding ring behind signifies the end of our marriage and love.
Don't look for me
Please don't search for me as I won't be coming back.
I'll get a hand
I'll manage on my own and find my way out of this situation.
Remember darling
Please remember, my dear, what I'm about to say next.
Don't smoke in bed
Please don't smoke in bed as it's unsafe and may cause a fire. Also, don't take your love for granted, or it may burn out like a cigarette.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Willard Robinson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind