After taking twenty years away from music to focus on raising four wild and creative young artists of her own, Rochelle returned to jazz. In 2006, she introduced her music to the world on her debut recording entitled “Dreams of Love.” A collaboration with pianist Marc Seales, as well as Portland jazz greats Gary Hobbs and Dave Captein, her first CD received rave reviews and earned her a nomination for Earshot Vocalist of the Year.
Rochelle’s new release “Water,” a second collaboration with Marc Seales features Seattle jazz musicians D’Vonne Lewis, Evan Flory-Barnes, and Paul Rucker, as well as Cuong Vu. Rochelle’s own compositions enjoy nearly half of this CD’s minutes and the outcome awaits your listening pleasure.
Lazy Afternoon
Rochelle House Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So I walked on down the road a mile,
Went to the house that brings a smile
Sat upon my grandpa's knee
And what do you think he said to me?
When you awake you will remember ev'rything
You will be hangin' on a string from your
You will relieve the only soul
That you were born with to grow old and never know
Ollie showed me the fork in the road
You can take to the left or go straight to the right
Use your days and save your nights,
Be careful where you step, and watch wha-cha eat
Sleep with the light on and you got it beat
When you awake you will remember ev'rything
You will be hangin' on a string from your
When you believe
You will relieve the only soul
That you were born with to grow old and never know
Ollie warned me it's a mean old world
The street don't greet ya, yes, it's true
But what am I supposed to do
Read the writing on the wall
I heard it when I was very small
When you awake you will remember ev'rything
You will be hangin' on a string from your
When you believe
You will relieve the only soul
That you were born with to grow old and never know
Wash my hand in lye water
I got a date with the captains daughter
You can go and tell your brother
We sure gonna love one another, oh!
You may be right and ya might be wrong
I ain't gonna worry all day long
Snow's gonna come and the frost gonna bite
My old car froze up last night
Ain't no reason to hang your head
I could wake up in the mornin' dead
Oh! And if I thought it would do any good
I'd stand on the rock where Moses stood
Rochelle House's "Lazy Afternoon" is a reflective and introspective song with a relaxed melody. In the first verse, the singer is called a fool by Ollie, and she sets out for a walk. She reaches her grandfather's house and sits on his lap, seeking guidance. He advises her that when she wakes up, she will remember everything she's been through and be stronger for it. In the second verse, Ollie shows her the fork in the road, telling her to use her days wisely and be careful of her actions. He warns her that the world is mean, but she needs to read the writing on the wall and be strong. The song ends with the singer telling Ollie that she has to wash her hands in lye water and that she has a date with the captain's daughter. She then affirms her belief that everything will be okay in the end.
The song speaks to the notion of the journey of life and the education one gains through experience. The lyrics imply that sometimes it takes making mistakes and taking the wrong path to learn and grow as a person. The song also promotes the idea of not getting bogged down by worries and instead allowing oneself to go with the flow and not take life too seriously. The final verse, where the singer mentions standing on the rock where Moses stood, can be interpreted as a desire to make a difference in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Ollie told me I'm a fool.
Someone I trust and look up to has told me that I'm foolish.
So I walked on down the road a mile,
I started walking aimlessly to clear my head.
Went to the house that brings a smile
I went to a place that makes me happy.
Sat upon my grandpa's knee
I sat down next to my grandfather.
And what do you think he said to me?
He said something important that I'm waiting to hear.
When you awake you will remember ev'rything
Fragments of memory will come back to you when you wake up.
You will be hangin' on a string from your
You'll feel like you're hanging on by a thread.
When you believe
When you have faith and trust in something.
You will relieve the only soul
You will alleviate the pain and suffering of yourself or someone else.
That you were born with to grow old and never know
You have a soul that will be with you for your entire life, but you might never fully understand it.
Ollie showed me the fork in the road
My trusted friend showed me that I have to make a difficult decision.
You can take to the left or go straight to the right
You have two choices in front of you.
Use your days and save your nights,
Be productive during the day and relax at night.
Be careful where you step, and watch wha-cha eat
Be cautious in your actions and thoughts.
Sleep with the light on and you got it beat
If you stay vigilant, you can overcome any challenge.
Ollie warned me it's a mean old world
My friend cautioned me that the world can be harsh and cruel.
The street don't greet ya, yes, it's true
The world doesn't always welcome you with open arms.
But what am I supposed to do
I don't know how to protect myself from that kind of negativity.
Read the writing on the wall
Pay attention to the signs that point toward danger or opportunity.
I heard it when I was very small
I learned these lessons about life at a young age.
Wash my hand in lye water
I'm trying to cleanse my hands of something dirty or sinful.
I got a date with the captains daughter
I have an exciting event or opportunity coming up.
You can go and tell your brother
Spread the good news to others.
We sure gonna love one another, oh!
We're going to show love and kindness to each other.
You may be right and ya might be wrong
I acknowledge that I could be mistaken in my beliefs or actions.
I ain't gonna worry all day long
I'm not going to let my worries consume me.
Snow's gonna come and the frost gonna bite
Winter is coming, and it will be harsh.
My old car froze up last night
I'm facing difficulties with my transportation or mobility.
Ain't no reason to hang your head
Don't despair or lose hope.
I could wake up in the mornin' dead
I know that death is inevitable.
Oh! And if I thought it would do any good
I would take action if I thought it would make a difference.
I'd stand on the rock where Moses stood
I would stand on solid ground or foundation, like in the story of Moses.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN LATOUCHE, JEROME MOROSS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind