Roy David Eldridge (January 30, 1911 – February 26, 1989) was a jazz trumpe… Read Full Bio ↴Roy David Eldridge (January 30, 1911 – February 26, 1989) was a jazz trumpet player in the Swing era. His sophisticated use of harmony, including the use of tritone substitutions, resulted in him sometimes being seen as the link between Louis Armstrong-era swing music and Dizzy Gillespie-era bebop. Roy's rhythmic power to swing a band was a dynamic trademark of the Swing Era.

Eldridge was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His nickname was Little Jazz. Eldridge played in the bands of Fletcher Henderson, Gene Krupa and Artie Shaw before making records under his own name. He also played in Benny Goodman's and Count Basie's Orchestras, and co-led a band with Coleman Hawkins.

A Foggy Day
Roy Eldridge Lyrics

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I was a stranger in the city
Out of town were the people I knew
I had that feeling of self-pity
What to do, what to do, what to do
The outlook was decidedly blue

But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known

A foggy day, in London town
Had me low, had me down
I viewed the morning, with much alarm
British Museum, had lost its charm

How long I wondered,
Could this thing last
But the age of miracles, hadn't past
For suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London town,
The sun was shining everywhere

For suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London town,
The sun was shining everywhere

Everywhere

Everywhere
Everywhere

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Roy Eldridge's "A Foggy Day" talk about a sense of displacement and homesickness in a foreign city, which is London in this case. The persona is missing people they know as they feel like strangers in the new place. They are overwhelmed by self-pity and don't know what to do to lift their mood. Even the British Museum, a landmark, doesn't excite them as it should. As they walk through the foggy streets, the day starts to change for them. They see the sun shining through the fog as they spot someone they seem to recognize. Suddenly, the city is not so alien anymore, and everything starts feeling okay.

Line by Line Meaning

I was a stranger in the city
I was unfamiliar with my surroundings

Out of town were people I knew
I didn't have anyone nearby that I knew

I had that feeling of self-pity
I was feeling sorry for myself

What to do, what to do, what to do
I wasn't sure how to handle my situation

The outlook was decidedly blue
I was feeling pessimistic about my future

But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
Despite being alone and in foggy weather, something changed in me

It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known
This day would end up being one of the best I've ever had

A foggy day, in London town
It was a foggy day in London, which seemed fitting for my mood

Had me low, had me down
The weather and my emotions were bringing me down

I viewed the morning, with much alarm
I was worried about how the day would go

British Museum, had lost its charm
Even the things that used to interest me didn't anymore

How long I wondered,
I questioned how much longer I could handle this

Could this thing last
I was unsure if my negative state of mind would persist

But the age of miracles, hadn't past
Unexpected and wonderful things can still happen

For suddenly, I saw you there
Someone unexpected appeared

And through foggy London town,
Despite the fog, things felt clearer

The sun was shining everywhere
Suddenly, life felt brighter and more positive

Everywhere
Everywhere around me, there was a sense of hope and happiness

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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