Braff was a wonderfully characterful and melodic player with an immediately identifiable sound and unique tone on the cornet, an uncommon instrument in post-war jazz. He style was fundamentally based on that of earlier players including Louis Armstrong, Bobby Hackett and Bunny Berigan but he transcended these influences to always sounds fresh, sparky and somehow modern.
He was born in Boston and began playing in local clubs in the 1940s. In 1949, he was hired to play with the Edmond Hall Orchestra. He relocated to New York in 1953 where he was much in demand for band dates and recordings.
He died February 10, 2003, in Chatham, Massachusetts.
"Sure, they’ve made statements about my supposedly combining a modern approach with a feeling for traditional forms. Well, people say all sorts of things, because they want to categorise and label. I’ve only ever had two labels. Either it’s good or it stinks." - Ruby Braff speaking in 1968
Coquette
Ruby Braff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Little coquette, making fun of the one who loves you
Breaking hearts you are ruling
Little coquette, true hearts tenderly dreaming of you.
Someday you'll fall in love as I fell in love with you.
Maybe the one you love will just be fooling too.
And when you are alone with all your regrets,
You know, my little coquette, I love you.
Someday you'll fall in love as I fell in love with you.
Now, maybe the one you love will just be fooling too.
And when you are alone with all your regrets,
Now, you know, my little coquette, I love you.
In Ruby Braff's song "Coquette", the lyrics delve into a story of unrequited love and heartbreak caused by a playful and teasing partner. The singer of the song is addressing a woman, whom he refers to as a "little coquette", meaning a flirtatious and seductive woman who enjoys attention from men. The lyrics express the pain and frustration of loving someone who does not reciprocate those feelings and instead uses them for their own amusement. The singer warns the woman that someday she will fall in love with someone who will treat her the same way she treated him.
The lyrics also show a level of vulnerability on the part of the singer, as he reveals his own romantic feelings for the woman, despite her mistreatment of him. He acknowledges that he fell in love with her and implies that she will eventually experience the same emotions. The final lines of the song, "And when you are alone with all your regrets / You know, my little coquette, I love you", could be interpreted as a plea for forgiveness or a hopeless declaration of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Hear me, why you keep fooling
Listen to me, why do you continue to play games?
Little coquette, making fun of the one who loves you
You are a flirt, teasing and mocking those who care for you
Breaking hearts you are ruling
You hold power over others by causing heartbreak
Little coquette, true hearts tenderly dreaming of you.
There are people who genuinely care for you and dream of being with you
Someday you'll fall in love as I fell in love with you.
You will one day experience the same type of love that I have for you
Maybe the one you love will just be fooling too.
The person you fall in love with may not have genuine feelings for you, just like you have done before
And when you are alone with all your regrets,
When you are by yourself and regretful of your actions
You know, my little coquette, I love you.
Know that despite everything, I still have feelings for you
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN WALDO GREEN, GUS KAHN, CARMEN LOMBARDO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bob boscarato
Two Jazz greats!
Austin Casey
Been waiting for this to resurface. Thanks Michael. 🤝
honoredutrey
Ruby Braff. Unsurpassable.