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
Cottage For Sale
Ruby Braff Lyrics
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Is lonely and silent, the shades are all drawn,
And my heart is heavy as I gaze upon
A cottage for sale
The lawn we were proud of is waving in hay,
Our beautiful garden has withered away,
Where you planted roses,the weeds seem to say,
From every single window, I see your face,
But when I reach a window, there's empty space.
The key's in the mail box the same as before,
But no one is waiting any more,
The end of the story is told on the door.
A cottage for sale.
The lyrics to Ruby Braff's song "Cottage For Sale" depict the emotional pain of losing a loved one and the struggle of moving on. The once vibrant dream castle has become a place of loneliness and sadness, with every dream faded away. The shades are all drawn, creating a somber atmosphere that reflects the singer's heavy heart as they gaze upon the cottage for sale. The lawn and garden, once filled with beauty and life, are now overgrown and desolate. The roses that were once cherished and tended to have been overtaken by weeds.
The singer's longing for the past is evident in the lyrics. From every window, they see the face of their loved one, yet when they approach the window, all they see is emptiness. The presence of the key in the mailbox is a reminder of what once was, but the absence of their loved one waiting inside is a painful reality. The final line of the chorus, "The end of the story is told on the door," is a gut-wrenching admission that the happy ending they had hoped for is now out of reach. The cottage for sale is a symbol of their broken dreams and their inability to hold on to what they once had.
Line by Line Meaning
Our little dream castle with every dream gone,
Our once beautiful home that we dreamed and built together is now empty and lifeless, with all of our hopes and aspirations vanished.
Is lonely and silent, the shades are all drawn,
The house is devoid of any sound or activity, all the curtains are shut tight.
And my heart is heavy as I gaze upon
Looking at the abandoned home, my heart is burdened with grief and sadness.
A cottage for sale
The house is on the market and ready for new ownership.
The lawn we were proud of is waving in hay,
The once lush and well-cared-for lawn has now become neglected, overgrown and filled with hay or weeds.
Our beautiful garden has withered away,
Our meticulously cared-for garden, which used to bloom with vibrant colors, has all wilted and dried up.
Where you planted roses,the weeds seem to say,
The place where we once grew beautiful roses is now overrun with weeds, implying that nature has taken over and consumed our past efforts.
A cottage for sale.
The house that was once our pride and joy is now being marketed for sale.
From every single window, I see your face,
No matter where I look, I'm reminded of you and what we once shared together when we lived here.
But when I reach a window, there's empty space.
However, when I look through the windows, I realize that you're no longer here with me and that the once lively home is now vacant.
The key's in the mail box the same as before,
The key to the front door is still in the mailbox, just like it always was when we lived here.
But no one is waiting any more,
But now, there's no one waiting behind the door, eagerly anticipating my arrival.
The end of the story is told on the door.
The fact that the house is up for sale is the final chapter in our story, which is written on the front door for all to see.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Larry Conley, Willard Robinson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind