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
these foolish things
Ruby Braff Lyrics
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Oh! Will you never set me free?
The ties that bound us
Are still around us
There's no escape that I can see
And still those little things remain
That bring me happiness or pain
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
A fair ground's painted swings
These foolish things remind me of you
You came you saw you conquer'd me
When you did that to me
I knew somehow this had to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
First daffodils and long excited cables
And candle lights on little corner tables
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The beauty that is Spring's
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The song that Crosby sings
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
The song These Foolish Things, written by Jack Strachey, Harry Link, and Eric Maschwitz, was first recorded by British crooner Leslie ‘Hutch’ Hutchinson in 1936. Since then, it has been one of the most frequently recorded songs of all time. In 1945, jazz cornettist Ruby Braff recorded his own version of the song with lyrics, as he was drawn to the romanticism of the lyrics and the nostalgic and bittersweet memories it evokes.
The lyrics of These Foolish Things describe the emotional ties that still bind the singer to a former lover. Despite their longing to break free from the relationship, they find themselves still caught up in the memories attached to their shared experiences. The lyrics are a poignant reminder of the things that made the relationship special and the things that now serve as painful reminders of what was lost. The song’s opening lines, “Oh! Will you never let me be? Oh! Will you never set me free?” encapsulate the singer’s sense of entrapment and frustration as they grapple with their inability to move on.
These Foolish Things is notable for its vivid use of imagery that draws on both high and low culture. The lyrics reference everything from the beauty of spring and the Parisian landmarks to tinny pianos in suburban apartments and the scent of smoldering leaves. The song is full of sensory details that underscore the singer’s heartfelt connection to the past. This lyrical depth has ensured that the song endures as one of the great romantic ballads of the twentieth century.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh! Will you never let me be?
Will you never stop haunting me?
Oh! Will you never set me free?
Will you never let me forget you?
The ties that bound us
The connections that tie us together
Are still around us
Are still present in our lives
There's no escape that I can see
I can't seem to escape from these feelings
And still those little things remain
And yet, the little things still matter to me
That bring me happiness or pain
That remind me of both the good and bad memories we shared
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
A cigarette you smoked, with your lipstick stain on it
An airline ticket to romantic places
An old ticket to a romantic place we went
And still my heart has wings
And yet my heart still feels light
These foolish things remind me of you
These small things bring back memories of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Hearing a piano play in the apartment next door
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
My clumsy words that tried to express my feelings for you
A fair ground's painted swings
A carnival swing set
You came you saw you conquer'd me
When I met you, I was instantly under your spell
When you did that to me
When you won me over
I knew somehow this had to be
I knew we were meant to be together
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
The joy of springtime that makes me feel alive
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
A phone that rings but won't be answered by you
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
A park at night, with the sound of the bell signaling closing time
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The "Ile de France" ship, surrounded by seagulls
The beauty that is Spring's
The beauty of the season of spring
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
The melancholy sound of trains passing through empty stations at night
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
An invitation to dance, with silk stockings discarded on the floor
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
The lingering scent of Gardenia perfume on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
The memory of buying strawberries together for only seven francs
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The memory of watching a Garbo movie, with the scent of roses nearby
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The sound of waiters whistling at the last call of the night
The song that Crosby sings
The song that Bing Crosby sings
How strange how sweet to find you still
How surprising and sweet it is to still have these memories of you
These things are dear to me
These memories are important to me
They seem to bring you near to me
They make me feel closer to you
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
The smell of burning leaves and the sound of steamers passing by
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Seeing two lovers walking by, looking as if they're in a dream
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
Oh, how these memories of you haunt me!
These foolish things remind me of you
These small and simple things bring back memories of you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Harry Link, Holt Marvell, Jack Strachey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind