Sam Lanin's brothers, Howard and Lester, were also bandleaders, and all of them had sustained, successful careers in music. Lanin was one of ten children born to Russian Jewish immigrants who emigrated to Philadelphia in the decade of the 1900s. Sam played clarinet and violin while young, and in 1912 he was offered a spot playing in Victor Herbert's orchestra, where he played through World War I. After the war he moved to New York City and began playing at the Roseland Ballroom in late 1918. There he established the Roseland Orchestra; this ensemble recorded for the Columbia Gramophone Company in the early 1920s.
Sam recorded with a plethora of ensemble arrangements, under names such as Lanin's Jazz Band, Lanin's Arcadians, Lanin's Famous Players, Lanin's Southern Serenaders, Lanin's Red Heads, Sam Lanin's Dance Ensemble, and Lanin's Arkansaw Travelers. He did not always give himself top billing in his ensemble's names, and was a session leader for an enormous number of sweet jazz recording sessions of the 1920s. Among the ensembles he directed were Ladd's Black Aces, The Broadway Bell-Hops, The Westerners, The Pillsbury Orchestra and Bailey's Lucky Seven. He had a rotating cast of noted musicians playing with him, including regular appearances from Phil Napoleon, Miff Mole, Jules Levy Jr. and Red Nichols, as well as Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Manny Klein, Jimmy McPartland, Bix Beiderbecke, Eddie Lang, Bunny Berigan, Nick Lucas and Frankie Trumbauer.
Lanin did little actual playing on these records; his main contributions were clean, well-orchestrated arrangements and session directions. In addition to his recordings, he also played regularly on radio after 1923, and the Roseland Orchestra played on New York radio weekly every Monday from 1923 to 1925. He entered into a sponsorship with Bristol-Myers for their toothpaste, Ipana; as a result, his ensemble was renamed The Ipana Troubadors. In 1928 and 1929, Lanin recorded with Bing Crosby.
The 1929 stock market crash hit Sam Lanin hard, unlike his brother Lester; in 1931, he lost his contract with Bristol-Meyers, his radio show and the name Ipana Troubadors. By the middle of the 1930s, Sam was spending much of his time cutting transcription discs. While his fame had waned, he was still well off from the money he saved in the 1920s and retired from the music business by the end of the 1930s. He was essentially forgotten at the same time Lester went on to stardom. He died in 1977, having never returned to music.
It Looks Like Love
Sam Lanin and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take a look in the five and ten glistening once again
With candy canes and silver lanes aglow
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Toys in every store
But the prettiest sight to see, is the holly that will be
On your own front door
Is the wish of Barney and Ben
Dolls that will talk and will go for a walk
Is the hope of Janice and Jen
And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Everywhere you go
There's a tree in the Grand Hotel, one in the park as well
The sturdy kind that doesn't mind the snow
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Soon the bells will start
And the thing that will make them ring
Is the carol that you sing, right within your heart
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Toys in every store
But the prettiest sight to see, is the holly that will be
On your own front door
Sure, it's Christmas once more
The opening line of the song, "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go," sets the tone for a festive and cheerful time. The song paints a picture of Christmas in the listener's mind, with mentions of traditional decorations like candy canes and silver lanes. But, the prettiest sight of Christmas is the holly on your own front door, signifying that home is where the heart is during the holiday season.
The following lines feature children's wishes and hopes for Christmas, such as a pair of Hopalong boots and a pistol that shoots for Barney and Ben, and dolls that will talk and walk for Janice and Jen. The mention of parents hoping for school to start signifies that as much as Christmas is a time for excitement, parents also look forward to routine and normalcy after the holiday break.
The rest of the song captures the essence of Christmas everywhere, from trees in hotels and parks to the bells that will ring with the sound of carols. The final line, "Sure, it's Christmas once more," emphasizes that the holiday season brings a sense of familiarity and tradition, reminding us of the joy and warmth of Christmas that we anticipate every year.
Line by Line Meaning
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go
The decorations and festive atmosphere of Christmas are present throughout the city
Take a look in the five and ten glistening once again
The storefronts and displays in the neighborhood stores twinkle with Christmas decorations as the holiday season arrives
With candy canes and silver lanes aglow
The shiny streets and storefronts are illuminated with Christmas lights and decorations, including candy canes, adding to the excitement of the season
Toys in every store
Gift shops and markets are stocked with all kinds of toys and presents suitable for a summer Christmas
But the prettiest sight to see, is the holly that will be
The most attractive sight is the festive holly that will grace your doorstep and enhance your holiday decorations
On your own front door
Decorating your own front door with Christmas greens, ornaments, and holly is one of the most enjoyable parts of the holiday season
A pair of Hopalong boots and a pistol that shoots
Barney and Ben long for cowboy boots and guns this Christmas
Is the wish of Barney and Ben
Dolls that will talk and will go for a walk
Janice and Jen want interactive dolls that can talk and walk
Is the hope of Janice and Jen
And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again
Parents are looking forward to their kids going back to school after the Christmas break, so they can have some relief
There's a tree in the Grand Hotel, one in the park as well
There are many Christmas trees placed in the city park and in the grand hotel, which creates a beautiful sight
The sturdy kind that doesn't mind the snow
The trees are the hardy kind that is used to being out in the snow and ice
Soon the bells will start
The church bells will begin ringing to signify the arrival of Christmas
And the thing that will make them ring
The thing that will cause the bells to start ringing is the singing of Christmas carols
Is the carol that you sing, right within your heart
The true spirit of Christmas is in your heart, and if you sing your heart out, you will be spreading the love and joy of the season
Sure, it's Christmas once more
Indeed, it is Christmas time again
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Meredith Willson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
roybo1930
These Clarion Records are FANTASTIC! And FUN! I Have a couple of Double Track Records! A Groove is the Orchestra, B is the Vocal with piano or orchestra! This is truly a 1931 CLASSIC! And one of My all time favorites! I LOVE This!
Sam Rosenstock
The beginning sounds like Ol' Man River.