Rollins was born in New York City to parents from the United States Virgin Islands. The youngest of three siblings, he grew up in central Harlem and on Sugar Hill, receiving his first alto saxophone at the age of seven or eight. He attended Edward W. Stitt Junior High School and graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School in East Harlem. Rollins started as a pianist, changed to alto saxophone, and finally switched to tenor in 1946. During his high school years, he played in a band with other future jazz legends Jackie McLean, Kenny Drew, and Art Taylor.
As a saxophonist he had initially been attracted to the jump and R&B sounds of performers like Louis Jordan, but soon became drawn into the mainstream tenor saxophone tradition. The German critic Joachim Berendt described this tradition as sitting between the two poles of the strong sonority of Coleman Hawkins and the light flexible phrasing of Lester Young, which did so much to inspire the fleet improvisation of bebop in the 1950s. Other tenor saxophone influences include Ben Webster and Don Byas. By his mid-teens, Rollins became heavily influenced by alto saxophonist Charlie Parker. During his high school years, he was mentored by the pianist and composer Thelonious Monk, often rehearsing at Monk's apartment.
Rollins has played, at various times, a Selmer Mark VI tenor saxophone and a Buescher Aristocrat. During the 1970s he recorded on soprano saxophone for the album Easy Living. His preferred mouthpieces are made by Otto Link and Berg Larsen. He uses Frederick Hemke medium reeds.
The Last Time I Saw Paris
Sonny Rollins Lyrics
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I worry and wonder.
Your lips may be near,
but where is your heart?
It's always like this,
I worry and wonder.
You're close to me here,
It's a sad thing to realize
that you've a heart that never melts.
When we kiss, do you close your eyes,
pretending that I'm someone else?
You must break the spell,
this cloud that I'm under.
So please won't you tell, darling,
where is your heart?
The above lyrics are from the song The Last Time I Saw Paris, written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern for the 1940 movie "Lady Be Good." Sonny Rollins, a renowned American saxophonist, recorded his version of the song in 1957. The lyrics describe the singer's worry and uncertainty about their romantic partner's true feelings. Although they are physically intimate and share kisses, the singer is unsure if their partner's heart is truly in it.
The opening lines "Whenever we kiss, I worry and wonder. Your lips may be near, but where is your heart?" immediately set the mood for the entire song. The singer is experiencing a state of tension and anxiety in the romantic relationship, even during moments of intimacy. The chorus, "It's always like this, I worry and wonder. You're close to me here, but where is your heart?" repeats this theme and reinforces the singer's feelings of doubt and uncertainty.
The third verse shifts to expressing sadness and resignation at the realization that their partner's heart may never fully love them. The line "You've a heart that never melts" suggests that their partner is detached and unfeeling towards them. The singer asks if their partner is only pretending during moments of intimacy, hinting at a lack of trust and authenticity in their relationship.
The song's final lines express a plea from the singer to their partner to break the spell of ambiguity and tell them where their heart truly lies. Overall, the lyrics capture the common human experience of uncertainty and doubt in romantic relationships, while also expressing the need for clarity and honesty.
Line by Line Meaning
When ever we kiss,
Every time we kiss,
I worry and wonder.
I feel anxious and curious.
Your lips may be near,
You are physically close to me,
but where is your heart?
But I am wondering where your emotional connection is.
It's always like this,
This situation happens frequently,
I worry and wonder.
I feel anxious and curious,
You're close to me here,
You are physically close to me,
but where is your heart?
But I am wondering where your emotional connection is.
It's a sad thing to realize
It's a melancholy realization,
that you've a heart that never melts.
You have a heart that can't be moved or touched,
When we kiss, do you close your eyes,
Are you always pretending during our intimate moments,
pretending that I'm someone else?
that I am someone you would rather be with?
You must break the spell,
You need to change things,
this cloud that I'm under.
this feeling of uncertainty and sadness that I am experiencing,
So please won't you tell, darling,
So could you please be honest with me, my dear,
where is your heart?
Where do you truly stand emotionally?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GEORGES AURIC, WILLIAM ENGVICK, JACQUES LARUE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jon Wiliams
Love this rendition...
Emil Ram
624 views 9 likes 1 dislike . Thats what we have become.