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.
Toot Toot Tootsie Goodbye
Sonny Rollins Lyrics
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Toot, toot, Tootsie, don't cry
The choo choo train that takes me
Away from you no words can tell how sad it makes me
Kiss me, Tootsie, and then
Do it over again, watch for the mail, I'll never fail
If you don't get a letter then you'll know I'm in jail
Toot, toot, Tootsie don't cry
Toot, toot, Tootsie, good-bye!
Toot, toot, Tootsie, don't cry
The choo choo train that takes me
Away from you no words can tell how sad it makes me
Kiss me, Tootsie, and then
Do it over again, watch for the mail, I'll never fail
If you don't get a letter then you'll know I'm in jail
Toot, toot, Tootsie don't cry
Toot, toot, Tootsie, good-bye
This song, originally written by Gus Kahn, Dan Russo, and Ernie Erdman in 1922, tells the story of a man who is leaving his loved one by train. He expresses his sadness, asking his sweetheart not to cry and to kiss him one last time before he departs. He promises to write to her and never fail her, but warns that if she doesn't hear from him, it means he's in jail.
While the lyrics may seem light-hearted and whimsical, there is actually an underlying sense of melancholy and longing, as the singer tries to cope with the physical and emotional distance between him and his beloved. The repeated refrain of "toot, toot, Tootsie, goodbye" echoes the sound of a train whistle and reinforces the idea of departure and finality.
Overall, "Toot Toot Tootsie Goodbye" is a poignant reflection on the bittersweet nature of parting, and the ways in which we try to hold onto our memories of those we leave behind.
Line by Line Meaning
Toot, toot, Tootsie, good-bye!
I am leaving and saying goodbye to you, Tootsie.
Toot, toot, Tootsie, don't cry
Please don't cry, Tootsie, as I leave and say goodbye to you.
The choo choo train that takes me
I am leaving on a train, Tootsie.
Away from you no words can tell how sad it makes me
I am very sad to be leaving you, Tootsie, and words cannot express how much it hurts.
Kiss me, Tootsie, and then
Before I leave, please give me a kiss, Tootsie.
Do it over again, watch for the mail, I'll never fail
Let's kiss again, and I promise to send you letters to stay in touch, Tootsie.
If you don't get a letter then you'll know I'm in jail
If you don't receive any letters from me, Tootsie, it means I might be in jail.
Toot, toot, Tootsie don't cry
Please don't cry, Tootsie, as I leave and say goodbye to you.
Toot, toot, Tootsie, good-bye
I am leaving and saying goodbye to you, Tootsie.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Ernie Erdman, Gus Kahn, Dan Russo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind