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.
What Is This Thing Called Love
Sonny Rollins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This funny thing called love?
Just who can solve its mystery?
Why should it make a fool of me?
I saw you there one wonderful day
You took my heart and threw it away
That's why I ask the Lord in Heaven above
I saw you there one wonderful day
You took my heart and threw it away
That's why I ask the Lord in Heaven above
What is this thing called love?
In Sonny Rollins's jazz standard "What Is This Thing Called Love?" the lyrics grapple with the confusion, pain, and wonder that comes with love. The question of what love is and why it can have such power over people is presented through a series of rhetorical questions that illustrate the singer's confusion and frustration. The repeated line "What is this thing called love?" highlights the mystery of love and the inability to fully understand it. The reference to making a fool of oneself suggests the risk and vulnerability that comes with loving someone.
The verses also tell a story of heartbreak and loss. The singer recalls seeing their love interest on a "wonderful day" but having their heart broken when that person "threw it away." This experience leads to the questioning of love's nature and the decision to turn to a higher power for answers.
Overall, the lyrics of "What Is This Thing Called Love?" capture the complexity and uncertainty of love, while also acknowledging its power and allure.
Line by Line Meaning
What is this thing called love?
What exactly is this abstract concept referred to as love?
This funny thing called love?
This strange, unpredictable feeling that people call love?
Just who can solve its mystery?
No one knows the answer to the mystery of love, and no one can truly understand it.
Why should it make a fool of me?
Love can cause people to act in foolish ways, which can be confusing and difficult to understand.
I saw you there one wonderful day
I remember the day I first saw you, and how joyful it was.
You took my heart and threw it away
You broke my heart and left me feeling hurt and alone.
That's why I ask the Lord in Heaven above
I turn to a higher power for answers and guidance, as I cannot understand the nature of love on my own.
What is this thing called love?
Once again, I am left wondering what exactly this elusive and mysterious feeling called love truly is.
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
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