Turrentine was born in Pittsburgh's Hill District into a musical family. His father, Thomas Turrentine, Sr., was a saxophonist with Al Cooper's Savoy Sultans, his mother played stride piano, and his older brother Tommy Turrentine became a professional trumpet player.
He began his prolific career with blues and rhythm and blues bands, and was at first greatly influenced by Illinois Jacquet. In the 1950s, he went on to play with the groups of Lowell Fulson, Earl Bostic, and at the turn of the decade, Max Roach.
Turrentine received his only formal musical training during his military stint in the mid-'50s. In 1959, he jumped from the frying pan into the fire when he left the military and went straight into the band of the great drummer Max Roach.
He married the organist Shirley Scott in 1960 and the two frequently played and recorded together. In the 1960s, he started working with organist Jimmy Smith, and made many soul jazz recordings both with Smith and as a leader.
In the 1970s, after his professional split and divorce from Scott, Turrentine turned to jazz fusion and signed for Creed Taylor's CTI label. His first album for CTI, Sugar proved one of his biggest successes and a seminal recording for the label. He worked with Freddie Hubbard, Milt Jackson, George Benson, Bob James, Richard Tee, Idris Muhammad, Ron Carter, Grant Green and Eric Gale, to name a few. He returned to soul jazz in the 1980s and into the 1990s.
Turrentine lived in Fort Washington, Maryland from the early 90s until his death.
He died of a stroke in New York City on September 12, 2000 and is buried in Pittsburgh's Allegheny Cemetery
Little Green Apples
Stanley Turrentine Lyrics
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With my hair down in my eyes and she says "Hi"
And I stumble to the breakfast table
While the kids are goin' off to school goodbye
And she reaches out 'n' takes my hand
And squeezes it 'n' says "How ya feelin', hon?"
And I look across at smilin' lips
That warm my heart and see my mornin' sun
And if that's not lovin' me
Then all I've got to say
God didn't make little green apples
And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
And there's no such thing as Doctor Seuss
Or Disneyland, and Mother Goose, no nursery rhyme
God didn't make little green apples
And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
And when my self is feelin' low
I think about her face aglow and ease my mind
Sometimes I call her up at home knowin' she's busy
And ask her if she could get away and meet me
And maybe we could grab a bite to eat
And she drops what she's doin' and she hurries down to meet me
And I'm always late
But she sits waitin' patiently and smiles when she first sees me
'cause she's made that way
And if that ain't lovin' me
Then all I've got to say
God didn't make little green apples
And it don't snow in Minneapolis when the winter comes
And there's no such thing as make-believe
Puppy dogs, autumn leaves 'n' BB guns
God didn't make little green apples
And it don't rain in Indianapolis
in the summertime. The lyrics of Stanley Turrentine's "Little Green Apples" is a sweet tribute to the love and devotion between the singer and his wife. It describes a typical morning at their home, where the singer wakes up with his hair in his eyes and his wife greets him with a warm smile. They go about their day, even if they are apart, thinking about each other and longing to be together. The singer knows that his wife's love is true and no matter what happens, he can always count on her to be there for him.
The lyrics also contain a metaphorical and playful element, with the repetition of the phrase "God didn't make little green apples." This phrase acts as a way to express the singer's incredulity that his love and his wife's devotion is real. For him, it is as impossible as the existence of little green apples or of nursery rhymes like Mother Goose. It's a whimsical way of stating that their love is rare and something he cherishes.
Line by Line Meaning
And I wake up in the mornin'
I begin my day with her by my side
With my hair down in my eyes and she says 'Hi'
She greets me every morning in bed, despite my messy hair blocking my vision
And I stumble to the breakfast table
I start my day clumsily
While the kids are goin' off to school goodbye
As the children leave for school
And she reaches out 'n' takes my hand
She shows affection by holding my hand
And squeezes it 'n' says 'How ya feelin', hon?'
She checks in on my well-being, expressing care through touch and words
And I look across at smilin' lips
I admire her happy expression
That warm my heart and see my mornin' sun
Her smile brightens my day and lifts my spirits
And if that's not lovin' me
If these actions don't express love
Then all I've got to say
Then I don't know what does
God didn't make little green apples
There are certain things that are impossible, like green apples being created by a higher being
And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
Just like it's impossible for green apples to exist, it doesn't rain in Indianapolis during summer
And there's no such thing as Doctor Seuss
Certain things are so established in our lives that they might as well have come directly from a higher power, such as beloved children's author Dr. Seuss
Or Disneyland, and Mother Goose, no nursery rhyme
Disneyland and childhood stories are also part of life's natural order, seemingly unchangeable
And when my self is feelin' low
When I am feeling down about myself
I think about her face aglow and ease my mind
I think about her happy face and it calms me down
Sometimes I call her up at home knowin' she's busy
Occasionally, I contact her when she is occupied with other tasks
And ask her if she could get away and meet me
I ask her to take a break so we can spend time together
And maybe we could grab a bite to eat
We might have a meal together
And she drops what she's doin' and she hurries down to meet me
She prioritizes me and makes an effort to meet me despite her busy schedule
And I'm always late
I tend to be delayed when meeting her
But she sits waitin' patiently and smiles when she first sees me
Despite my tardiness, she remains patient and friendly when she meets me
'cause she's made that way
It's her nature to be kind and understanding
And if that ain't lovin' me
If her actions aren't expressions of love toward me
Then all I've got to say
Then I'm not sure what else would qualify as love
God didn't make little green apples
Certain things are simply impossible, such as green apples that don't grow naturally
And it don't snow in Minneapolis when the winter comes
Just like green apples, it's impossible for it not to snow in Minneapolis in the winter
And there's no such thing as make-believe
Fiction doesn't exist in reality and cannot become true
Puppy dogs, autumn leaves 'n' BB guns
Examples of iconic childhood experiences that are not capable of coming true
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Robert Russell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind