McCorkle was born in Berkeley, California. She studied modern languages at the University of California, Berkeley. McCorkle began singing professionally after hearing recordings of Billie Holiday in Paris in the late 1960s. She nearly became an interpreter at the European Commission in Brussels, but moved instead to London in 1972 to pursue a career in singing. While in the UK, she made two albums which, although well received, enjoyed only limited circulation.
In the late 1970s, McCorkle returned to the United States and settled in New York City, where a five-month engagement at the Cookery in Greenwich Village brought her to wider public attention and elicited rave reviews from critics.
During the 1980s, McCorkle continued to record; her maturing style and the darkening timbre of her voice greatly enhanced her performances. In the early 1990s, two of the albums McCorkle made for Concord Records, No More Blues and Sábia, were enormously successful and made her name known to the wider world. She was recorded by the Smithsonian Institution which at the time made her the youngest singer ever to have been included in its popular music series. McCorkle played Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher and Alice Tully Halls five times and Carnegie Hall three times, and was featured soloist with Skitch Henderson and the 80-piece New York Pops in a concert of Brazilian music.
Thanks to her linguistic skills, McCorkle translated lyrics of Brazilian, French, and Italian songs, notably those for her Brazilian album Sabia. McCorkle also had several short stories published and, in 1991, began work on her first novel. She published fiction in Mademoiselle, Cosmopolitan Magazine, and non-fiction in the New York Times Magazine and in American Heritage, including lengthy articles on Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, Irving Berlin and Mae West.
McCorkle suffered for many years from depression and cancer, and took her own life at age 55 by leaping off the balcony of her highrise Manhattan apartment. She was alone in her home at the time. The police immediately entered her home after identifying her body and found no foul play. Suicide was ruled the cause of death.
Lullaby of Broadway
Susannah McCorkle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lullaby of Broadway
The hip hooray and ballyhoo
The lullaby of Broadway
The rumble of a subway train
The rattle of the taxis
The daffodils who entertain
At Angelo's and Maxi's
When a Broadway baby says good night
It's early in the morning
Manhattan babies don't sleep tight
Until the dawn
Good night, baby
Good night, the milkman's on his way
Sleep tight, baby
Sleep tight, let's call it a day
Hey
The band begins to go to town
And everyone goes crazy
You rock a bye your baby round
'Til everything gets hazy
Hush a bye, I'll buy you this and that
You hear a daddy saying
And baby goes home to her flat
To sleep all day
Good night, baby
Good night, the milkman's on his way
Sleep tight, baby
Sleep tight, let's call it a day
Listen to the lullaby
Of old Broadway
In the opening lines of "Lullaby of Broadway," Susannah McCorkle invites her listeners to join her in listening to the soothing lullaby that is the city of New York's iconic Broadway street. The song evokes the energy and excitement of the city, represented by the hip hoorays and ballyhoo. The lyrics draw vivid images of the city's noises like the rumble of the subway train and the rattle of the taxis, as well as its entertainers like the daffodils at Angelo's and Maxi's.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the lullaby of Broadway is, in fact, an all-nighter. The lyrics emphasize that when a Broadway baby says goodnight, it is early in the morning for the rest of the world, and Manhattan babies don't sleep tight until the dawn. There is a palpable energy and excitement in the air as everyone goes crazy, and the band starts to play, while parents hush their babies with whispers of promises of gifts and presents.
Overall, "Lullaby of Broadway" embodies the city's restless and relentless spirit. While it may be a lullaby, there is little rest to be found in New York City. It is a celebration of the city's excitement, its hustle, and its transformative power.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on along and listen to
Join me and pay attention to
The lullaby of Broadway
The calming and soothing sounds of the bustling city street called Broadway
The hip hooray and ballyhoo
The enthusiasm and excitement that comes along with it all
The rumble of a subway train
The loud roaring sound created by a train passing below the ground
The rattle of the taxis
The loud and fast moving sounds of the taxis
The daffodils who entertain
The lively and colorful performers who please and entertain you
At Angelo's and Maxi's
At two specific places where the entertainment can be found
When a Broadway baby says good night
When an individual who is immersed in the world of Broadway decides to go to bed
It's early in the morning
It's already daytime when they finally retire to bed
Manhattan babies don't sleep tight
Those who live in Manhattan are not able to easily relax and fall asleep
Until the dawn
They have to wait for the sun to come up before they can sleep peacefully
Good night, baby
Sweet dreams, my dear
Good night, the milkman's on his way
Sleep well, it's time for the milkman to deliver some milk early in the morning
Sleep tight, baby
Sleep well, my darling
Sleep tight, let's call it a day
Let's finally end this long day and get some rest
The band begins to go to town
The musical performance is about to get started in a big way
And everyone goes crazy
The excitement and energy levels of the audience are at its highest point
You rock a bye your baby round
You lull your baby to sleep by gently rocking them and singing a song
'Til everything gets hazy
Until your baby falls asleep and their vision becomes blurry
Hush a bye, I'll buy you this and that
Be quiet and go to sleep, I will reward you with various things later on
You hear a daddy saying
The father is trying to calm the baby down and prepare them for bedtime
And baby goes home to her flat
The child goes back to their apartment or dwelling
To sleep all day
To be asleep for most of the day, a typical sleep schedule for a child or baby
Listen to the lullaby
Pay attention to the calming sounds and feel comforted
Of old Broadway
Of the long-standing, historic New York City street known for its theaters and entertainment
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Warren, Al Dubin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind