True to her inimitable style, and as ever accompanied by Jordan Officer on guitar, Susie invents a very personal way of celebrating the Holidays with a Christmas album of bewitching charm. Demonstrating once again her exceptional flair for selecting songs, the singer offers a choice of some great classics and some superb lesser known titles that she unveils with obvious pleasure. These infinitely alluring performances give off an irresistible warmth, heightened by the jazz and bluesy colours so characteristic of the Arioli sound. With its flowing rhythms, its hushed atmospheres and its carefully crafted arrangements, Christmas Dreaming evokes the holiday spirit with a formidable authenticity.
* * *
Susie Arioli’s lineup, which originally performed under the name the Susie Arioli Swing Band, has revolved from the very beginning around the duo of the singer (voice and snare drum) and Jordan Officer (guitar and musical arrangements). In July 1998, at the time not well known to the general public, the Susie Arioli Swing Band scored a resounding success with its first performance at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. On the heels of that widely hailed set, the group received a remarkable invitation: open for Ray Charles’s show in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts. The crowd that night – and the critics – were instantly smitten.
Since then, the group’s popularity has taken off in Quebec, the rest of Canada, and well beyond our borders. Susie and her group were the first artists to sell out a show at the 2000 edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. A number of their shows there since have also played to full houses, and the band carries on expanding its fan base thanks to the smooth voice and charisma of Susie Arioli combined with the deft artistry and sensitivity of Jordan Officer.
Released in May 2001 in Toronto, the first album, It’s Wonderful, impressed the media crowd in attendance at the Top of the Senator club during the JVC Jazz Festival. “Susie is unerringly right in what she chooses to sing and unrivalled in how she sings it,” said Peter Goddard of the Toronto Star. “And what’s so incredible is that the band has succeeded in putting the others out of our mind,” commented Le Devoir’s Serge Truffaut. “Susie Arioli is a rare gem… With festive, balanced, well-played music,” praised Claude Côté in the weekly Voir. The 2001 tour was an opportunity for the group to build more of a name for itself abroad, and Susie and acolytes made a vivid impression during key stops in places like New York’s famous Birdland, where the group bedazzled the New York public and critics alike, and Royal Festival Hall in London, not to mention an acclaimed appearance at the Festival Django Reinhardt in Paris.
In 2002, Susie Arioli and Jordan Officer produced their second album, Pennies from Heaven, selling more than 48,000 copies. No less than they deserved, the album being another collection of gems, all masterfully chosen songs, and enhanced by the backing of the late Ralph Sutton and Jeff Healey on piano and guitar respectively.
Released in 2004 under the name Susie Arioli Band, the third album, That’s for Me, was produced by John Snyder, well-known for his work with Chet Baker, Ornette Coleman, Charlie Haden and Etta James (which won him a Grammy). Reception was once again outstanding, with close to 50,000 copies sold. The first French-language single was a magnificent and irresistibly seductive version of Django Reinhardt’s classic “Nuages” (with lyrics by Jacques Larue), while the first English single was a gentle version of the unforgettable “You Don’t Know Me,” which was popularized widely by the legendary Ray Charles.
In October 2005, the Susie Arioli Band was back in the studio recording Learn to Smile Again, undisputedly the most accomplished album of the band’s career to that date. This fourth album pays tribute to the legendary country singer Roger Miller. Scrupulously avoiding Miller’s best known compositions, the band opted instead to explore lesser known gems such as “Husbands and Wives,” “Less and Less” and “A Million Years or So.” Two original instrumentals by Officer were also featured on Learn to Smile Again, as well as a cover of Irma Thomas’s “Ruler of My Heart” and a sublime interpretation of the jazz standard “By Myself.” The masterpiece on this album is an extraordinary version of the Jimmy Webb classic “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” a song illustrating the band’s Americana/roots dimension with panache.
Live at Le Festival de Jazz de Montréal, the group’s first DVD, was recorded at the Festival’s 2006 edition and released in April 2007. Accompanied by a live CD, the DVD was certified Gold in Canada.
The Susie Arioli Band wound up its Canada-wide tour with a large-scale concert in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts as part of the 2007 Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, accompanied by the prestigious I Musici de Montréal chamber orchestra. The live DVD/CD was released in France in October 2007, at the start of the band’s concert tour in that country.
In October 2008, Susie Arioli released a first album under her own name entitled Night Lights. This fifth album in her career, which appeared on the Spectra Musique label, was a highlight in the singer’s evolution. Still accompanied by the outstanding guitarist Jordan Officer, who also produced the album, this time a radiant Susie integrates into her repertoire her own unique takes on standard jazz classics. On pieces like “Blue Skies,” “Can’t We Be Friends” and “Beyond the Sea,” there’s that distinctive and original Susie Arioli sound once again. Solidly backed by Officer on guitars and by Bill Gossage on bass, the sparkling brunette delivers her songs with all the ardour she’s so well known for.
After a triumphant return to Montreal in November at Théâtre Outremont, where she played to a sold-out house, the singer was back the following summer at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, which awarded her its Oscar Peterson Prize, a prestigious distinction honouring her contribution to Canadian jazz and the high level of her art. For that occasion her show sold out the hall, this time Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts, where the crowd welcomed her with an enthusiasm befitting the circumstances, as it did at the extra Montreal shows added in the fall.
Tours piled up for Susie Arioli, who has performed several times in France, including at Olympia in Paris as part of TSF’s fifth-anniversary gala. The renowned French jazz radio network also enshrined Night Lights as “best jazz vocal album of 2009” on its annual list of award winners. Susie was additionally invited to perform in Mexico, where she gave a series of shows in late 2009.
The table was set for a new studio adventure, and Susie moved into celebration mode with the recording of a first Christmas album, which was released in November 2010. The holiday period promises to be magical this year! Like a heart-warming smile, Christmas Dreaming is an invitation to dream while wide awake.
Old Toy Trains
Susie Arioli Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Little boy toys, comin' from a sack
Carried by a man dressed in white and red
Little boy don't you think it?s time you where in bed?
Close your eyes, listen to the skies
All is calm, all is well
Soon you'll hear Kris Kringle and the jingle bells
Bringin' old toy trains, little toy tracks
Carried by a man dressed in white and red
Little boy don't you think it?s time you where in bed?
Close your eyes, listen to the skies
All is calm, all is well
Soon you'll hear Kris Kringle and the jingle bells
Bringin' old toy trains, little toy tracks
Little boy toys comin' form a sack
Carried by a man dressed in white and red
Little boy don't you think it?s time you where in bed?""
In Susie Arioli's song "Old Toy Trains," the lyrics convey a nostalgic, soothing atmosphere reminiscent of childhood innocence and the magic of Christmas. The imagery of old toy trains and little toy tracks evokes a sense of simplicity and joy associated with playing with toys as a child. The mention of a man dressed in white and red carrying toys in a sack immediately brings to mind the iconic figure of Santa Claus, further emphasizing the Christmas theme of the song.
The repetitive structure of the lyrics, with the refrain "Close your eyes, listen to the skies, All is calm, all is well," creates a lullaby-like quality, encouraging the listener to relax and embrace the peacefulness of the holiday season. The reference to Kris Kringle and jingle bells adds to the magical and festive ambiance, enhancing the imagery of a child eagerly anticipating Christmas and the arrival of Santa Claus.
The lyrics also highlight the tender and caring nature of a child's caregiver, gently reminding the little boy that it's time to go to bed. This nurturing gesture reinforces the idea of safety and comfort, as well as the tradition of children eagerly awaiting Santa's visit on Christmas Eve. The repetition of the verses and the imagery of toys being delivered by a benevolent figure in red and white enhance the charm and enchantment of the holiday season.
Overall, "Old Toy Trains" captures the essence of childhood wonder and excitement during Christmastime, emphasizing the themes of tradition, magic, and the joy of receiving gifts. The soft, soothing melody of the song combined with the evocative lyrics creates a heartfelt and sentimental ode to the innocence and magic of Christmas through the eyes of a child.
Line by Line Meaning
Old toy trains, little toy tracks
Reflecting on childhood memories and the innocence of playing with toy trains and tracks
Little boy toys, comin' from a sack
Imagining receiving toys as a gift, possibly from Santa Claus
Carried by a man dressed in white and red
Visualizing Santa Claus delivering presents in his iconic outfit
Little boy don't you think it?s time you where in bed?
Encouraging a child to go to bed, creating anticipation for Christmas morning
Close your eyes, listen to the skies
Encouraging the child to listen for the sounds of the holiday season
All is calm, all is well
Creating a peaceful atmosphere during the holiday season
Soon you'll hear Kris Kringle and the jingle bells
Foretelling the arrival of Santa Claus and the sound of bells during Christmas time
Bringin' old toy trains, little toy tracks
Emphasizing the joy of receiving nostalgic toys during the holidays
Little boy toys, comin' form a sack
Repeating the imagery of receiving toys as a gift during Christmas
Carried by a man dressed in white and red
Reiterating the image of Santa Claus delivering presents in his traditional outfit
Little boy don't you think it?s time you where in bed?
Continuing to encourage the child to go to bed with excitement for Christmas morning
Close your eyes, listen to the skies
Reemphasizing the importance of listening to the sounds of the holiday season
All is calm, all is well
Reassuring the child about the peacefulness of the holiday season
Soon you'll hear Kris Kringle and the jingle bells
Anticipating the joy of hearing Santa Claus and the festive sounds of bells
Bringin' old toy trains, little toy tracks
Conveying the happiness of receiving classic toys during Christmas
Little boy toys comin' form a sack
Reiterating the image of receiving toys as a special gift during the holidays
Carried by a man dressed in white and red
Echoing the presence of Santa Claus as he delivers presents in his traditional colors
Little boy don't you think it?s time you where in bed?
Continuing to gently suggest that it's bedtime for the child
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Roger Miller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind