At the age of two, Teresa was brought by her mother to audition for a radio program, "Uncle August's Kiddie Show" on Toledo's WSPD. She performed for cookies and cupcakes donated by the sponsor. Although she never took singing lessons, she took lessons to tap dance. From age five to twelve, she toured with the "Major Bowes Amateur Hour," then a popular radio show, both singing and dancing. She travelled with her aunt Mary until she married in 1949 and was devoted to the aunt, who lived with her until 1993, when Teresa's aunt Mary died.
At the age of 12, Teresa was brought back to Toledo, ceasing touring to have a normal school life. She did, however, continue to perform on local radio.
In January 1948 the sixteen-year-old Teresa won a local competition and (with three other winners) was sent to New York to appear on a talent show called "Stairway to the Stars," featuring Eddie Dowling. It was about that time that she changed the spelling of her name, as she won a number of talent shows and played night clubs in New York (including the famous Latin Quarter).
An agent, Richie Lisella, heard her sing and took her career in hand, and soon she was signed to a contract with London Records. In 1949 she recorded a record called "Copenhagen" with the Dixieland All-Stars. The B side was a song called "Music! Music! Music!" by Stephen Weiss and Bernie Baum. It turned out that this side was the one that took off, selling over a million copies, and became Teresa's signature song.
Another novelty song, "Choo'n Gum," hit the top 20 in 1950, followed by "Molasses, Molasses." Although she preferred to sing ballads, the only one of those that made the charts was "Longing for You" in 1951.
In 1951 she switched labels, going to Coral Records. By this time she was married with a daughter. Since she never learned to read music, she had a demo sent to her to learn the tunes of her songs. Even so, she had a number of hits for Coral, though one of her recordings, "Gonna Get Along Without You Now," (1952) was better known in a 1956 version by Patience and Prudence and was also a hit in 1964 for Skeeter Davis as well as Tracey Dey. Also that year she recorded "You'll Never Get Away" in a duet with Don Cornell, and in 1953 came her best selling hit, "Till I Waltz Again with You."
More 1953 hits were "Dancin' with Someone," "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall," and another gold record, "Ricochet." In later years she followed with "Baby, Baby, Baby," "Bell Bottom Blues," "Our Heartbreaking Waltz" (written by Sidney Prosen, who had written "Till I Waltz Again With You"), and "Skinnie Minnie." During those years she continued to play the big night clubs in New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, and elsewhere.
In the mid-50s, she did a number of covers of rhythm and blues songs like "Pledging My Love," "Tweedle Dee," and "Rock Love." She also covered some country songs like "Jilted," "I Gotta Go Get My Baby," and "Let Me Go, Lover!," (better known by Joan Weber).
In 1956 she had a two-sided hit with "A Tear Fell" and "Bo Weevil," covers of R&B songs. This was followed by "Sweet Old-Fashioned Girl." Also that year she co-wrote "I Love Mickey," about New York Yankees center fielder Mickey Mantle, who appeared on the record with Teresa. Another big hit for Teresa in 1956 was "Mutual Admiration Society."
Though she is often dismissed as another pop singer, most of her songs have a decidedly pre-rock beat to them, especially "Ricochet", "Jilted" and "A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl".
In 1957 she made more covers: of country song "Teardrops in My Heart" and R&B songs "You Send Me" and "Empty Arms.". The last chart hit of hers was "Milord" in 1961, an English language version of a song by Édith Piaf.
In 1962 she switched labels again, to Philips Records, and subsequently made a few recordings for other companies, but no more big chart hits.
In the 1970s, she recorded for Flying Dutchman Records' Amsterdam label owned by her husband Bob Thiele.
All together, she recorded nearly 600 song titles. For her contribution to the recording industry, Teresa Brewer has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Brewer died on October 17, 2007 in New Rochelle, New York.
Sunday
Teresa Brewer Lyrics
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Lord, dear Lord above, God almighty,
God of love, please look down and see my people through.
I believe that God put sun and moon up in the sky.
I don't mind the gray skies
'cause they're just clouds passing by.
Heaven is a goodness time.
A brighter light on high.
Do unto others as you would have them do to you.
And have a brighter by and by.
Lord, dear Lord above, God almighty,
God of love, please look down and see my people through.
I believe God is now, was then and always will be.
With God's blessing we can make it through eternity.
Lord, dear Lord above, God almighty,
God of love, please look down and see my people through.
The lyrics to Teresa Brewer's "Sunday" are a prayerful appeal to God to watch over and protect her people. The song begins with a plea to the "Lord above" to assist those in distress, asking for an intervention in difficult times. The lyrics then continue with Teresa expressing her belief that God created the heavens and the earth, and that even during the darkest of days, she remains positive since she knows that gloomy clouds don't last forever.
Teresa's next lyrics remind us that heaven is a place of goodness, with a brighter light shining above. The song reveals how following the golden rule of "doing unto others as we would have them do unto us" is a path to "a brighter by and by." The song's final plea to the "Lord above" expresses faith in God's endless power and love, asserting that with God's blessings, we can make it through eternity.
Overall, "Sunday" is a beautiful prayer and a reflection of her belief in the power of faith and the significance of treating others well in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
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The singer expresses a deep emotion of yearning or admiration.
Lord, dear Lord above, God almighty, God of love, please look down and see my people through.
The singer seeks divine intervention from God, who is powerful and compassionate, to help guide and protect her people through their struggles.
I believe that God put sun and moon up in the sky.
The singer has faith in God's creative power and ability to shape the universe according to his divine plan.
I don't mind the gray skies 'cause they're just clouds passing by.
The singer embraces the impermanence of difficult times and finds solace in the knowledge that they will eventually come to an end.
Heaven is a goodness time. A brighter light on high.
Heaven is portrayed as a place of ultimate bliss and a source of hope and comfort for those who believe in it.
Do unto others as you would have them do to you.
The singer advocates for the Golden Rule - treating others with kindness and respect in the same way one wishes to be treated.
And have a brighter by and by.
The singer looks forward to a better future, both in this life and the hereafter.
I believe God is now, was then and always will be.
The singer affirms her unwavering faith in God's eternal presence and existence, transcending time and space.
With God's blessing we can make it through eternity.
The singer believes that God's grace can help us navigate the complexities of life and attain eternal salvation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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