“Patty Andrews, the lead singer of the Andrews sisters group was born in Mound, Minnesota on February 16, 1918 in a house that occupied the property where The Gillespie Center stands today.
During the 1920’s Laverne, Maxene and Patty Andrews spent their summers in Mound, living with their parents in a house across the street from the grocery store that was owned by Pete and Ed Sollie, bachelor uncles of the three girls. (Today, Green T Accounting occupies the Sollie grocery store building and The Gillespie Center is on the land where the Andrews Sisters’ house once stood.)” - From a commentary by Tom Rockvam that appeared in The Laker Newspaper during 2005.
They started their career as imitators of an earlier successful singing group, the Boswell Sisters. After singing with various dance bands and touring on Vaudeville, they first came to national attention with their recordings and radio broadcasts in 1937. Their music entertained Allied troops worldwide during World War II, sold war bonds, appeared in several films (including a few Abbott and Costello features), and performed for soldiers serving overseas. Their first film with Abbott and Costello, the pre-war comedy Buck Privates, introduced their best-known recording, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" which would win Best Song at the Academy Awards.
They also recorded many songs with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and other popular artists of the era. Their popularity was such that after the war they discovered that some of their records had actually been smuggled into Germany after the labels had been changed to read "Hitler's Marching Songs."
After a brief hiatus after the war, the sisters regrouped, performing in clubs throughout the United States and Europe. They broke up in 1953, with Patty's choice to go solo. Their last appearance together was in 1962 on The Dean Martin Show. Laverne, who had cancer, retired soon after; she died five years later, in 1967 at the age of 55.
After a long silence, the two surviving sisters had something of a comeback when Bette Midler recorded a cover of their song "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Maxene and Patty appeared both together and separately throughout the 1970s, with Maxene releasing a solo album in 1986. Their most notable comeback; however, was in the Sherman Brothers' nostalgic World War II musical: "Over Here!" which premiered on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in 1974. The musical featured the two then living sisters (Maxene and Patty) and was written with them in mind for the leads. It launched the careers of many, now notable theater and film icons (John Travolta, Marilu Henner, Ann Reinking, et al). Ironically it was the last major hurrah of the sisters and was cut short due to a frivolous lawsuit initiated by Patty's husband to the show's producers.
Throughout their long career, the sisters had sold over 60 million records. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.
The last of the three sisters Patty Andrews died of natural causes at her home in Northridge, California on January 30, 2013, just 17 days before her 95th birthday. The sisters were interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California, close to their parents.
Begin The Beguine
The Andrews Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It brings back the sound of music so tender
It brings back a night of tropical splendor
It brings back a memory evergreen
I'm with you once more, I'm with you under the stars, under the stars
And down by the shore an orchestra's playing
And even the palms seem to be swaying, oh swaying
To live again is past all endeavor, is past all endeavor
Except that tune clutches my heart, clutches my heart
And there we are, swearing to love forever
And promising never, never to part
What moments divine, what rapture serene
Till clouds came along to disperse the joys we had tasted
And now when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted
I know but too well, I know too well just what they mean, too well what they mean
So don't let them begin, begin the beguine
Let the love that was once a fire remain an ember
Let it sleep like the dead desire I only remember
When they begin the beguine
Oh yes, let them begin the beguine, make them play
Till the stars that were there before return above you
Till you whisper to me once more
Darling, I love you
And we suddenly know, what heaven we're in
When they begin, begin the beguine
Begin, begin
Begin, begin
Begin, begin
Begin the beguine
The Andrews Sisters's song Begin The Beguine is a love ballad that reminisces about the past and the power of music to evoke emotions and memories. The first verse describes how hearing the tune of the beguine music brings back memories of a warm and tender night filled with tropical music and the beauty of the stars and the ocean. The second verse talks about how the music reminds the singers of a relationship that was pure and everlasting until it was destroyed by the outside world. The final verse is a plea to relive that magical moment when they first fell in love and to let the beguine music play on.
Line by Line Meaning
When they begin, begin the beguine
The start of the musical notes of beguine brings with it fond memories and emotions.
It brings back the sound of music so tender
The sound of beguine reminds of soft and gentle music.
It brings back a night of tropical splendor
The music kindles memories of a warm, glorious night in the tropics.
It brings back a memory evergreen
The memories triggered by the music are forever fresh and green.
I'm with you once more, I'm with you under the stars, under the stars
The music transports the listener to a place and time where they were with someone they loved under a starry sky.
And down by the shore an orchestra's playing
The listener hears an orchestra playing on the seashore.
And even the palms seem to be swaying, oh swaying
The atmosphere is so gripping that it seems as if the palms are swaying with the music too.
To live again is past all endeavor, is past all endeavor
The music makes one feel as if they are reliving a cherished moment that is impossible to experience again.
Except that tune clutches my heart, clutches my heart
However, the tune has such an emotional grip on the listener, that it feels like it is squeezing their heart.
And there we are, swearing to love forever
The listener is taken back to a moment where they and their loved one vowed to love each other eternally.
And promising never, never to part
The promise made on that blissful night was to never let go or leave each other's side.
What moments divine, what rapture serene
The experience was so divine and peaceful, that it can only be described as heavenly.
Till clouds came along to disperse the joys we had tasted
However, the happy moment was short-lived as difficult times arrived and took away the joy.
And now when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted
When people complain about lost opportunities, the listener relates because they too lost a special moment to fate.
I know but too well, I know too well just what they mean, too well what they mean
The listener understands all too well how it feels to miss out on a chance that will never come back.
So don't let them begin, begin the beguine
Therefore, to avoid feeling the pain from the past, the listener pleads that the music not start again.
Let the love that was once a fire remain an ember
Instead, the listener wants the love that was once strong to remain a small, but warm and glowing ember.
Let it sleep like the dead desire I only remember
The listener wants the love to become a distant memory, like a dead desire that they only recall.
Oh yes, let them begin the beguine, make them play
However, despite the pain, the listener gives in and wants the music to start again and the orchestra to play.
Till the stars that were there before return above you
The listener wants to be transported back to that magical night, where the same stars shine in the sky.
Till you whisper to me once more, Darling, I love you
While the music proceeds, the listener wants their love to whisper in their ears again, saying how much they are loved.
And we suddenly know, what heaven we're in
In the company of the music and the loved one, the listener feels like they're in heaven.
When they begin, begin the beguine
Thus, the listener is drawn back to the magical, faraway memory that is associated with the music of beguine.
Begin, begin
Let the beguine begin.
Begin, begin
Let the beguine begin.
Begin, begin
Let the beguine begin.
Begin the beguine
Let the beguine begin.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cesarmc1989
When they begin the beguine
It brings back the sound of music so tender,
It brings back a night of tropical splendour,
It brings back a memory evergreen.
I'm with you once more under the stars,
And down by the shore an orchestra's playing
And even the palms seem to be swaying
When they begin the beguine.
To live it again is past all endeavour,
Except when that tune clutches my heart,
And there we are, swearing to love forever,
And promising never, never to part.
What moments divine, what rapture serene,
Till clouds came along to disperse the joys we had tasted,
And now when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted,
I know but too well what they mean;
So don't let them begin the beguine
Let the love that was once a fire remain an ember;
Let it sleep like the dead desire I only remember
When they begin the beguine.
Oh yes, let them begin the beguine, make them play
Till the stars that were there before return above you,
Till you whisper to me once more,
"Darling, I love you!"
And we suddenly know, what heaven we're in,
When they begin the beguine
@geoffm9944
The Andrew Sisters were simply brilliant singers and entertainers. What a talented trio.
@lindaotimi1588
BRAVO!!!!! BRAVO!!!!! Mum Is in a Nursing home. Am Recording a few Songs for Her.... May go with my Computer and Play this for her and the Other Loves!!!
@Kelly-nm4kw
Hello Linda, How are you doing?
@bennyjazzful
THIS CERTAINLY WAS THE GOLDEN ERA OF SONG-WRITING & SINGING. WE ARE LUCKY TO STILL HAVE THE VIDEOS & RECORDS OF THIS WONDERFUL MUSIC NOW TO REMEMBER THIS WONDERFUL MUSIC. WHY CAN'T THEY WRITE SUCH GREAT SONGS ANYMORE,WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW
@ROCKIN-AL
Gotta love those Andrews Sisters, still great to enjoy
@jsky21
Thanks for bringing back memories of music and films from my as a child. I remember them..
@jsky21
oops forgot to finish the sentence "past."
@willemdethouars1816
Like to go back in time, and the Andrew sisters singing all time hits with the great bands and Crosby. They are the finest.
@hannadror
The Andrew Sisters were and are till today , a wonderful Trio, so musical with a great rhytme. Arella Dror, Israel
@chrisb3976
So classy. Back when entertainers had respect for themselves on stage.