“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.
Long Time No See
The Andrews Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby, what's the reason I get the go by
Like to know why long time no see
Long time adore
If you're on the level why don't you tell me
Why me no see you any more
Let him go, let him go
Everyone keeps tellin' me
Guess my heart knows best
And the rest is up to you
Honestly, am I just a fool for stringin' along
Oh baby what's wrong
Long time no see
Long time no see
Baby, what's the reason I get the go by
Like to know why long time no see
Long time oh I adore
If you're on the level why don't you tell me
Why me no see you any more, more, more
Let him go, let him go, let him go, let him go
Everyone keeps tellin' me
But my heart can no agree
Ra-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
You, me no see, what can it be
Maybe I'm crazy, but long time no see
Ra-ra-ra long time no see
What's the reason I get the go by
Like to know why long time no see
Me love you, you love who
Is it yes or is it no
Do I stay or do I go
I'd be in a stew if you ever said we're through
What to do
If you loved me the way that I love you
It wouldn't be, it wouldn't be
Long time no see
It could be true that I love you
I miss you so, long time no see
The Andrews Sisters' song "Long Time No See" is a plea to an out-of-reach lover who hasn't been seen for a long time. The lyrics express the singer's confusion and desire to understand why they are being brushed off, while also revealing a certain vulnerability that suggests she fears being seen as foolish. The repetition of "long time no see" acts as both a lament and an accusation, with the singer trying to get to the heart of why her lover has been avoiding her. Despite the advice of others to move on, the singer's heart "knows best" and she is unable to give up on their relationship.
The lyrics of "Long Time No See" capture the doubts and fears of a relationship in limbo, where one person is holding on and the other is distant. The song highlights the uncertainty and vulnerability that can come with pursuing love, as well as the strength it takes to hold on to hope when things seem uncertain. The Andrews Sisters' performance adds a playful tone to the song, with quick rhythms and harmonies that keep the listener engaged even as the lyrics delve into deeper emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Long time no see
It has been a long time since I last saw you
Baby, what's the reason I get the go by
Why are you ignoring me?
Like to know why long time no see
I'm curious about why we haven't seen each other in so long
Long time adore
I've been in love with you for a long time
If you're on the level why don't you tell me
If you're being honest, why don't you tell me the truth?
Why me no see you any more
Why haven't I seen you anymore?
Let him go, let him go
People keep telling me to let go of you
Everyone keeps tellin' me
Many people are telling me
But my heart can no agree
But I can't agree with them because of how I feel
Guess my heart knows best
I believe that my heart knows what is best for me
And the rest is up to you
The decision is ultimately up to you
Honestly, am I just a fool for stringin' along
Am I foolish for continuing to pursue you?
Oh baby what's wrong
What's the problem? Why are you acting this way?
Long time no see
Once again, it's been a long time since we last saw each other
Me love you, you love who
I love you, but who do you love?
Is it yes or is it no
Are you saying yes or no to being with me?
Do I stay or do I go
Should I continue to pursue you or move on?
I'd be in a stew if you ever said we're through
I would be upset if you ended our relationship
What to do
I'm not sure what to do in this situation
If you loved me the way that I love you
If you loved me as much as I love you
It wouldn't be, it wouldn't be
Our relationship wouldn't be as complicated as it is
It could be true that I love you
It's possible that I truly love you
I miss you so, long time no see
I miss you a lot, and it's been too long since we've seen each other
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: A. ALTMAN, J. CAVANAUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Charles A Mitchem
This is such a great song, not just the music and lyrics, but the harmonies, the musical bridge and its breakdown into its component parts, and also the sense of humor comes across without it being slapsticky. Still a great dance song, too! As my cat will attest.
Trombonology Erstwhile
Decca was big on teaming up their artists -- thus, in addition to all the Bing-Andrews sides, we have the girls with the other Crosby's band, as well as Woody Herman's and Jimmy Dorsey's. Cute side!
Dr. Monty
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