“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.
Lullaby of Broadway
The Andrews Sisters 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
The Andrews Sisters's song Lullaby of Broadway is a homage to the bustling atmosphere of Broadway, where the lights never dim and the sound never fades. The song's lyrics paint a vivid picture of the energy that runs through the famous avenue, from the "hip hooray and ballyhoo" to the "rumble of a subway train" and "rattle of the taxis." The daffodils and entertainers that line Angelo's and Maxi's also provide a backdrop to the unforgettable sight that is Broadway, where even in the wee hours of the morning, barely a soul sleeps.
The song's chorus reaffirms the incredible energy of the street, as it describes the frenzy that ensues when the band begins to play. In this frenzy, nothing is certain, and the night takes on an almost dreamlike quality. As a Daddy sings his child to sleep, the baby returns to her flat to sleep the day away, while the rest of the world continues to ply the streets with an unrelenting energy.
Lullaby of Broadway is a cultural landmark, and with its toe-tapping melody and unforgettable lyrics, it has been covered by numerous artists and included in countless films and musicals. Its enduring popularity is a testament to the allure and mystery of Broadway and the romanticism that it inspires.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on along and listen to
Join us and listen to
The lullaby of Broadway
The soothing music and sounds of life on Broadway
The hip hooray and ballyhoo
The excitement and energy of Broadway
The lullaby of Broadway
The calming and comforting sounds of the city
The rumble of a subway train
The sound of trains passing beneath the city
The rattle of the taxis
The sound of taxis driving on the streets
The daffodils who entertain
The street performers who bring joy to others
At Angelo's and Maxi's
At the popular nightclubs in the city
When a Broadway baby says good night
When a performer on Broadway calls it a night
It's early in the morning
But it's still very early in the day
Manhattan babies don't sleep tight
The people of Manhattan don't often get to rest
Until the dawn
Until the sun rises and a new day begins
Good night, baby
Sleep well, my love
Good night, the milkman's on his way
The milkman is coming soon, it's time to rest
Sleep tight, baby
Sleep peacefully, my darling
Sleep tight, let's call it a day
Let's rest and end the day
The band begins to go to town
The music starts up and everyone gets excited
And everyone goes crazy
People start dancing and having fun
You rock a bye your baby round
You cradle your loved ones in your arms
'Til everything gets hazy
Until everything feels dreamlike
Hush a bye, I'll buy you this and that
Be quiet and I'll give you everything you want
You hear a daddy saying
You hear a parent promising their child
And baby goes home to her flat
And the child goes back to their home
To sleep all day
To rest and recover from the excitement of the night before
Listen to the lullaby
Hear the calming sounds of the city
Of old Broadway
Of the legendary district known for its shows and energy
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Warren, Al Dubin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@angeleenalane8153
My grandmother used to sing this to me when I was a very small child. I miss her - 50 years since she died - every day.
@all4musica
My Father loved this song too....and he would happily
reminisce😘💝🌠
Another dedication to my
Beloved Papi in Heaven!💞🌹💫🌠
@ava3951
A girl in my class( yr10) sung this really well at a concert last week it was epic x
@EJFSanchez2
My wife’s grandmother is 99 and she loves this kind of music. After all she was in her twenties during the 40s working as Rosie the riveter while her boyfriend was out to war.
@ksnproductionss
the birth of fantastic harmony
@khussein6409
AWESOME!
@northerntraveller3180
Listening to these songs of my youth just makes me cry.
@Supremesfan1
This was the version I bought back in the 1940's. It was a 78rpm. I thought it was a great song back then. I still have the 78rpm and it is still in perfect condition.
@CraigCinMO
OMG, my family has this on an old 78-rpm. It was the first version of this song I ever heard, so it's alway been the "definitive" version for me.
@raymondlee1748
Very nice tune. I play it over and over sometimes. Gets me in a good mood )