“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.
Tulip Time
The Andrews Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tu-li-tu-li-tu-li-tulip time."
She said, "yes it's tu-li-tu-li-tu-li
Tu-li-tu-li-tu-li-tulip time."
Then they talked about the weather
But their heads were close together
They agreed it's tu-li-tu-li-tu-li
He said, "Are you truly truly truly
Truly truly truly truly truly mine
With a kiss she sighed "forever"
You can hardly blame them
You would do the same in
Tu-li tulip time
The lyrics to The Andrews Sisters' song Tulip Time are relatively simple in their meaning but are beautifully presented through the use of onomatopoeia and repetition. The song portrays a conversation between a man and a woman who are admiring the beauty of springtime and its most renowned flower, the tulip. Throughout this conversation, they repeatedly use the phrase "tu-li-tu-li-tu-li, tu-li-tu-li-tu-li-tulip time," which represents the cheerful sound of spring and the joy that it brings with it. They talk about the weather and soon realize that they have a connection and share a deep affection for each other, which is depicted by the phrase "Are you truly truly truly, truly truly truly truly truly mine?". The conversation ends with a kiss, and they embrace each other with the knowledge that they will be together forever. The cheerful and joyful nature of the song encapsulates the idea that spring brings hope, joy, and new beginnings.
The repetition of the phrase "tu-li-tu-li-tu-li" in the song is an example of onomatopoeia. Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech that refers to the use of words that imitate the natural sound of the object or event being described. Tulip Time is a perfect example of this. The phrase "tu-li-tu-li-tu-li" imitates the natural sound of the joyous feeling of Spring. Interestingly, the song became famous amidst the Second World War when the troops were away from their homes and families, leading to a sense of loneliness and hopelessness. Many soldiers found solace in music, and Tulip Time became a favorite song among the troops. The song became an iconic representation of hope, reunion, and coming home.
The song Tulip Time was written by Milton Pascal and Larry Yoell, and it was recorded by the Andrews Sisters in 1942. It became very popular among the American people and stayed on the music charts for more than six weeks. The song's success led to an award in 1943 from Billboard magazine, and the Andrews Sisters became one of the primary vocal groups of that era. The song's popularity continued for several years, and it was later used in different movies and TV shows. For example, the song was used in the popular TV series MASH in the 1970s, and in the movie The Croods 2 in 2020, demonstrating the song's enduring appeal over time.
Line by Line Meaning
He said, "This is tu-li-tu-li-tu-li
Tu-li-tu-li-tu-li-tulip time."
He exclaimed that it was Tulip Time and sang it in a catchy tune.
She said, "yes it's tu-li-tu-li-tu-li
Tu-li-tu-li-tu-li-tulip time."
She agreed with him that it was Tulip Time and sang along.
Then they talked about the weather
But their heads were close together
They agreed it's tu-li-tu-li-tu-li
Tu-li-tu-li-tu-li-tulip time
Although they started talking about the weather, they were drawn to each other and agreed that it was Tulip Time.
He said, "Are you truly truly truly
Truly truly truly truly truly mine
With a kiss she sighed "forever"
He asked her if she was truly his and she answered with a kiss, indicating that she would be with him forever.
You can hardly blame them
You would do the same in
Tu-li tulip time
Their feelings for each other were intensified during Tulip Time and it's understandable that others would do the same in such a romantic setting.
Contributed by Charlie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Linda Easley
I heard this for the first time on an old time music radio station the other day and loved it !
Debra Brown
Thanks for sharing. Nice catchy vintage tune for sure.
Joyce Wadzinski
I found this song on IG reels for my tulips and me and my kiddo had to find it!
Lady Grinch
Exactly the same 😆
cherixis
OMG, same hahah but for my friend and me in a garden