“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.
Way Down Yonder in New Orleans
The Andrews Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the land of the dreamy scenes
There's a garden of Eden
That's what I mean, ah
Creole babies with flashin' eyes
Softly whisper with tender sighs
Stop, oh, won't you give your lady fair a little smile
There is heaven right here on earth
With those beautiful queens
Way down yonder in New Orleans
Way down yonder in New Orleans
Way down in the land of the dreamy scenes
There's a garden of Eden
You know that's what I mean
Creole babies with flashin' eyes
Softly whisper with tender sighs, stop
Oh won't you give your lady fair a little smile
Stop, you bet your life you'll linger there a little while
They've got angels right here on earth
Wearing little blue jeans
Way down yonder in New Orleans
Stop, oh won't you give your lady fair a little smile
Stop, you bet your life you'll linger there a little while
There is heaven right here on earth
With those beautiful queens
Way down yonder in New Orleans
Way down yonder in New Orleans
In the land of the dreamy scenes
There's a garden of Eden
That's what I mean
Creole babies with flashin' eyes
Softly whisper with tender sighs
Oh stop oh, won't you give your lady fair, a little smile
I gotta stop, you bet your life you'll linger there a little while
There is heaven right here on earth
With those beautiful queens
Way down yonder in New Orleans
The Andrews Sisters’ song “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans” is an upbeat celebration of New Orleans and its many charms. The lyrics suggest that New Orleans is a paradise on earth, a land of “dreamy scenes” and a “garden of Eden.” The song describes the city’s Creole babies, whose “flashin’ eyes” and “tender sighs” are irresistible to all who encounter them. The singer urges listeners to “stop” and “give your lady fair a little smile” so that they can “linger there a little while” and experience the heaven that is “right here on earth” with the “beautiful queens” of New Orleans.
Beyond its surface-level celebration of New Orleans’ beauty and its inhabitants’ charm, “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans” can also be interpreted as a celebration of Black culture in America. The term “Creole” specifically refers to people of Black and European descent who live in Louisiana, and the song’s focus on the “Creole babies” and their irresistible allure suggests a deep appreciation for Black culture and its contributions to American society.
Overall, “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans” can be seen as an ode to New Orleans and its many attractions, as well as a celebration of Black culture and its unique contributions to America.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, way down yonder in New Orleans
Let me tell you about this magical place called New Orleans that's far away from here
In the land of the dreamy scenes
This place is like a dream, it's so beautiful
There's a garden of Eden
It's like we're in paradise, with all its beauty and splendor
That's what I mean, ah
It's hard to put into words how amazing this place is, but that's what I mean
Creole babies with flashin' eyes
The people here are so beautiful, with their shining and playful eyes
Softly whisper with tender sighs
Their voices are so sweet and delicate, they make you feel like you're in a dream
Stop, oh, won't you give your lady fair a little smile
Hey, handsome, please smile at me, don't be shy
Stop, you bet your life you'll linger there a little while
Trust me, if you stay around here, we'll have a great time together
There is heaven right here on earth
This place is so perfect, it's like we're in heaven
With those beautiful queens
The women here are so beautiful, they are like royalty
They've got angels right here on earth
The people here are so kind and good-hearted, they are like angels living among us
Wearing little blue jeans
They may be dressed casually, but they are still full of charm and grace
Way down yonder in New Orleans
This amazing place is way down there, at a distance from where I am
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HENRY CREAMER, TURNER LAYTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@anon68918
🎶Well, way down yonder in New Orleans
In the land of the dreamy scenes
There's a garden of Eden
That's what I mean, ah
Creole babies with flashin' eyes
Softly whisper with tender sighs
Stop, oh, won't you give your lady fair a little smile
Stop, you bet your life you'll linger there a little while
There is heaven right here on earth
With those beautiful queens
Way down yonder in New Orleans
Way down yonder in New Orleans
Way down in the land of the dreamy scenes
There's a garden of Eden
You know that's what I mean
Creole babies with flashin' eyes
Softly whisper with tender sighs, stop
Oh won't you give your lady fair a little smile
Stop, you bet your life you'll linger there a little while
They've got angels right here on earth
Wearing little blue jeans
Way down yonder in New Orleans
Stop, oh won't you give your lady fair a little smile
Stop, you bet your life you'll linger there a little while
There is heaven right here on earth
With those beautiful queens
Way down yonder in New Orleans
Way down yonder in New Orleans
In the land of the dreamy scenes
There's a garden of Eden
That's what I mean
Creole babies with flashin' eyes
Softly whisper with tender sighs
Oh stop oh, won't you give your lady fair, a little smile
I gotta stop, you bet your life you'll linger there a little while
There is heaven right here on earth
With those beautiful queens
Way down yonder in New Orleans🎶
@OrangeMapleLeaf
Did not know there were lyrics to "Way down yonder in New Orleans", till now I only knew it as the signature tune of the Dutch Swing College Band. This is so cool.
@chester.eucrine
This makes me soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy
@deefour28
who here is from jamie berry
@nathanmagnus5008
deefour28 I’m here from after my trip to New Orleans
@yapalskippy1807
After a long quest of looking through all the versions of this songs I finally found it
@woffydoggy686
Yes, but Jamie adds too much electro touch... I prefer his works lke Peeping Tom, that preserves the classic essence.
@JimColyer
Amazing!
@flatop47
Wow This Is An Oldie ....Nice One Mick
@MjayzToonz
It sure is Brian,glad you liked it !
@caroleann_2142
1922