Popular Jazz vocal group during the 1930's. Martha, Connie, and Vet perfect… Read Full Bio ↴Popular Jazz vocal group during the 1930's. Martha, Connie, and Vet perfected a mix of rhythm and harmony that would define Jazz vocal groups to come and influence The Andrews Sisters and dozens of other "Sister" acts, both Black and White, along with The Mills Brothers, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra, and Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, ( as well as current groups The Pfister Sisters and The Stolen Sweets.)

From New Orleans, they were classically trained and switched over to jazz as they grew up along with the form. First recorded in 1925, they went on to play vaudeville and ended up on radio in California. After being heard coast to coast on one of the first nationwide radio hookups, they became stars of radio in NYC headlining both their own programs, as well as working on shows with Bing Crosby and The Mills Brothers until the trio disbanded in 1936, mainly due to their marriages. They also appeared in many films of the time. (See youtube)

Connie Boswell, who later changed the spelling of her name to Connee, continued as a solo singer after the demise of the group, influencing singers like Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. She did all this despite being unable to walk alone due to childhood polio and other back injuries.

"There is only one person I ever tried to sing like and that person was Connee Boswell."
Ella Fitzgerald, NBC News interview

"Connee Boswell is, without a doubt, the most widely imitated singer of all time."
Frank Sinatra

The best website on them is www.bozzies.com.
www.TheBoswellSisters.com
www.Facebook.com/theboswellsisters
www.Twitter.com/thesistasdotcom

42nd Street
The Boswell Sisters Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Come and meet
Those dancing feet
On the avenue I'm taking you to
Forty-Second Street

Hear the beat
Of dancing feet
It's the song I love the melody of

Forty-Second Street

Little nifties from the fifties
Innocent and sweet
Sexy ladies from the eighties
Who are indiscreet

Side by side, they're glorified
Where the underworld
Can meet the elite
Forty-Second Street

Little nifties from the fifties
Innocent, sweet
Sexy ladies from the eighties
Who are indiscreet

Side by side, they're glorified
Where the underworld
Can meet the elite
Forty-Second Street
Forty-Second Street

Naughty, bawdy
Gaudy, sporty

Forty
Forty-Second Street

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Boswell Sisters' song "42nd Street" describe the lively and diverse atmosphere of New York's 42nd Street, a bustling avenue known for its theaters, nightlife, and the performing arts. This song uses the sounds of dancing feet to evoke the energy and excitement of this specific area, relaying a sense of urgency and thrill to the listener. The lyrics specifically mention the contrasts of the people found on the street, ranging from "little nifties from the fifties" to "sexy ladies from the eighties," "innocent and sweet" to "indiscreet," "underworld" to "elite." The song is essentially a celebration of New York and its vibrant culture.

As the song moves on, with the repetition of the chorus, "Forty-Second Street," we get a sense of the different ways in which people experience and interact with this famous location. The lyrics suggest that the street can be viewed as both naughty and bawdy, gaudy and sporty, depending on who you ask. The line "side by side, they're glorified," implies that though there are differences among the street's visitors, they are all in it together, reveling in the unique qualities of 42nd Street.

Line by Line Meaning

Come and meet
Join me on this adventure

Those dancing feet
Observe the rhythmic movements of the dancers

On the avenue I'm taking you to
We are headed to a particular location

Forty-Second Street
The street we are visiting

Hear the beat
Listen to the rhythm

Of dancing feet
Created by the movements of the dancers' feet

It's the song I love the melody of
I adore this particular musical arrangement

Forty-Second Street
The location where the music is played

Little nifties from the fifties
Young and charming individuals from the 1950s era

Innocent and sweet
Pleasant in manner and appearance

Sexy ladies from the eighties
Attractive women from the 1980s decade