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

I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter -
The Boswell Sisters Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter
And make believe it came from you
I'm gonna write words, oh, so sweet
They're gonna knock me off my feet.
A lotta kisses on the bottom, I'll be glad I've got 'em

I'm gonna smile and say "I hope you're feelin' better"
Then close "with love" the way that you do

I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter, ah-huh
I'm gonna make believe it came from you

I'm gonna sit right down write myself a letter, oh, babe
And make believe it came from you
I'm gonna write words, oh, so sweet
They're gonna knock me off my feet
A lotta kisses on the bottom, I'll be glad I've got 'em

I'll smile and say "I hope you're feelin' better"
Then close "with love" the way that you do

I'm gonna sit right down, write myself a letter, oh yeah
I'm gonna make believe it came from you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" express a longing for a loved one who is not present. The singer says that they will write a letter to themselves and imagine that it came from their lover. The words they type will be so sweet that they will be knocked off their feet. The letter will end with a lot of kisses on the bottom, and they will be glad to have it. The singer tells us that they will smile and say that they hope their lover is feeling better. They will then sign off "with love" in the way that their lover does. In other words, the letter they write will be a sort of gift to themselves that they will use to fill the absence felt in their life.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter
I am going to take out pen and paper and draft a letter addressed to myself.

And make believe it came from you
As I write this letter, I am going to pretend that it is from you.

I'm gonna write words, oh, so sweet
In this letter, I am going to write words that are delightful, tender, and endearing.

They're gonna knock me off my feet.
These words are going to affect me so strongly and leave me moved and speechless.

A lotta kisses on the bottom, I'll be glad I've got 'em
At the end of this letter, I am going to include many kisses at the bottom which will make me glad to have them.

I'm gonna smile and say "I hope you're feelin' better"
As I write this letter, I will put on a cheerful face and hope that you are feeling well.

Then close "with love" the way that you do
When I sign off, I will use the phrase "with love" just as you do.

I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter, ah-huh
There is nothing like the power of the written word, so I am going to take a seat and begin writing this letter to myself.

I'm gonna make believe it came from you
To amplify the effect of this letter, I'm going to imagine that it was written to me by you.

I'm gonna sit right down, write myself a letter, oh yeah
Without any hesitation or delay, I am going to sit down, pick up my writing instrument, and start drafting this letter to myself.

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: FRED AHLERT, JOSEPH YOUNG

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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