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
The Sentimental Gentleman from Georgia
The Boswell Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gentle to the ladies all the time
When it comes to lovin' he's a real professor, yessir
Just a Mason-Dixon Valentine
Oh see those Georgia peaches
Hangin' round him now
'Cause what this baby teaches
Oh, sentimental gentleman from Georgia, Georgia
Gentle to the ladies all the time
Hey hey, no doubt
You've heard about
The sweetest man in Dixieland
I'll say he's hot
He's got just what
It takes to make a ladies' man
He's just a sentimental gentleman from Georgia, Georgia
Gentle to the ladies all the time, he's gentle to the ladies all the time
(He's gentle to the ladies all the time)
When it comes to lovin' he's a real professor, yessir
Just a Mason-Dixie Valentine, Valentine
Sentimental gentleman from Georgia, yowzah yowzah
Georgia Georgia, yowzah yowzah, Georgia
He's gentle to the ladies all the time
When it comes to lovin', there's not a thing that he don't know
I'm talkin' about that man from Georgia
(Scat)
Sentimental gentleman from Georgia, yowzah yowzah
Georgia Georgia, yowzah yowzah, Georgia, (gulling)
I'm talkin' about that man from Georgia
"The Sentimental Gentleman from Georgia" is a playful paean to an idealized Southern gentleman, who is gentle, charming, and romantic. The song was written in 1932 by Maceo Pinkard, with lyrics by Mitchell Parish and Frank Perkins and became one of the Boswell Sisters' signature songs. The song starts by describing the titular gentleman who is kind and courteous to women, but also an expert in love. Then, the lyrics describe the women who are drawn to him, drawn in by his "sweetness and light."
The choral interlude praises the gentleman's many other virtues, including his hotness and charm. The song ends with a final tribute to the man from Georgia, yowzah-yowzah. The song features scat singing and multiple vocal harmonies, which were hallmarks of the Boswell Sisters' style.
Overall, the song is an affectionate tribute to a certain kind of Southern gentleman who is respectful to women but also knows how to turn on the charm. It's a nostalgic fantasy that captures a particular cultural ideal of the time, where Southern manners and wooing were appreciated.
Line by Line Meaning
Sentimental gentleman from Georgia, Georgia
Referring to a man from Georgia who is very emotional in nature and expresses his feelings.
Gentle to the ladies all the time
This man is polite, courteous, and kind to women at all times.
When it comes to lovin' he's a real professor, yessir
This man is an expert in matters of romance and is very knowledgeable.
Just a Mason-Dixon Valentine
He is the embodiment of Southern charm and sentimentality.
Oh see those Georgia peaches
The women in Georgia are considered beautiful and tempting.
Hangin' round him now
These women are drawn to the man described in the song.
'Cause what this baby teaches
This man has something to teach the women of Georgia about romance and love.
Nobody just knows how
It is a mystery what this man teaches the women and how it affects them.
Hey hey, no doubt
Without any hesitation or uncertainty.
You've heard about
It is likely that people have told you about this man.
The sweetest man in Dixieland
This man is considered the most congenial and well-liked person in the American South.
I'll say he's hot
This man is physically attractive.
He's got just what
This man possesses all of the characteristics that make him appealing to women.
It takes to make a ladies' man
This man has what it takes to be irresistible to women.
Sentimental gentleman from Georgia, Georgia
Referring to a man from Georgia who is very emotional in nature and expresses his feelings.
Gentle to the ladies all the time
This man is polite, courteous, and kind to women at all times.
He's gentle to the ladies all the time
This man is polite, courteous, and kind to women at all times.
(He's gentle to the ladies all the time)
This man's courteous manner towards women is a well-known fact.
When it comes to lovin' he's a real professor, yessir
This man is an expert in matters of romance and is very knowledgeable.
Just a Mason-Dixie Valentine, Valentine
He is the embodiment of Southern charm and sentimentality.
Sentimental gentleman from Georgia, yowzah yowzah
Referring to a man from Georgia who is very emotional in nature and expresses his feelings.
Georgia Georgia, yowzah yowzah, Georgia
Referring to the state of Georgia and emphasizing its importance.
He's gentle to the ladies all the time
This man is polite, courteous, and kind to women at all times.
When it comes to lovin', there's not a thing that he don't know
This man's expertise in romance and love is vast and all-encompassing.
I'm talkin' about that man from Georgia
The song is emphasizing the importance of this man from Georgia and the charisma he possesses.
(Scat)
The song features unintelligible, improvised singing.
Sentimental gentleman from Georgia, yowzah yowzah
Referring to a man from Georgia who is very emotional in nature and expresses his feelings.
Georgia Georgia, yowzah yowzah, Georgia
Referring to the state of Georgia and emphasizing its importance.
(gulling)
This is likely an improvised vocalization.
Writer(s): FRANK PERKINS, MITCHELL PARISH
Contributed by Alexis J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
madAdam
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