The group took off after being signed to Capitol Records in 1952 at the insistence of high profile fan, Stan Kenton. They remained popular throughout the 50s and early 60s, releasing a wide array of successful albums, movie and television appearances and performing countless sold-out concerts. The band eventually lost mainstream attention with the emergence of the British pop bands of the 1960s, even though they managed to stay together even after the retirement of final original member Bob Flanigan in 1992.
As of 2001, the Freshmen have been composed of Bob Ferreira, Brian Eichenberger, Curtis Calderon, and Vince Johnson. Although the new lineup of the Four Freshmen have continued the legendary vocal tradition of the original band and perform many of the same standards, the current sound has more of a lounge sound rather than focusing primarily upon harmonies. This modernized sound has proven quite successful, as the group won Down Beat magazine's reader's poll award for Vocal Group of the Year in 2000, proving the quartet's prominence in the jazz world today.
Poinciana
The Four Freshmen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trees sigh to me, soon my love I will see
Poinciana, your branches speak to me of love
Pale moon is casting shadows from above
Poinciana, somehow I feel the jungle heat
Within me there grows a rhythmic savage beat
Love is ev'rywhere, its magic perfume fills the air
To and fro you sway, my heart's in time, I've learned to care
Poinciana, though skies may turn from blue to gray
My love will live forever and a day
Poinciana, from now until the dawning day
I'll learn to love forever, come what may
The Four Freshmen's song Poinciana is an emotive piece of music with lyrics that evoke a sense of anticipation and longing. The song appears to be about a person who is separated from their beloved, waiting for the moment when they would be reunited. The opening lines "Blow Tropic wind, sing a song to the trees, Trees sigh to me, soon my love I will see" depicts the singer's anticipation and the longing to see their lover.
The title of the song, Poinciana, refers to a tree species native to the Caribbean, which according to the lyrics, speaks to the singer of love. The pale moon casting shadows from above is a romantic image that adds to the dreaminess of the song. The rhythmic savage beat within the singer mirrors their unbridled passion for their beloved.
The lyrics express the idea that love is all around the singer, the magic perfume fills the air, and their heart's rhythm is in time with the swaying of the trees. This image symolizes the strong presence of love in the singer's life. Finally, the lyricist declares that their love will live forever, even if the skies turn from blue to gray.
Overall, Poinciana is a song that speaks to the beauty, power, and presence of love, and how it can spring from the most unexpected sources, like a tree.
Line by Line Meaning
Blow Tropic wind, sing a song to the trees
The singer is calling out to the tropical wind to sing a song to the trees.
Trees sigh to me, soon my love I will see
The singer hears the trees sigh and takes it as a sign that he will soon be reunited with his love.
Poinciana, your branches speak to me of love
The Poinciana tree's branches are seen as symbols of love by the singer.
Pale moon is casting shadows from above
The pale moon is casting shadows on the ground from above.
Poinciana, somehow I feel the jungle heat
The presence of the Poinciana tree makes the singer feel the heat of the jungle around him.
Within me there grows a rhythmic savage beat
The heat of the jungle is causing the singer's heart to beat with a more primal rhythm.
Love is ev'rywhere, its magic perfume fills the air
Love is all around, and the singer can feel its presence in the very air he's breathing.
To and fro you sway, my heart's in time, I've learned to care
As the Poinciana sways back and forth, the singer feels his heart beating in time with the rhythm and has learned to care deeply about the people he loves.
Poinciana, though skies may turn from blue to gray
Even if the skies turn gray and the weather seems bad, the Poinciana tree will remain a symbol of love for the singer.
My love will live forever and a day
The singer's love will last for eternity, more than just a single day.
Poinciana, from now until the dawning day
From the current moment until the start of the next day, the Poinciana tree will remain a symbol of love for the singer.
I'll learn to love forever, come what may
The singer will continue to learn how to love forever, no matter what happens in the future.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Buddy Bernier, Nat Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nguyentranmyduyen8753
Blow Tropic wind, sing a song to the trees
Trees sigh to me, soon my love I will see
Poinciana, your branches speak to me of love
Pale moon is casting shadows from above
Poinciana, somehow I feel the jungle heat
Within me there grows a rhythmic savage beat
Love is ev'rywhere, its magic perfume fills the air
To and fro you sway, my heart's in time, I've learned to care
Poinciana, though skies may turn from blue to gray
My love will live forever and a day
Poinciana, from now until the dawning day
I'll learn to love forever, come what may
@exjazzbassbaz
the best vocal group ever. nobody ever got near.i have carried them with me to this day my 76th year and what joy they have brought to my life.r.i.p. to them all.many thanks.
@minralb
It must be true that great minds do think alike, I'm 77 and I couldn't agree with you more. The original 4 Freshmen were the very best ever IMO, and the '50's were the last of the great decades before real pop music went out of style and the mind-numbing trash that later generations call music took over the music industry.
@katamarigirl93
minralb I'm 21 and I like good singing and tight vocal harmonies. I love singing pop and doo wop from the 50s. It has a sincere, heartfelt quality to it that you just don't hear in most songs that come out now. :(
@03surfer69
nah, the hi-lo's went way beyond
@JeryTillotson123
you and me both. love to listen to them on my car cd player. brings back so many great memories of the early fifties and growing up in a small southern town with it raining outside.
@henrybrowne7248
@@minralb I don't like to try and pick just one group, or one guy, or one type of music, or one anything. But damn, are these guys magical. I came into the world just as this era faded out and just can't get enough of the music that came just before me. Bless You Tube.
@timmcblackmore
Brian Wilson brought me here, YT comments are sending me to Vulfpeck
@neonmall9907
I like vulfpeck
@darthxerox15
Dean Town
@dank5018
I'm 5 years late, but don't forget Ahmad Jamal!!