Ramsey Lewis, drummer Isaac "Redd" Holt and bassist Eldee Young formed the … Read Full Bio ↴Ramsey Lewis, drummer Isaac "Redd" Holt and bassist Eldee Young formed the Ramsey Lewis Trio. They started as primarily a jazz unit but after their hit, "The In Crowd", in 1965 (the single reached fifth place on the pop charts, and the album second place) the trio concentrated more and more on pop material. Young and Holt left in 1966 to form the Young-Holt Trio and were replaced by Cleveland Eaton and Maurice White. White was replaced by Maurice Jennings in 1970. In the late 1970s an additional keyboard player was frequently added to the lineup. A contemporary version of "The In Crowd" was recorded for Lewis' 2004 album, Time Flies.

Ramsey Lewis has received seven gold records and three Grammy Awards so far in his career.

His recent "With One Voice" release pays homage to his gospel roots all while maintaining his classic style. With the help of gospel favorites Smokie Norful, Darius Brooks, and Donald Lawrence, Lewis delivers an emotion-packed, soul-stirring, album. Lewis also enlisted the help of his church's choir, pastored by his older sister, to sing on several of the album's tracks. The J.W. James Memorial A.M.E. Church Combined Choir is breath-taking, adding so much life, freedom, and hope to "With One Voice". The CD's first single, "Pass Me Not" can be heard on Chicago's WGCI 107.5.

In addition to recording and performing, he is / has been a radio host on Chicago's Smooth Jazz station, WNUA (95.5 FM). His syndicated show Legends of Jazz, featuring classic jazz recordings from artists such as Charlie Parker and Miles Davis), can be heard in 60 cities in the United States and other countries as well. His most recent venture, the Legends of Jazz television series on PBS, was first aired in April 2006.

As of 2005 he has been hosting a radio show called Legends of Jazz for London's Smooth FM (previously Jazz FM).

On December 4, 2006, the Ramsey Lewis Morning Show will become a part of Broadcast Architecture's Smooth Jazz Network, simulcasting on other Smooth Jazz stations across the country for the first time. However, the show will still be based in Chicago, as it has always been.

Sleigh Ride
The Ramsey Lewis Trio Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Just hear those sleigh bells jingle-ing, ring-ting tingle-ing, too,
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.

Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling "Yoo hoo"
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.

Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, let's go,
Let's look at the show.

We're riding in a wonderland of snow.

Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, it's grand
Just holding your hand.
We're gliding along with a song of a wintery fairy land.

Our cheeks are nice and rosy and comfy cozy are we,
We're snuggled up together like two birds of a feather would be.

Let's take that road before us and sing a chorus or two
Come on it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.

Overall Meaning

The Ramsey Lewis Trio's song "Sleigh Ride" paints a picture of the perfect winter day with a loved one. The lyrics describe the sound of the sleigh bells jingling and the joy of riding together in the snowy wonderland. The friends are calling, but the song's narrator wants to be with his or her loved one on this perfect day. They are riding in a winter paradise with beautiful snow surrounding them, and they are holding hands, feeling comfortable and cozy together.

The second verse of the lyrics continues with the same theme of warmth and comfort, and the third verse talks about singing together and enjoying the journey. The refrain repeats the invitation to take that road, sing together while riding in the sleigh, and enjoy the lovely weather together. The song overall is about enjoying the simple pleasures of winter with someone you care about.

Line by Line Meaning

Just hear those sleigh bells jingle-ing, ring-ting tingle-ing, too,
Listen to those sleigh bells ringing and see how their sound fills the air.

Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
Let's take advantage of the beautiful snowy weather and ride together in a sleigh.

Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling "Yoo hoo"
It's snowing outside, and our friends are calling for us to come and enjoy the fun.

Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
Let's not miss this opportunity to ride together in a sleigh in such delightful weather.

Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, let's go,
Let's get going, with the horses' excited sounds adding to the thrill of the ride.

Let's look at the show.
Let's enjoy the sight of the white winter wonderland around us.

We're riding in a wonderland of snow.
Our sleigh ride is taking us through an amazing and stunning winter landscape.

Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, it's grand
How wonderful it is to feel the exhilaration of the ride and hear the horses' galloping gait.

Just holding your hand.
Everything is even better because we're holding hands while enjoying the sleigh ride together.

We're gliding along with a song of a wintery fairy land.
We're moving effortlessly in this peaceful and magical winter scene, feeling like we're in a fairytale.

Our cheeks are nice and rosy and comfy cozy are we,
We're warm and happy, our cheeks are a healthy red from the cold and we feel comfortable together in the cozy sleigh.

We're snuggled up together like two birds of a feather would be.
We're cuddled up close to each other, like two birds of the same species seeking warmth together.

Let's take that road before us and sing a chorus or two
Let's keep moving forward on this road while singing songs to make the experience even more memorable.

Come on it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
This is such a lovely time to be riding in a sleigh with you.

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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