Tommy Dorsey (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz t… Read Full Bio ↴Tommy Dorsey (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombonist, trumpeter, and bandleader of the Big Band era. He was the younger brother of Jimmy Dorsey. His lyrical trombone style became one of the signature sounds of his band and of the Swing Era.

Thomas Francis Dorsey, Jr. was born in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, and started out only 16 years later in Allentown, Pennsylvania, with big band leader Russ Morgan in the famous pick-up band of the 1920s "The Scranton Sirens".

Tommy and his brother Jimmy worked in several bands, including those of Rudy Vallee, Vincent Lopez, and especially Paul Whiteman, before forming the original Dorsey Brothers Orchestra in 1934. Ongoing acrimony between the brothers, however, led to Tommy Dorsey's walking out to form his own band in 1935, just as the Orchestra was having a hit with "Every Little Moment."

Tommy Dorsey's first band formed out of the remnant of the Joe Haymes band, and his smooth, lyrical trombone style – whether on ballads or on no-holds-barred swingers – became one of the signature sounds of both his band and the Swing Era. The new band hit from almost the moment it signed with RCA Victor with "On Treasure Island", the first of four hits for the new band that year. That led to a run of 137 Billboard chart hits, including his theme song, "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" (which showcases his phenomenal range and masterful mute use, reaching up to the high C #), "Marie", "The Big Apple", "Music, Maestro, Please", "I'll Never Smile Again", "This Love of Mine", "On the Sunny Side of the Street", "T.D.'s Boogie Woogie", "Well, Git 'It", "Opus One", "Manhattan Serenade", and "There Are Such Things" – among many others.

The band featured a number of the best instrumentalists in jazz at the time, including trumpeters Bunny Berigan, Ziggy Elman, George Seaberg, Carl "Doc" Severinsen, and Charlie Shavers, pianist Jess Stacy, trumpeter/arranger/composer Sy Oliver (who wrote "Well, Git 'It" and "Opus One"), clarinetists Buddy DeFranco, Johnny Mince and Peanuts Hucko drummers Buddy Rich, Louis Bellson, Gene Krupa and Dave Tough and singers Jack Leonard, Edythe Wright, Jo Stafford, Dick Haymes and Frank Sinatra. Sinatra achieved his first great success as a vocalist in the Dorsey band and claimed he learned breath control from watching Dorsey play trombone. Dorsey said his trombone style was heavily influenced by that of Jack Teagarden. Another member of the Dorsey band probably spent considerable time observing and listening to Sy Oliver's striking arrangements: trombonist Nelson Riddle, whose later partnership as Sinatra's major arranger and conductor is considered to have revolutionised post-World War II popular music.

Dorsey might have broken up his own band permanently following World War II, as many big bands did due to the shift in music economics following the war, and he did disband the orchestra at the end of 1946. But a top-ten selling album (All-Time Hits) made it possible for Dorsey to re-organise a big band in early 1947.

The biographical film of 1947, "The Fabulous Dorseys" describes sketchy details of how the brothers got their start from-the-bottom-up into the jazz era of one-nighters, the early days of radio in its infancy stages, and the onward march when both brothers ended up with Paul Whiteman before 1935 when The Dorsey Brothers' Orchestra split into two.

The Dorsey brothers themselves later reconciled – Jimmy Dorsey had had to break up his own highly successful big band in 1953, and brother Tommy invited him to join up as a feature attraction – but before long Tommy renamed the band the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra. On December 26, 1953, the brothers appeared with their orchestra on Jackie Gleason's CBS television show, which was preserved on kinescope and later released on home video by Gleason. The brothers took the unit on tour and onto their own television show, Stage Show, from 1954 to 1956, on which they introduced Elvis Presley to national television audiences, among others.

The Lady Is A Tramp
Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

She gets too hungry for dinner at eight
She like the theatre and never comes late
She never bothers with people she hates
That's why the lady is a tramp

Doesn't like crapgames with barons or earls
Won't go to Harlem in ermine and pearls
Won't dish the dirt with the rest of the girls

That's why the lady is a tramp

She like the free fresh wind in her hain, life without care
She's broke and it's OK
Hates California, it's cold and it's damp
That's why the lady is a tramp

She gets too hungry to wait for dinner at eight
She loves the theatre, but never comes late
She'd never bother with people she'd hate
That's why the lady is a tramp

She'll have no crapgames with sharpies and frogs
And she won't go to Harlem in Lincolns or Fords
And she won't dish the dirt with the rest of the broads
That's why the lady is a tramp

She loves the free fresh wind in her hair
Life without care, she's broke but it's oke
Hates California, it's so cold and so damp

That's why the lady. that's why the lady
That's why the lady is a tramp

Overall Meaning

"The Lady Is a Tramp" is a song that celebrates individuality and nonconformity. The lyrics depict a woman who goes against societal expectations and refuses to adhere to conventional norms. The lady in question is independent and fiercely independent, which sets her apart from others. She does not conform to the traditional image of a lady, as she gets too hungry to wait for dinner at eight and never arrives late to the theatre. She doesn't waste her time on people she dislikes, which shows her assertive and confident nature. These qualities make her a tramp in the eyes of society, but the song portrays them as admirable attributes.

The second verse reinforces her nonconformity by stating that she doesn't participate in gambling with aristocrats or wear extravagant attire to go to Harlem. She refuses to engage in gossip with other women, indicating her reluctance to be part of the typical female social interactions. The lady prefers to be free-spirited, enjoying the freedom and carefree nature that life offers. She may be financially broke, but she is content with her situation. She despises California due to its cold and damp weather, reflecting her preference for a different lifestyle.

Overall, "The Lady Is a Tramp" champions individuality, independence, and the rejection of societal expectations. The lady in the song is unapologetically herself, disregarding conventional norms and living life on her own terms.

Line by Line Meaning

She gets too hungry for dinner at eight
She has a voracious appetite and cannot wait until the typical dinner time.

She like the theatre and never comes late
She enjoys going to the theater and always arrives on time.

She never bothers with people she hates
She chooses not to engage with individuals whom she dislikes.

That's why the lady is a tramp
These distinctive qualities contribute to her being seen as unconventional and independent.

Doesn't like crapgames with barons or earls
She does not enjoy participating in gambling games with high-ranking individuals.

Won't go to Harlem in ermine and pearls
She refuses to visit Harlem dressed in expensive and luxurious attire.

Won't dish the dirt with the rest of the girls
She avoids engaging in gossip or sharing malicious rumors like other women do.

She like the free fresh wind in her hain, life without care
She appreciates the unrestricted and refreshing breeze in her hair, living without worry.

She's broke and it's OK
Despite her financial difficulties, she remains content with her situation.

Hates California, it's cold and it's damp
She dislikes California due to its chilly and humid climate.

She'll have no crapgames with sharpies and frogs
She refuses to engage in gambling games with dishonest and pretentious individuals.

And she won't go to Harlem in Lincolns or Fords
She declines to visit Harlem in luxury cars such as Lincolns or Fords.

And she won't dish the dirt with the rest of the broads
She refuses to participate in gossip or share scandalous information like other women.

She loves the free fresh wind in her hair
She greatly enjoys the liberating feeling of the wind blowing through her hair.

Life without care, she's broke but it's oke
Despite her financial struggles, she leads a carefree life and takes it in stride.

Hates California, it's so cold and so damp
She strongly dislikes the cold and damp climate of California.

That's why the lady. that's why the lady
These aforementioned reasons explain why she is referred to as a tramp.

That's why the lady is a tramp
Her unique qualities and preferences contribute to her unconventional and independent nature.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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