A jazz standard by Toots Thielemans is "Bluesette," where he used whistling and guitar in unison. He worked both as a bandleader and as a sideman, including many projects with composer/arranger Quincy Jones. He performed on many film soundtracks, such as Midnight Cowboy, Cinderella Liberty, Jean de Florette, The Sugarland Express, The Yakuza, Turkish Delight, the 1972 version of The Getaway, French Kiss, Dunderklumpen!, and in various television programs, including Sesame Street, whose closing credits (which did not list him accordingly) featured his performance, on harmonica, of the show's theme, the Belgian television series Witse, and in the Netherlands, for the Baantjer series.
Thielemans started his career as a guitar player. In 1949 he joined a jam session in Paris with Sidney Bechet, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Max Roach and others. In 1951 he went on tour with Bobbejaan Schoepen.
He moved to the United States in 1952 where he was a member of Charlie Parker's All-Stars. He played and recorded with names like Ella Fitzgerald, The George Shearing Quintet, Quincy Jones, Bill Evans, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Astrud Gilberto, Elis Regina and others.
A jazz standard by Toots Thielemans is "Bluesette" where he used whistling and guitar in unison. Bluesette became a major 1962 world-wide hit for him and this still much beloved and requested piece has been re-recorded by him and commercially released on records/CDs many times over both in various studio versions and live on-stage performances performed in several different countries. His trademark harmonica playing can also be heard in movie scores such as Breakfast at Tiffany's (where his plaintive "Moon River" solo in the opening scene brilliantly establishes the film's mood of romance noir), Midnight Cowboy, Bagdad Café, French Kiss, and in various TV programs like Sesame Street, the Belgian TV series Witse and the Dutch TV series Baantjer. His professional whistling and harmonica playing can be heard on Old Spice radio and TV commercials that have been made over the years. In 1983 he contributed to Billy Joel's album An Innocent Man, and his trademark harmonica can be heard on "Leave a Tender Moment Alone."
In the 90s Thielemans embarked on theme projects that included world music. In 1998 he released the a French flavoured album titled "Chez Toots" that included the Les Moulins De Mon Coeur (The Windmills of My Heart) featuring guest singer Johnny Mathis. This CD continues to sell well.
Today Jean "Toots" Thielemans remains a strong favorite among jazz aficionados and professional critics alike. His music CDs continue to delight (many of which were recorded in the 2000s) and have introduced him to entire new generations of keen fans.
Apart from his popularity as an accomplished musician, he is well liked for his modesty and kind demeanor. In his native Belgium, he is also popular for describing himself as a Brussels "ket", which means "street kid" in old Brussels slang. He received a joint honorary doctorate from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium) and in 2001 Thielemans was ennobled a baron by King Albert II of Belgium.
In 2005 he was nominated for the title of De Grootste Belg (The Greatest Belgian). In the Flemish version he ended 20th place, in the Walloon version he ended 44th place.
Thielemans may have had a significant impact on The Beatles, (John Lennon in particular), during the group's pre-fame formative years. When performing in a 1959 Hamburg Germany with the pre-fame Beatles, John Lennon (sometimes with fellow Beatle George Harrison in tow) would often go over to the club where Toots was performing (at a noontime venue) as a member of The George Shearing Quintet. Lennon evidently was taken with Toot's harmonica playing and also for the guitar Toots was playing, an electric American made Rickenbacker with a short play neck. Based on the sound Lennon heard, he decided to purchase a natural alder wood "alderglo" colored three pickup Rickenbacker 1958 model 325 Capri guitar with a short scale as former Beatle and friend, George Harrison would recall to various interviewers many years later. (This iconic famous guitar often fondly referred to as the "Holy Grail" of all guitars, which was customized and tinkered with many times over the years by Lennon including being re-painted to jetglo black in September 1962, is the very same guitar that he played on The Beatles first and third appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show during February 1964).
Toots Thielemans died peacefully in his sleep on August 22, 2016 after being hospitalized for a fall a month earlier.
It
Toots Thielemans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's not unusual to have fun with anyone
But when I see you hanging about with anyone
It's not unusual to see me cry, I wanna die
It's not unusual to go out at any time
But when I see you out and about it's such a crime
If you should ever want to be loved by anyone
You'll find it happens all the time
Love will never do what you want it to
Why can't this crazy love be mine?
It's not unusual to be mad with anyone
It's not unusual to be sad with anyone
But if I ever find that you've changed at anytime
It's not unusual to find out I'm in love with you
The song "It" by Toots Thielemans is a poignant yet upbeat expression of the frustration and pain that can come with unrequited love. The opening lines immediately set the tone, as the singer declares that while it's common to be loved and to have fun, it's a different story when the object of your affection is with someone else. The singer admits to feeling intense emotions in response, with tears and a desire to die.
The second verse echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the sense of injustice that can come with watching the person you love being pursued by others. The chorus acknowledges the universality of these feelings, and ends with a plea for love that will not be taken for granted. The final verse turns the focus inward, with the singer grappling with the potential for change in the other person and the recognition that they themselves have fallen in love despite the challenges.
Overall, the lyrics of "It" capture the complex emotions and painful realities of unrequited love, while also offering a glimmer of hope that such love might someday be returned.
Line by Line Meaning
It's not unusual to be loved by anyone
Being loved by anyone is not unusual.
It's not unusual to have fun with anyone
Having fun with anyone is not unusual.
But when I see you hanging about with anyone
However, when I see you spending time with someone else,
It's not unusual to see me cry, I wanna die
I become upset and feel like my world is ending.
It's not unusual to go out at any time
Going out at any time is not unusual.
But when I see you out and about it's such a crime
However, when I see you out and about, it feels like a criminal act.
If you should ever want to be loved by anyone
If you ever decide you want to be loved by someone,
It's not unusual it happens every day no matter what you say
It's not unusual, it happens every day despite what you may say.
You'll find it happens all the time
You'll realize that it happens frequently.
Love will never do what you want it to
Love won't always meet your expectations.
Why can't this crazy love be mine?
Why can't I be the one to experience this intense love?
It's not unusual to be mad with anyone
Feeling angry with anyone is not unusual.
It's not unusual to be sad with anyone
Feeling sad with anyone is not unusual.
But if I ever find that you've changed at anytime
But if I discover that you have changed,
It's not unusual to find out I'm in love with you
It's not unusual for me to realize that I am in love with you.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Gordon Mills, Les Reed
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@conchiherves
Pobre, triste Bluesette poco de azul
No llores, no te preocupes
Usted puede apostar un día de suerte podrás despertar
Y su blues serán abandonados
Algún día afortunado amor hermoso llegará a ti
Si hay amor en tu corazón para compartir
Querido Bluesette, no se desespere
Un chico azul está esperando como tú
Para encontrar a alguien que sea un verdadero
Dos brazos amorosos que pueda anidar en quedarse
Prepárate, Bluesette
El verdadero amor viene
Su corazón solitario pronto estará tarareando
Pretty Blueset
te poco, musn't ser un doliente
¿Has oído la noticia todavía? Love 'vuelta de la esquina
Amor envuelto en el arco iris y atado con cintas de color rosa
Para hacer su próxima primavera su vez su anillo de bodas de oro
@franguccio1
They'll never be another like him. A true genius.
@sommelierramon
Right. 1
@1101atlgirl
The orchestration on this is just beautiful. Toots is the same inimitable genius on the harmonica. And WHOEVER arranged those 10 seconds from 2:14 to 2:24 has my undying gratitude. #eargasm
@maxdelchambre2714
Toots speelde onder meer met Ella Fitzgerald, Natalie Cole, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Charlie Parker, Benny Goodman, Ellis Regina, Jacco Pastorius, Oscar Peterson, Quincy Jones, Sting etc etc. Uiteindelijk wilde iedereen vooral met hém spelen. Daarom is het niet al te dwaas om te zeggen dat de mensheid met Het overlijden van Toots, de allegrootste muzikant allertijden verloren heeft.
@jose-ej7yz
Increible
@MrPuros
Daarom is hij ook een legende in de Belgische muziekwereld :)
@Heesjesopwielen
Mooi gezegd pracht vent met meer dan geweldige muzikant 😍
@jeromedcb
And bill evans
@leebattams
HEARD THIS 2 YEARS AGO AND I STILL PLAY IT ALMOST EVERYDAY CAN'T PUT INTO WORDS THE BEAUTY OF THIS TUNE!!
@FernMsTiri
I have heard this musician all my life. His harmonica is part of the soundtrack of my childhood. I always thought it was just the way music was played at that time. Today I find out it was ONE man. I'm joyful and sad. Joyful for the memories and sad he's gone. Thank you for the Google Doodle. Thank you from my heart, Toots ❤