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.
Round Midnight
Toots Thielemans Lyrics
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'Round midnight, midnight
I do pretty well, till after sundown
Suppertime I'm feelin' sad
But it really gets bad
'Round midnight
Memories always start 'round midnight
When my heart is still with you
And ol' midnight knows it, too
When a quarrel we had needs mending
Does it mean that our love is ending
Darlin' I need you, lately I find
You're out of my heart
And I'm out of my mind
Let our hearts take wings'
'Round midnight, midnight
Let the angels sing
For your returning
Till our love is safe and sound
And old midnight comes around
Feelin' sad
Really gets bad
Round, Round, Round Midnight
The lyrics to Toots Thielemans's "Round Midnight" tell the story of a person who is feeling sad and lonely around midnight. The first verse describes how the singer feels until suppertime, but then things take a turn for the worse as they become consumed with memories that always start to surface around midnight. The second verse delves deeper into this feeling of heartache and nostalgia, with the singer wondering if a recent quarrel is indicative of the end of their love. The chorus offers a glimmer of hope, with the singer calling on their lover to return to them so that they can begin to heal their relationship together.
Overall, the song is a poignant exploration of heartbreak and longing. The singer is struggling to come to terms with a difficult situation, but they have not given up on their love just yet. Instead, they are holding onto hope that they can work things out and be together once again. The use of the midnight hour as a metaphor for this emotional struggle is particularly effective, as it adds an evocative sense of mystery and melancholy to the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
It begins to tell
As the night draws on, emotions begin to surface
'Round midnight, midnight
This emotional stirring occurs specifically around midnight
I do pretty well, till after sundown
The singer manages to keep their emotions in check until the sun sets
Suppertime I'm feelin' sad
By dinnertime, the artist's sadness sets in
But it really gets bad
As the night progresses, the sadness intensifies
'Round midnight
This theme of emotional turmoil specifically centers around midnight
Memories always start 'round midnight
The singer's memories of the past are triggered around midnight
Haven't got the heart to stand those memories
These memories are too painful for the artist to bear
When my heart is still with you
The artist's heart still longs for a past love
And ol' midnight knows it, too
The artist feels a deep connection between their emotions and the time of midnight
When a quarrel we had needs mending
Arguments between the singer and their loved one need resolution
Does it mean that our love is ending
The artist fears that unresolved conflict could lead to the end of their relationship
Darlin' I need you, lately I find
The singer expresses their longing for their loved one, noting that it has been more present lately
You're out of my heart
The singer recognizes that their loved one is no longer present in their heart
And I'm out of my mind
The singer is overwhelmed by their emotions
Let our hearts take wings'
The artist hopes that their love will take flight, rising above their current struggles
'Round midnight, midnight
Again, this theme of emotional turmoil is linked to the time of midnight
Let the angels sing
The singer longs for the guidance and support of a heavenly presence
For your returning
The singer hopes for the return of their loved one and a resolution to their conflict
Till our love is safe and sound
The artist desires a lasting, secure, and healthy relationship
And old midnight comes around
Once again, the artist links their emotional state to midnight
Feelin' sad
The artist expresses their continued emotional pain
Really gets bad
The singer's sadness reaches a critical point
Round, Round, Round Midnight
This repeated line emphasizes the central theme of the song: emotional turmoil tied to the time of midnight
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cootie Williams, Bernard D Hanighen, Theolonious S Monk
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind