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.
Sophisticated Lady
Toots Thielemans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just because you're caught in your social maze
I think it's 'bout time that you realize
Your money and your power's got you mesmerized
Pretty lady, get back
Pretty lady, yea
Sophisticated lady put your blue jeans on
Educated lady with your college degree
Amazes me why you just can't see
Learned everything from your books on the shelf
But no one ever taught you how to think for yourself
Pretty lady, get back
Pretty lady, yea, sweet thing
Sophisticated lady put your blue jeans on
You're anybody's baby when your mama's gone
Sophisticated lady take a lesson from me
I can help you be what you want to be
Together we'll see many brighter days
If it takes forever, gonna change your ways
Pretty lady, get back
Pretty lady, yea, sweet thing
Sophisticated lady put your blue jeans on
You're anybody's baby when your mama's gone
Sophisticated lady put your blue jeans on
You're anybody's baby when your mama's gone
Sophisticated lady put your blue jeans on
You're anybody's baby when your mama's gone
The lyrics to Toots Thielemans's song "Sophisticated Lady" speak to a woman who is trying to change the ways of the singer. He describes her as a sophisticated lady who is caught up in her social circle and the power and money it brings. He urges her to realize that her possessions have mesmerized her and blinded her to the realities of the world. He encourages her to put on her blue jeans and be herself, as she is nobody's baby when her mother is not around.
The song criticizes the superficiality of society and the need for people to conform to certain expectations in order to fit in. The singer presents himself as someone who can help the sophisticated lady be who she wants to be and break free from the constraints of the social hierarchy. The message of the song is that people should be true to themselves and not be swayed by the opinions of others or the trappings of materialism.
Line by Line Meaning
Sophisticated lady tryin' to change my ways
The singer is being told to change his ways by a woman who thinks she is sophisticated.
Just because you're caught in your social maze
The woman is limited by her social status and is imposing her views on the singer.
I think it's 'bout time that you realize
The singer believes that the woman needs to understand her own limitations.
Your money and your power's got you mesmerized
The woman is too focused on her wealth and status, and it is blinding her to the realities of the world.
Pretty lady, get back
The singer is telling the woman to back off and re-evaluate her priorities.
Sophisticated lady put your blue jeans on
The singer is suggesting that the woman should let go of her pretensions and be more down-to-earth.
You're anybody's baby when your mama's gone
The singer is implying that the woman is vulnerable and needs to be more self-reliant.
Educated lady with your college degree
The woman is educated, but that does not mean she has a complete understanding of the world.
Amazes me why you just can't see
The singer is surprised that the woman cannot see beyond her own limited perspective.
Learned everything from your books on the shelf
The woman is relying too heavily on her education and not enough on her own experiences.
But no one ever taught you how to think for yourself
The woman is not capable of independent thought or action.
Sophisticated lady take a lesson from me
The singer is offering to teach the woman a different way to see the world.
I can help you be what you want to be
The singer believes that he can help the woman find her own path and way of being.
Together we'll see many brighter days
The singer and woman can work together to create a better future.
If it takes forever, gonna change your ways
The singer is committed to helping the woman change her perspective, even if it takes a long time.
Sophisticated lady put your blue jeans on
The singer repeats his suggestion that the woman needs to let go of her pretensions and be more down-to-earth.
You're anybody's baby when your mama's gone
The woman needs to find her own way in the world and not rely on others to define her.
Sophisticated lady put your blue jeans on
The singer repeats his suggestion because he believes it is important for the woman to embrace a more authentic way of being.
You're anybody's baby when your mama's gone
The woman needs to find her own way in the world and not rely on others to define her.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Kennedy Ellington, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kleinequietboy Kleinequietboy
cross train vato. train you supporting muscles. all your muscles. ride a bike. walk.
eat better. don't sit for hours in front of the tube. get up frequently and stretch from any sitting "activity" or in front of your kit.
lots of breaks.
you lose energy flow getting old because everything turns stiff and hard.
if you want to keep playing, you have to stay loose and relaxed.
yoga. all that. you know what you need to do . just do it.
i am 62 and still playing 4 hour solo piano/vocal gigs, 5, 6 nights per week,
I am exhausted by it, but i can still do it cuz i eat right, stretch, exercise.
good luck.
steve gadd is still playing in his 70's because he is taking care of his whole self.
Zeppolino100
The amount of sheer joy passing in and between these two extraordinary musicians is palpable and inspiring!!! THIS is the Jaco I knew as a child, my best friend from 4th--7th grade.
Paulo Henrique Perfoncio
Greetings! I am a Brazilian admirer of Jaco, I have few stories about Jaco, because unfortunately he died prematurely. I love his way of playing, as he has inspired bass players from all over the world to this day. Please tell me about the moments of friendship you had with Pastorius, did you have the opportunity to meet him when Jaco was an adult?
Andy Okus
Did you know Mark Thornton?
Frank A. Huser
It amazes me every time I watch this clip. For me one of the most intense and valuable improvisations. And it is so good to see a smiling Jaco. I am quite sure Toots Thielemans had a huge positive influence on Jaco's well being.
Joris van der Kamp
For as long as the tour lasted, I'm afraid...
gary kay
how i mss Jaco.
Gilles van Zeebroeck
Gordon Rayan You are either in the wrong relationship or have too much time on your hands, I hope for you it’s the latter!
mr bip
Yea, I saw them in Osaka on their Big Band Tour and it was magical, amazing chemistry and energy between the two. Toots thanked Jako for inviting him on the tour and It was kind of ok until Toots came out and sat on a stool and rocked the placed. After that it was 33 guys ripping their best solos all night and the crowd went wild...and Toots was the surprise star of the show...
Gilles van Zeebroeck
@mr bip its impossible not to love Toots!!! I mean the guy is pure love for music and his fellow musicians, love how he throws a kiss to Jako on stage (not sure if it was in Montreux?)
Michael Alderete
RIP Toots, thanks for all the decades of beautiful music you gave us. Hugs to Jaco, he is still sorely missed.