Growing up in Washington, Young was originally a trumpeter, but by the time he debuted in 1928, he had switched to trombone. Extending the range and power of his instrument, Young was a major asset to Earl Hines' orchestra from 1933 to 1937, but became a major influence in jazz when he joined Lunceford's orchestra, in which he played from 1937 to 1943.
Young was a modern swing stylist with an open mind who fit in well with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie on a Clyde Hart-led session in 1945, and with Jazz at the Philharmonic. It was therefore a surprise when he joined the Louis Armstrong All-Stars in 1952 and stayed a dozen years. Trummy Young was a good foil for Armstrong (most memorably on their 1954 recording of "St. Louis Blues"), but he simplified his style due to his love for the trumpeter. In 1964, Young quit the road to settle in Hawaii, occasionally emerging for jazz parties and special appearances.
Young did have his own band from about 1951 to 1952 in Hawaii. He played at a place on Hotel Street in Honolulu. One of the interesting features of his band was the white cornet player, who played the cornet with one hand and corded the piano with his other hand. Every night Young and his group would play "When the Saints Go Marching In" and the members of the band would parade through the rather small club, and really blow up a storm.
Tea For Two
Trummy Young Lyrics
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Darling this place is a lover's oasis where life's weary chase is unknown.
Far from the cry of the city, where flowers pretty caress the streams,
Cozy to hide in, to love side-by-side in. Don't let it abide in my dreams.
Picture you upon my knee, just tea for two and two for tea,
Just me for you and you for me, alone!
Nobody near us, to see us or hear us,
We won't have it known, dear, that we have a telephone, dear.
Day will break and you'll awake and start to bake
A sugar cake for me to take for all the boys to see.
We will raise a family, a boy for you, a girl for me,
Oh, can't you see how happy life would be?
You are revealing a plan so appealing I can't help but falling for you,
Darling, I planned it
Can't you understand it is yours to command it, so do.
All of your schemes I'm admiring, they're worth desiring but can't you see,
I'd like to wait there for some future date dear
It won't be too late, dear, for me.
Picture you upon my knee, just tea for two and two for tea,
Just me for you and you for me, alone!
Nobody near us, to see us or hear us,
No friends or relations on weekend vacations,
We won't have it known, dear, that we have a telephone, dear.
Day will break and you'll awake and start to bake
A sugar cake for me to take for all the boys to see.
We will raise a family, a boy for you, a girl for me,
Oh, can't you see how happy life would be?
In the first verse of Trummy Young's "Tea for Two," the singer expresses dissatisfaction with rented homes and claims to have created their own place of solace. This new space is described as an oasis, free from the "weary chase" of everyday life. It is remote, peaceful, and beautiful, surrounded by flowers and gently flowing streams. The singer uses the word "cozy" to describe this new place, emphasizing its warmth and intimacy. They implore their beloved not to let this fantasy remain just a dream.
The second verse transitions from the idyllic scene to the tea-time ritual shared between the singer and their love interest. The image of two people alone, sharing tea together, is repeated several times, creating a sense of intimacy and closeness. The lack of interference from the outside world is also emphasized, with no friends or relations to eavesdrop on their conversations or judge their love. The singer even suggests hiding the fact that they have a telephone, adding to the sense of seclusion. The final lines of the second verse speak to the singer's desire to start a family with their love interest, with one boy for them and one girl for the singer. The chorus repeats once again, underscoring the dreamy quality of the scene.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm discontented with homes that are rented so I have invented my own.
I am tired of living in places I don't own, so I made my own.
Darling this place is a lover's oasis where life's weary chase is unknown.
This place is perfect for us to escape and hide from the stresses of life.
Far from the cry of the city, where flowers pretty caress the streams,
This oasis is far enough from the city that we can only hear the gentle sound of streams and birds, and not the noisy city commotion.
Cozy to hide in, to love side-by-side in. Don't let it abide in my dreams.
Let's never let go of this cozy place where we can stay together in love. I don't want this place to just be a dream.
Picture you upon my knee, just tea for two and two for tea,
I imagine you sitting on my lap while we're having tea that's just enough for the both of us.
Just me for you and you for me, alone!
It's just the two of us, no one else around.
Nobody near us, to see us or hear us,
We're completely alone and private here; no one around to watch or listen to us.
No friends or relations on weekend vacations,
We didn't invite any friends or family to join us on this little vacation of ours.
We won't have it known, dear, that we have a telephone, dear.
We won't reveal that we have a telephone here, so no one will disturb us.
Day will break and you'll awake and start to bake,
When the day starts, you'll wake up and start baking.
A sugar cake for me to take for all the boys to see.
You'll bake a cake for me to take to all my friends and show off how happy we are as a couple.
We will raise a family, a boy for you, a girl for me,
We'll have children - a son for you, and a daughter for me.
Oh, can't you see how happy life would be?
Life would be so wonderful and full of happiness if we live like this.
You are revealing a plan so appealing I can't help but falling for you,
Your plan is so charming that I can't resist falling more in love with you.
Darling, I planned it,
My darling, I created this plan for us to hide away here.
Can't you understand it is yours to command it, so do.
This place is yours to enjoy and do as you please.
All of your schemes I'm admiring, they're worth desiring but can't you see,
I love your ideas and find them impressive, but don't you see
I'd like to wait there for some future date dear,
I'd love to wait here and enjoy this place together at a later time.
It won't be too late, dear, for me.
I won't feel like it's too late or a missed opportunity for us to be together here in the future.
Lyrics © Budde Music Publishing GmbH, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Irving Caesar, Vincent Youmans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind