Carlisle was born on the 26th December 1915, in Xenia, Ohio, U.S.A.. She was discovered by Fats Waller late in 1932. He invited her to play on his radio show at station WLW in Cincinnati during Christmas week when Una Mae turned seventeen. She was still in High School at the time, and her mother had approved her Christmas vacation in Cincinnati because she was to stay with her elder sister. When her vacation was over, she refused to return home, becoming a professional musician working with Waller at WLW. It has been stated by some sources that she became his mistress. Waller's contract with WLW expired in 1934 and he left Cincinnati for New York.
Carlisle left America in 1936 to tour Europe, reportedly with the revue Blackbirds of 1936, though no record has been found to substantiate her being a member of the cast, and she spent the next three years there, mostly in London and Paris. In London, on the 20th May 1938, she recorded three discs that were released on the Vocalion label, including "Don't Try Your Jive on Me". Her backing band for that session included the West Indian musicians Dave Wilkins (trumpet) and Bertie King (clarinet and tenor sax).
She became highly successful in England, Germany, and France, where she worked at the Boeuf sur le Toit ("The Ox on the Roof"), a cabaret in the Rue du Colisée in Paris. While in Paris in 1939 she was one of two pianists in a combo headed by clarinetist Danny Polo (Danny Polo And His Swing Stars) which recorded four sides for Decca.
She then returned to New York where she undertook several successful engagements and record dates, the first of which was a session with Fats Waller in November 1939 for Bluebird, in which she and Waller combined to sing "I Can't Give You Anything but Love". She began recording on her own for Bluebird in the summer of 1940. She soon had several hits, including "Walkin' by The River" with Benny Carter, "Blitzkrieg Baby" with Lester Young, and "I See a Million People" with Charlie Shavers and John Kirby.
As early as 1938 Carlisle began suffering with mastoid trouble and in 1941 she was hospitalised for several week.
Bluebird dropped her from its roster during the 1942-1944 American Federation of Musicians ban on recording (the "Petrillo Ban"), so she signed with Joe Davis for whom she recorded more than a dozen tracks, one of which was "'Tain't Yours" with trumpeter Ray Nance, who had just left Duke Ellington's band.
In between bouts of ill health she played clubs and hotels and appeared on radio shows, including a week-long salute to Fats Waller on WNEW in New York in February 1945, approximately a year after his death.
Her career kept going into the 1950s when she became involved in films and her own radio and television shows. Her last studio session was for Columbia in New York on the 8th May 1950. Later in 1950 she recorded a few "special product" 78s on RCA Victor, which she is believed to have distributed to disc jockeys to keep her name before the public.
She retired due to her illness in 1954, and died in New York on the 7th November 1956.
Anything
Una Mae Carlisle Lyrics
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It's not a joke, kid, it's a curse.
My luck is changing, it's gotten from
simply rotten to something worse
Who knows, some day I will win too.
I'll begin to reach my prime.
Now though I see what our end is,
I can't give you anything but love, baby.
That's the only thing I've plenty of,baby.
Dream awhile, scheme awhile
We're sure to find
Happiness and I guess
All those things you've always pined for.
Gee I'd like to see you looking swell, baby.
Diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn't sell, baby.
Till that lucky day you know darned well, baby.
I can't give you anything but love.
Rome wasn't built in a day, kid.
You have to pay, kid, for what you get.
But I am willing to wait, dear,
Your little mate, dear, will not forget.
You have a lifetime before you.
I'll adore you, come what may.
Please don't be blue for the present,
When it's so pleasant to hear you say
I can't give you anything but love, baby.
That's the only thing I've plenty of,baby.
Dream awhile, scheme awhile
We're sure to find
Happiness and I guess
All those things you've always pined for.
Gee I'd like to see you looking swell, baby.
Diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn't sell, baby.
Till that lucky day you know darned well, baby.
I can't give you anything but love.
The song "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" by Una Mae Carlisle expresses a feeling of financial insecurity and a longing to provide for a loved one. The lyricist describes the difficulty of being broke and the hope of a future where they can give their partner more than just love. The lines "It's not a joke, kid, it's a curse" and "My luck is changing, it's gotten from simply rotten to something worse" show a sense of defeat and pessimism that is typical of someone who is struggling financially.
Despite the hardships, the singer remains optimistic about the future and couples this with a message of love and hope to his or her partner. The lyrics "Dream awhile, scheme awhile, we're sure to find happiness, and I guess all those things you've always pined for" show the desire to work towards a better future and make the most of the present. The final lines of the song "Til that lucky day, you know darned well, baby. I can't give you anything but love" reinforce the idea that love is the most important thing, even in times of financial hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
Gee, but it's tough to be broke, kid.
It's incredibly difficult to be financially struggling.
It's not a joke, kid, it's a curse.
Being broke is not a laughing matter, but a serious issue.
My luck is changing, it's gotten from simply rotten to something worse
Things have gone from bad to worse for me recently.
Who knows, some day I will win too. I'll begin to reach my prime.
Despite current setbacks, there is hope for success in the future.
Now though I see what our end is, All I can spend is just my time.
I recognize that our circumstances are dire, and all I can offer is my time and love.
I can't give you anything but love, baby. That's the only thing I've plenty of,baby.
Although I lack material possessions, I have an abundance of love to offer.
Dream awhile, scheme awhile We're sure to find Happiness and I guess All those things you've always pined for.
Let's dream and make plans for a brighter future, where we can obtain the things we've always wanted.
Gee I'd like to see you looking swell, baby. Diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn't sell, baby.
I want to see you looking your best, and owning things that cannot be bought at a discount store like Woolworth's.
Till that lucky day you know darned well, baby. I can't give you anything but love.
Until we can achieve financial security, all I can offer is my love and devotion.
Rome wasn't built in a day, kid. You have to pay, kid, for what you get.
Success and prosperity do not come easily or quickly, and require hard work and sacrifice.
But I am willing to wait, dear, Your little mate, dear, will not forget.
Despite the difficulties we face, I am willing to be patient and loyal to you.
You have a lifetime before you. I'll adore you, come what may.
We have our whole lives ahead of us, and I will continue to love you no matter what.
Please don't be blue for the present, When it's so pleasant to hear you say
Don't be sad about our current situation, as hearing you speak brings joy and happiness despite our struggles.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Trombonology Erstwhile
Now here's a vocalist and songwriter who should be better known -- Una Mae Carlisle was a great talent. I'd never heard the verse to this song before, and also the chorus lyrics she sings are like those on the Goodman version but entirely different from those Sinatra sings on the T. Dorsey record. ... The John Kirby band always provided discreetly swinging accomanpaniment for the singers they backed, including, among others, Kirby's wife Maxine Sullivan and Mildred Bailey.
maxindetroit
E- fantastico thanks for sharing. mk