Autoplay Next video from Max length

Billie Holiday ft Tiny Grime's Sextet - Detour Ahead (Aladdin Records 1951)

4,311 views · Published 6 April 2012 · 3:08 · Indexed 12 October 2026

Channel: RoundMidnightTV · 2012 · Music

Detour Ahead is a jazz standard with words and music credited to Herb Ellis, John Frigo, and Lou Carter. The song was written in 1947 while Carter, Ellis and Frigo were part of The Soft Winds, a group they created after leaving Jimmy Dorsey's orchestra. In 1949 Billie Holiday recorded the song with Tiny Grimes' Sextet.

While officially credited to Carter, Frigo, and Ellis, there is no agreement in whether all three composed the song. The original lyrics compare love's progress to a motor trip -- the perfect metaphor in 1950s America.

Billie's accompanied with Frank 'Haywood Henry' Haywood (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Bobby Tucker (piano); Tiny Grimes (guitar); (unknown bass & drums).  Recorded in WOR Studios, New York City, April 29, 1951. (Aladdin Records)
 
Smooth road clear day 
 But why am I the only one 
 Traveling' this way
  How strange the road to love 
 Should be so easy 
 Can there be a detour ahead

 Wake up slow down 
 Before you crash and brake your heart
  Gullible clown 
 You fool, you're heading 
 In the wrong direction 
 Can't you see the detour ahead

 The further you travel 
 The harder to unravel 
 The web he spins around you 
 Turn back while there's time
  Can't you see the danger sign
  Soft shoulders surround you

 Smooth road clear night
  Oh lucky me that suddenly 
 I saw the light
 I'm turning back away 
 From all this trouble 
 Smooth road, smooth road
  No detour ahead

 The further you travel 
 The harder to unravel
  The web he spins around you 
 Turn back while there's time 
 Can't you see the danger sign 
 Soft shoulders surround you
 
Smooth road clear night
  Oh lucky me that suddenly 
 I saw the light 
 I'm turning back away
  From all this trouble 
 Smooth road, smooth road 
 No detour ahead 
 No detour ahead

Billie Holiday ft Tiny Grime's Sextet - Detour Ahead (Aladdin Records 1951)

More from this channel