Woody Herman & His Orchestra
Early life and career
Herman was born Woodrow Charles Thomas Herman … Read Full Bio ↴Early life and career
Herman was born Woodrow Charles Thomas Herman in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on May 16, 1913. His parents were Otto and Myrtle Herrman. His father had a deep love for show business and this influenced Woody Herman at an early age. As a child he worked as a singer in vaudeville, then became a professional saxophone player at age 15. In 1931, he met Charlotte Neste, an aspiring actress. They later married, September 27, 1936. Woody Herman joined the Tom Gerun band and his first recorded vocals were "Lonesome Me" and "My Heart's At Ease". Herman also performed with the Harry Sosnick orchestra and Gus Arnheim and Isham Jones. Isham Jones wrote many popular songs, including "It Had To Be You" and at some point was tiring of the demands of leading a band. Jones wanted to live off the residuals of his songs. Woody Herman saw the chance to lead Isham Jones' former band. Woody Herman eventually acquired the remains of Jones' orchestra after Isham Jones decided to retire.
The Band That Plays The Blues and the First Herd 1936-1946
Woody Herman's first band became known for its orchestrations of the blues and was sometimes billed as "The Band That Plays The Blues". This band recorded for the Decca label. At first the band served as a cover band, doing covers of songs by other Decca artists. The first song recorded was "Wintertime Blues" on November 6, 1936. In January of 1937, George T. Simon closed a review of the band with the words: "This Herman outfit bears watching; not only because it's fun listening to in its present stages, but also because its bound to reach even greater stages." After two and a half years on the label, the band had its first hit, "Woodchopper's Ball" recorded in 1939. Woody Herman remembered that "Woodchopper's Ball" started out slowly at first. "t was really a sleeper. But Decca kept re-releasing it, and over a period of three or four years it became a hit. Eventually it sold more than five million copies--the biggest hit I ever had." Other hits for the band include "The Golden Wedding" and "Blue Prelude". Musicians and arrangers that stand out include Cappy Lewis on trumpet and Dean Kincaide, a noted big band arranger.
In jazz, swing was gradually being replaced by bop. Dizzy Gillespie, a celebrated bop trumpeter, wrote three arrangements for Woody Herman, "Woody'n You", "Swing Shift" and "Down Under". These were arranged in 1942. "Woody'n You" was not used at the time. "Down Under" was recorded November 8, 1943. The fact that Herman commissioned Dizzy Gillespie to write arrangements for the band and that Herman hired Ralph Burns as a staff arranger, heralded a change in the style of music the band was playing.]
In February of 1945, the band started a contract with Columbia records. Herman liked what drew many artists to Columbia, Liederkrantz Hall. Liederkrantz Hall was a desanctified church in New York City with excellent acoustics. Many recordings of the 1940s and 1950s took place there before it was demolished in the 1960s. The first side it recorded was "Laura", the theme song of the 1944 movie of the same name. Herman's version was so successful that it made Columbia hold from release the arrangement that Harry James recorded days earlier. The Columbia contract coincided with a change in the band's repertoire. The First Herd's music was heavily influenced by Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Its lively, swinging arrangements, combining bop themes with swing rhythm parts, were greatly admired. As of February, 1945 the personnel included Sonny Berman, Pete Candoli, Billy Bauer (later replaced by Chuck Wayne), Ralph Burns, Davey Tough and Flip Phillips. On February 26, 1945 in New York City, the Woody Herman band recorded "Caldonia".
Neal Hefti and Ralph Burns collaborated on the arrangement of "Caldonia" that the Herman band used. "Ralph caught Louis Jordan [singing "Caldonia"] in an act and wrote the opening twelve bars and the eight bar tag. But the most amazing thing on the record was a soaring eight bar passage by trumpets near the end." These eight measures have wrongly been attributed to a Dizzy Gillespie solo, but were in fact originally written by Neal Hefti. George Simon compares Neal Hefti with Dizzy Gillespie in a 1944 review for Metronome magazine saying, "Like Dizzy [...] Hefti has an abundance of good ideas, with which he has aided Ralph Burns immensely.
In 1946 the band won Downbeat, Metronome, Billboard and Esquire polls for best band, nominated by their peers in the big band business.[26] Along with the high acclaim for their jazz and blues performances, classical composer Igor Stravinsky wrote the Ebony Concerto, one in a series of compositions commissioned by Woody with solo clarinet, for this band. Woody Herman would record this work in the Belock Recording Studio at Bayside New York in 1959, and released in January 1959 as SDBR 3009. The recording has been released on a CD by Everest EVC 9049.
Throughout the history of jazz, there have always been musicians who sought to combine it with classical music. Ebony Concerto is one in a long line of music from the twenties to the present day that seeks to do this. Woody Herman said about the Concerto: "[Ebony Concerto is a] very delicate and a very sad piece." Stravinsky felt that the jazz musicians would have a hard time with the various time signatures. Saxophonist Flip Philips said "during the rehearsal [...] there was a passage I had to play there and I was playing it soft, and Stravinsky said 'Play it, here I am!' and I blew it louder and he threw me a kiss!'" In his own original way Stravinsky noticed the massive amount of smoking at the recording session: "the atmosphere looked like Pernod clouded by water." Ebony Concerto was performed live by the Herman band, March 25, 1946 at Carnegie Hall.
Despite the Carnegie Hall success and other triumphs, Herman was forced to disband the orchestra in 1946 at the height of its success. This was his only financially successful band; he left it to spend more time with his wife and family. During this time, he and his family had just moved into the former Hollywood home of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. One reason Herman may have disbanded was his wife Charlotte's growing problems with alcoholism and pill addiction. Charlotte Herman joined Alcoholics Anonymous and gave up everything she was addicted to. "Woody said, laughing, 'I went to an AA meeting with Charlotte and my old band was sitting there.'"[31] Many critics cite December of 1946 as the actual date the big band era ended and eight other bands in addition to Herman's, called it quits.]
[edit] The Second Herd and Other Bands 1947-1987
In 1947 Herman organized the Second Herd. This band was also known as "The Four Brothers Band". This derives from the song recorded December 27, 1947 for Columbia records, "Four Brothers", written by Jimmy Giuffre. "The 'Four Brothers' chart is based on the chord changes of 'Jeepers Creepers', and features the three-tenor, one-baritone saxophone section[...]." The order of the saxophone solos is Zoot Sims, Serge Chaloff, Herbie Steward, and Stan Getz. Some of the notable musicians of this band were also Al Cohn, Gene Ammons, Lou Levy, Oscar Pettiford, Terry Gibbs, and Shelly Manne. Among this band's hits were "Early Autumn," and "The Goof and I". The band was popular enough that they went to Hollywood in the mid-nineteen forties. Herman and his band appear in the movie New Orleans in 1947 with Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong.
Herman's other bands include the Third Herd (1950–1956) and various editions of the New Thundering Herd (1959–1987). In the 1950s, the Third Herd went on a successful European tour. He was known for hiring the best young musicians and using their arrangements. By 1968, the Herman library came to be heavily influenced by rock and roll. He was also known to feature brass and woodwind instruments not traditionally associated with jazz, such as the bassoon, oboe or French horn. From the late 1940s to the end of his life, record labels Herman recorded for include RCA, Capitol, MGM and Verve.
In 1974, Woody Herman's "Young Thundering Herd" appeared without their leader for Frank Sinatra's television special The Main Event and subsequent album, The Main Event – Live. Both were recorded mainly on October 13 1974 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. On November 20, 1976, a reconstituted Woody Herman band played at Carnegie Hall in New York City, celebrating Herman's fortieth anniversary as a bandleader. By the 1980s, Herman had returned to straight forward jazz, dropping some of the newer rock and fusion approaches. Woody Herman signed a recording contract with Concord Records around 1980, now called the Concord Music Group. In 1981, John S. Wilson warmly reviewed one of Herman's first Concord recordings "Woody Herman Presents a Concord Jam, Vol. I". Wilson said that the recording presented a band that was less frenetic than his bands from the forties to the seventies. Instead it took the listener back to the relaxed style of Herman's first band of the thirties that recorded for Decca.
Last years
Herman continued to perform into the 1980s, after the death of his wife and his health declining, chiefly to pay back taxes caused by his business manager's bookkeeping in the 1960s. With the added stress, Herman still kept performing. In a December 5, 1985 review of the band at the Blue Note jazz club for The New York Times, John S. Wilson pointed out: "In a one-hour set, Mr. Herman is able to show off his latest batch of young stars — the baritone saxophonist Mike Brignola, the bassist Bill Moring, the pianist Brad Williams, the trumpeter Ron Stout — and to remind listeners that one of his own basic charms is the dry humor with which he shouts the blues." Wilson also spoke about arrangements by Bill Holman and John Fedchock for special attention. Wilson spoke of the continuing influence of Duke Ellington on the Woody Herman bands from the nineteen forties to the nineteen eighties. Before Woody Herman died in 1987 he delegated most of his duties to leader of the reed section, Frank Tiberi. Tiberi leads the current version of the Woody Herman orchestra. Frank Tiberi said at the time of Herman's death that he would not change the band's repertoire or library. Woody Herman was buried in a Catholic funeral, November 2, 1987 in West Hollywood, California.
Concord Music Group's website mentions these awards won by the various Woody Herman orchestras: "Voted best swing band in 1945 Down Beat poll; Silver Award by critics in 1946 and 1947 Esquire polls; won Metronome poll, band division, 1946 and 1953; won NARAS Grammy Award for Encore as best big band jazz album of 1963; won NARAS Grammy Award for Giant Steps as best big band jazz album of 1973." Woody Herman was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987
Herman was born Woodrow Charles Thomas Herman … Read Full Bio ↴Early life and career
Herman was born Woodrow Charles Thomas Herman in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on May 16, 1913. His parents were Otto and Myrtle Herrman. His father had a deep love for show business and this influenced Woody Herman at an early age. As a child he worked as a singer in vaudeville, then became a professional saxophone player at age 15. In 1931, he met Charlotte Neste, an aspiring actress. They later married, September 27, 1936. Woody Herman joined the Tom Gerun band and his first recorded vocals were "Lonesome Me" and "My Heart's At Ease". Herman also performed with the Harry Sosnick orchestra and Gus Arnheim and Isham Jones. Isham Jones wrote many popular songs, including "It Had To Be You" and at some point was tiring of the demands of leading a band. Jones wanted to live off the residuals of his songs. Woody Herman saw the chance to lead Isham Jones' former band. Woody Herman eventually acquired the remains of Jones' orchestra after Isham Jones decided to retire.
The Band That Plays The Blues and the First Herd 1936-1946
Woody Herman's first band became known for its orchestrations of the blues and was sometimes billed as "The Band That Plays The Blues". This band recorded for the Decca label. At first the band served as a cover band, doing covers of songs by other Decca artists. The first song recorded was "Wintertime Blues" on November 6, 1936. In January of 1937, George T. Simon closed a review of the band with the words: "This Herman outfit bears watching; not only because it's fun listening to in its present stages, but also because its bound to reach even greater stages." After two and a half years on the label, the band had its first hit, "Woodchopper's Ball" recorded in 1939. Woody Herman remembered that "Woodchopper's Ball" started out slowly at first. "t was really a sleeper. But Decca kept re-releasing it, and over a period of three or four years it became a hit. Eventually it sold more than five million copies--the biggest hit I ever had." Other hits for the band include "The Golden Wedding" and "Blue Prelude". Musicians and arrangers that stand out include Cappy Lewis on trumpet and Dean Kincaide, a noted big band arranger.
In jazz, swing was gradually being replaced by bop. Dizzy Gillespie, a celebrated bop trumpeter, wrote three arrangements for Woody Herman, "Woody'n You", "Swing Shift" and "Down Under". These were arranged in 1942. "Woody'n You" was not used at the time. "Down Under" was recorded November 8, 1943. The fact that Herman commissioned Dizzy Gillespie to write arrangements for the band and that Herman hired Ralph Burns as a staff arranger, heralded a change in the style of music the band was playing.]
In February of 1945, the band started a contract with Columbia records. Herman liked what drew many artists to Columbia, Liederkrantz Hall. Liederkrantz Hall was a desanctified church in New York City with excellent acoustics. Many recordings of the 1940s and 1950s took place there before it was demolished in the 1960s. The first side it recorded was "Laura", the theme song of the 1944 movie of the same name. Herman's version was so successful that it made Columbia hold from release the arrangement that Harry James recorded days earlier. The Columbia contract coincided with a change in the band's repertoire. The First Herd's music was heavily influenced by Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Its lively, swinging arrangements, combining bop themes with swing rhythm parts, were greatly admired. As of February, 1945 the personnel included Sonny Berman, Pete Candoli, Billy Bauer (later replaced by Chuck Wayne), Ralph Burns, Davey Tough and Flip Phillips. On February 26, 1945 in New York City, the Woody Herman band recorded "Caldonia".
Neal Hefti and Ralph Burns collaborated on the arrangement of "Caldonia" that the Herman band used. "Ralph caught Louis Jordan [singing "Caldonia"] in an act and wrote the opening twelve bars and the eight bar tag. But the most amazing thing on the record was a soaring eight bar passage by trumpets near the end." These eight measures have wrongly been attributed to a Dizzy Gillespie solo, but were in fact originally written by Neal Hefti. George Simon compares Neal Hefti with Dizzy Gillespie in a 1944 review for Metronome magazine saying, "Like Dizzy [...] Hefti has an abundance of good ideas, with which he has aided Ralph Burns immensely.
In 1946 the band won Downbeat, Metronome, Billboard and Esquire polls for best band, nominated by their peers in the big band business.[26] Along with the high acclaim for their jazz and blues performances, classical composer Igor Stravinsky wrote the Ebony Concerto, one in a series of compositions commissioned by Woody with solo clarinet, for this band. Woody Herman would record this work in the Belock Recording Studio at Bayside New York in 1959, and released in January 1959 as SDBR 3009. The recording has been released on a CD by Everest EVC 9049.
Throughout the history of jazz, there have always been musicians who sought to combine it with classical music. Ebony Concerto is one in a long line of music from the twenties to the present day that seeks to do this. Woody Herman said about the Concerto: "[Ebony Concerto is a] very delicate and a very sad piece." Stravinsky felt that the jazz musicians would have a hard time with the various time signatures. Saxophonist Flip Philips said "during the rehearsal [...] there was a passage I had to play there and I was playing it soft, and Stravinsky said 'Play it, here I am!' and I blew it louder and he threw me a kiss!'" In his own original way Stravinsky noticed the massive amount of smoking at the recording session: "the atmosphere looked like Pernod clouded by water." Ebony Concerto was performed live by the Herman band, March 25, 1946 at Carnegie Hall.
Despite the Carnegie Hall success and other triumphs, Herman was forced to disband the orchestra in 1946 at the height of its success. This was his only financially successful band; he left it to spend more time with his wife and family. During this time, he and his family had just moved into the former Hollywood home of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. One reason Herman may have disbanded was his wife Charlotte's growing problems with alcoholism and pill addiction. Charlotte Herman joined Alcoholics Anonymous and gave up everything she was addicted to. "Woody said, laughing, 'I went to an AA meeting with Charlotte and my old band was sitting there.'"[31] Many critics cite December of 1946 as the actual date the big band era ended and eight other bands in addition to Herman's, called it quits.]
[edit] The Second Herd and Other Bands 1947-1987
In 1947 Herman organized the Second Herd. This band was also known as "The Four Brothers Band". This derives from the song recorded December 27, 1947 for Columbia records, "Four Brothers", written by Jimmy Giuffre. "The 'Four Brothers' chart is based on the chord changes of 'Jeepers Creepers', and features the three-tenor, one-baritone saxophone section[...]." The order of the saxophone solos is Zoot Sims, Serge Chaloff, Herbie Steward, and Stan Getz. Some of the notable musicians of this band were also Al Cohn, Gene Ammons, Lou Levy, Oscar Pettiford, Terry Gibbs, and Shelly Manne. Among this band's hits were "Early Autumn," and "The Goof and I". The band was popular enough that they went to Hollywood in the mid-nineteen forties. Herman and his band appear in the movie New Orleans in 1947 with Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong.
Herman's other bands include the Third Herd (1950–1956) and various editions of the New Thundering Herd (1959–1987). In the 1950s, the Third Herd went on a successful European tour. He was known for hiring the best young musicians and using their arrangements. By 1968, the Herman library came to be heavily influenced by rock and roll. He was also known to feature brass and woodwind instruments not traditionally associated with jazz, such as the bassoon, oboe or French horn. From the late 1940s to the end of his life, record labels Herman recorded for include RCA, Capitol, MGM and Verve.
In 1974, Woody Herman's "Young Thundering Herd" appeared without their leader for Frank Sinatra's television special The Main Event and subsequent album, The Main Event – Live. Both were recorded mainly on October 13 1974 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. On November 20, 1976, a reconstituted Woody Herman band played at Carnegie Hall in New York City, celebrating Herman's fortieth anniversary as a bandleader. By the 1980s, Herman had returned to straight forward jazz, dropping some of the newer rock and fusion approaches. Woody Herman signed a recording contract with Concord Records around 1980, now called the Concord Music Group. In 1981, John S. Wilson warmly reviewed one of Herman's first Concord recordings "Woody Herman Presents a Concord Jam, Vol. I". Wilson said that the recording presented a band that was less frenetic than his bands from the forties to the seventies. Instead it took the listener back to the relaxed style of Herman's first band of the thirties that recorded for Decca.
Last years
Herman continued to perform into the 1980s, after the death of his wife and his health declining, chiefly to pay back taxes caused by his business manager's bookkeeping in the 1960s. With the added stress, Herman still kept performing. In a December 5, 1985 review of the band at the Blue Note jazz club for The New York Times, John S. Wilson pointed out: "In a one-hour set, Mr. Herman is able to show off his latest batch of young stars — the baritone saxophonist Mike Brignola, the bassist Bill Moring, the pianist Brad Williams, the trumpeter Ron Stout — and to remind listeners that one of his own basic charms is the dry humor with which he shouts the blues." Wilson also spoke about arrangements by Bill Holman and John Fedchock for special attention. Wilson spoke of the continuing influence of Duke Ellington on the Woody Herman bands from the nineteen forties to the nineteen eighties. Before Woody Herman died in 1987 he delegated most of his duties to leader of the reed section, Frank Tiberi. Tiberi leads the current version of the Woody Herman orchestra. Frank Tiberi said at the time of Herman's death that he would not change the band's repertoire or library. Woody Herman was buried in a Catholic funeral, November 2, 1987 in West Hollywood, California.
Concord Music Group's website mentions these awards won by the various Woody Herman orchestras: "Voted best swing band in 1945 Down Beat poll; Silver Award by critics in 1946 and 1947 Esquire polls; won Metronome poll, band division, 1946 and 1953; won NARAS Grammy Award for Encore as best big band jazz album of 1963; won NARAS Grammy Award for Giant Steps as best big band jazz album of 1973." Woody Herman was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987
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Woody Herman & His Orchestra Lyrics
A String Of Pearls Savoy, the home of sweet romance Savoy, it wins you with…
Am I Blue I'm just a woman, a lonely woman Waiting on the weary…
As Long As I Live I'll get by As long as I have you Though there be…
At the Woodchopper's Ball Sing, sing, sing, sing everybody start to sing like dee…
Baby I Need You Love makes me treat you the way that I do Gee,…
Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea I don't want you, but I'd hate to lose you You've…
BLUE EVENING Blue evening comes at the close of day Blue evening, spent…
Blue Moon Blue moon you saw me standing alone Without a dream in…
Blues In The Night BLUES IN THE NIGHT Woody Herman - words by Johnny Mercer, mu…
Body and Soul My heart is sad and lonely For you I sigh, for…
Caldonia Walk with my baby, she got great big feet She long,…
Careless Love was the thing that you wanted That's why we answered…
Carolina In The Morning Du, du, du, du, du, du, du Du, lu, lu, du,…
Castle Rock I met her dancing to the Castle Rock, I held her…
Cherry Run here, pretty mama Sit down on your daddy's knee So I…
Deep Night Deep night, stars in the sky above Moonlight, lighting our p…
DO I LOVE YOU Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me Do nothin' till you hear from me. Pay no attention to…
Don't Get Around Much Anymore Missed the Saturday dance Heard they crowded the floor Could…
Don't Worry 'Bout That Mule Everybody's got a thing But some don't know how to…
Don't You Know Or Don't You Care Don't you know I care Or don't you care to…
Dream Let me dream, while my heart is large As the moon,…
Everything Happens To Me Black cats creep across my path Until I'm almost mad I must…
Everywhere To lead a better life I need my love to be…
Farewell Blues Sadness just makes me sigh, I've come to say goodbye, Altho'…
Fine And Dandy Please forgive this platitude But I like your attitude You a…
Five O'Clock Whistle You're "hep" to what's buzzin', cousin; You're up on what's …
FRENESI Some time ago I wandered down into old mexico While I was…
G'bye Now Vaughn monroe and his orchestra Vocal by marilyn duke G'bye …
Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe It seems like happiness is just a thing called Joe He's…
Heads Up [Chorus] Up above my head (Up above my head) I hear music in…
Here Comes The Blues Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus Right down Sa…
I Can't Get Started I've been around the world in a plane Settled revolutions in…
I Can't Pretend Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
I Can’t Get Started I've been around the world in a plane Settled revolutions in…
I Don't Want Nobody All our friends keep knocking at the door They've asked me…
I Dood It Though folks with good intentions Tell me to save my tears W…
I Get A Kick Out Of You I get no kick from champagne Mere alcohol Doesn't thrill me …
I Got It Bad Though folks with good intentions Tell me to save my tears W…
i gotta right to sing the blues Ooh, I want a little girl To call my own Must be…
I Guess I'll be On My Way The torch I carry is handsome It's worth its heartache in…
I Told Ya I Love Ya Now Get Out I've told ya I love ya, now get out! I've told…
I Wonder All by myself alone at home a feeling blue Thoughts keep…
I'll Get By I'll get by As long as I have you Though there be…
I'll Remember April This lovely day will lengthen into evening We'll sigh goodby…
I've Got the World on a String I've got the world on a string, sittin' on a…
It Don't Mean a Thing It don't mean a thing If it ain't got that swing (doo…
It Happens To Me Black cats creep across my path Until I'm almost mad I must…
It Must Be Jelly 'Cause Jam Don't Shake Like That Must be jelly 'cause jam don't shake like that Must be…
It's a Blue World Don't know when I've been so blue Don't know what's come…
It's Anybody's Spring You think that money is everything And still, it's anybody's…
It’s A Blue World Don't know when I've been so blue Don't know what's come…
I’ve Got You Under My Skin I've got you under my skin. I've got you deep in…
Laura Laura, is the face in the misty light Footsteps that you…
Lemon Drop scatting…
Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow Oh the weather outside is frightful But the fire is so…
Let Me Love You Tonight Let me love you tonight Let me tell you how much…
Let's Get Away From It All I'm so tired of this dull routine Up to town on…
Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries People are queer, they're always crowing, scrambling and rus…
Linger in My Arms a Little Longer Baby Linger in my arms a little longer, baby Don't think twice Wh…
Looking For Yesterday Looking for yesterday Most any day I spent with you, One…
Love Is a Many Splendored Thing Love is a many splendored thing It's the April rose that…
LOVE ME Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
Lover Man I don't know why but I'm feeling so sad I long…
Mean To Me You're mean to me Why must you be mean to me? Gee,…
Milkman Keep Those Bottles Quiet Milkman, keep those bottles quiet Can't use that jive on my…
No Time Long time no see, Baby, what's the reason I get the…
One O'Clock Jump Amapola My pretty little poppy You're like that lovely flowe…
P.S. I Love You Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
Perdido Perdido, I look for my heart It's perdido I lost it way down…
Please Be There There'll be a hot time in the town of Berlin When…
romance in the dark Dancing in the dark Till the tune ends, We're dancing in…
Sabre Dance My heart begins to tingle when the bells begin to…
Santa Claus is Comin' To Town You better watch out, you better not cry You better not…
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town I just came back from a lovely trip along the…
Saturday Night Saturday night is the loneliest night in the week 'Cause tha…
Saving Myself for You A few stolen moments is all that we share You've got…
Say Si Si' Si tu reviens un jour Je te revois debout devant ma…
Skylark Skylark Have you anything to say to me? Won't you tell me…
Sleep Sleep, sleep, sleep How we love to sleep At the close of…
Solitude In my solitude You haunt me With dreadful ease Of days gone …
Somebody Loves Me Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
Someday Sweetheart Someday, sweetheart, You may be sorry For what you've done T…
Someone To Care For Me Bluebird you sing of happiness Swinging in a blossom laden t…
South Go South, young man go South, young man That's where you…
Stars Fell on Alabama Moonlight and magnolia, starlight in your hair All the world…
Stompin' At The Savoy Savoy, the home of sweet romance Savoy, it wins you at…
Strange Though I know I'm wasting my Time to love you strange…
Surrender Surrender (ooh), why don't you surrender? (Surrender) How lo…
Sweet And Lovely Sweet and lovely sweeter than the roses in May Sweet and…
Swing Low Sweet Clarinet I looked over Jordan and what did I see? Comin' for…
Take It Easy Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Tenderly Oh she may be weary Them young girls they do get…
That's Right I'm gonna wash that man right outa my hair, I'm gonna…
The Blues Are Brewin' When the moon's kinda dreamy Starry eyed and dreamy And…
The Crickets Someone's in the meadow down on lover's lane Making lots of…
The Man I Love Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
The Music Stopped It was a most romantic interlude And we were in a…
The Nearness Of You Its not the pale moon that excites me That thrills and…
The Sheik of Araby "I'm the Sheik of Araby, Your love belongs to me. At…
The Woodchopper's Ball Sing, sing, sing, sing everybody start to sing like dee…
there There is no greater love Than what I feel for you No…
There I Go There'll be a hot time in the town of Berlin When…
Too Late Stayed in bed all mornin' just to pass the time. There's…
Trouble In Mind Trouble in mind, I'm blue But I won't be blue always, 'Cause…
Under A Blanket Of Blue Under a blanket of blue, just you and I beneath…
Welcome to My Dream Well, what do you know, he smiled at me in…
When We Meet Again Smile the while you kiss me sad adieu When the clouds…
Woodchopper's Ball Sing, sing, sing, sing everybody start to sing like dee…
You Go to My Head You go to my head And you linger like a haunting…
You Rascal You I remember other days how I used to weep Over…
You've Got Me Cryin' Again You've got me crying again You've got me sighing again What …
We have lyrics for these tracks by Woody Herman:
A Fool In Love What a day this has been! What a rare mood I'm…
A Ghost Of A Chance I need your love so badly, I love you, oh,…
A Night in Tunisia BLUES IN THE NIGHT Woody Herman - words by Johnny Mercer, mu…
A Song For You I remember other days how I used to weep Over…
After You've Gone Now won't you listen honey, while I say, How could…
Ain There's been a sayin' goin' round And I begin to think…
Ain't Misbehavin No one to talk with All by myself No one to walk…
Aint Misbehavin No one to talk with All by myself No one to walk…
Almost Like Being In Love What a day this has been! What a rare mood I'm…
As Long As I Live I'll get by As long as I have you Though there be…
At the Woodchopper's Ball Sing, sing, sing, sing everybody start to sing like dee…
At the Woodchoppers Ball NATURAL Miscellaneous This Is Where The Party's At Yeah, thi…
At the Woodchoppers' Ball Sing, sing, sing, sing everybody start to sing like dee…
Basin Street Blues Won't you come along with me To the Mississippi We'll take a…
Beale St. Blues I hate to see that evening sun go down I hate…
Beale Street Blues Won't you come along with me To the Mississippi We'll take a…
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea I don't want you, but I'd hate to lose you You've…
Bidin' My Time But I'm bidin' my time, Cause that's the kinda guy I'm While…
Blue Evening Blue evening comes at the close of day Blue evening, spent…
Blue Flame My mama done tol' me When I was in kneepants My mama…
Blue Moon Blue moon you saw me standing alone Without a dream in…
Blues Are Brewing When the moon's kinda dreamy Starry eyed and dreamy And…
Blues In Advance BLUES IN THE NIGHT Woody Herman - words by Johnny Mercer, mu…
Body and Soul My heart is sad and lonely For you I sigh, for…
Body And Soul` My heart is sad and lonely For you I sigh, for…
Body Soul My heart is sad and lonely For you I sigh, for…
Caldonia Walkin' with my baby, she's got great big feet She long…
Can You Look Me In The Eyes Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
Can't Help Lovin' That Man Oh listen, sister I love my mister man and I can't…
Careless Love was the thing that you wanted That's why we answered…
Carolina in the Morning "Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina" Wishing i…
Comes Love Comes a rainstorm, put your rubbers on your feet Comes a…
Corazon Corazón mi corazón Corazón mi corazón Yo te quiero mi corazó…
Dance Ballerina Dance My heart begins to tingle when the bells begin to…
Day By Day Day by day I'm falling more in love with you And…
Deep In A Dream I dim all the lights and I sink in my…
Deep Night Deep night, stars in the sky above Moonlight, lighting our p…
Deep Purple Woo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo When the…
Diga Diga Doo Zulu man is feelin' blue Gear his heart beat a little…
Dinah Carolina Gave me Dinah; I'm the proudest one Beneath the…
Do I Love You Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
Do Nothin Someone told someone and someone told you But they wouldn't…
Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me Someone told someone and someone told you But they wouldn't …
Don Everybody's got a thing But some don't know how to…
Don't Get Around Much Any More Missed the Saturday dance Heard they crowded the floor Cou…
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight Do me wrong, do me right Tell me lies, but hold…
Don't Worry 'Bout That Mule Everybody's got a thing But some don't know how to…
Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing Everybody's got a thing But some don't know how to…
Dont Get Around Much Any More Missed the Saturday dance Heard they crowded the floor Could…
Dream I dim all the lights and I sink in my…
Early Autumn When an early autumn walks the land and chills the…
Early Autumn (2000 Remastered Version) Et les vents du nord les emportent Dans la nuit froide…
East of the Sun East of the sun and west of the moon We'll build…
Ev'rything I've Got Don't stamp your foot at me It's impolite To stamp your foot…
Everything Happens To Me Black cats creep across my path Until I'm almost mad I must…
Everything I've Got I've got the world on a string, sittin' on a…
Exactly Like You I used to have a perfect sweetheart Not a real one,…
Farewell Blues Sadness just makes me sigh, I've come to say goodbye, Alth…
Fine And Dandy Please forgive this platitude But I like your attitude You a…
Four Brothers Que facil decir te quiero cuando estamos solos lo dificil…
Get Happy Pack up your troubles and just get happy Ya better…
Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe Skies ain't gonna cloud no mo', The crops ain't gonna fail,…
Happiness Is Just A Thing Called Joe It seems like happiness is just a thing called Joe He's…
Hey Jude Hey Jude, don't make it bad Take a sad song and…
I I cover the waterfront, I'm watching the sea,, Will the on…
I Ain't Got Nobody There's been a sayin' goin' round And I begin to think…
I Ain't Got Nothing But The Blues Ain't got the change of a nickel Ain't got no bounce…
I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
I Can't Get Next To You I, my, my, my, my Oh I, Can turn the gray sky…
I Can't Get Started I've been around the world in a plane Settled revolutions in…
I Can't Pretend Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
I Cover The Waterfront I cover the waterfront, I'm watching the sea,, Will the on…
I Cried For You I remember other days how I used to weep Over…
I don't mean a thing It don't mean a thing If it ain't got that swing (doo…
I Don'tWant Nobody yo quiero tomar agüita de coco estoy de sed ♬…
I Dood It Though folks with good intentions Tell me to save my tears …
I Get A Kick Out Of You I get no kick from champagne, Mere alcohol, Doesn't thrill…
I Got It Bad Though folks with good intentions Tell me to save my tears …
I Got Rhythm There's been a sayin' goin' round And I begin to think…
I Hadn't Anyone 'Til You I hadn't anyone till you, I was a lonely one 'til…
I Left My Hat In Haiti I left my hat in Haiti In some forgotten flat in…
I Love Paris Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
I Only Have Eyes For You My love must be a kind of blind love I can't…
I Remember Clifford The night was filled with sweet surrender I had a million…
I Surrender Pride, sad, splendid liar, Sworn enemy of love Kept my…
I Won't Dance I won't dance, don't ask me I won't dance, don't ask…
I'll Get By I'll get by As long as I have you Though there be…
I'll Never Be the Same I'll never be the same Stars have lost their meaning for…
I'm Beginning To See The Light I never cared much for moonlit skies I never wink back…
I'm Sitting On Top Of The World I'm sitting on top of the world Just rolling along, Just…
I've Got the World On a String I've got the world on a string, sittin' on a…
I've Got You Under My Skin I've got you under my skin. I've got you deep in…
In A Little Spanish Town Evenings are crowded with memories Thrilling me again Like…
In a Misty Mood In A Sentimental Mood I can see the stars come…
In a Sentimental Mood In A Sentimental Mood I can see the stars come…
In the Blue of Evening Blue evening comes at the close of day Blue evening, spent…
In the Mood In A Sentimental Mood I can see the stars come…
In The Still Of The Night In the still of the night As I gaze out of…
Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby Is you is or is you ain't my baby Way you're…
Isn't She Lovely Isn't she lovely Isn't she wonderful Isn't she precious L…
Isn't This A Lovely Day The weather is frightening. The thunder and lightning Seem t…
It Oh the weather outside is frightful But the fire is so…
It Don't Mean a Thing It don't mean a thing If it ain't got that swing (doo…
It Happens to Me Black cats creep across my path Until I'm almost mad I must…
It Must Be Jelly The Hut-Sut Song And here are those world travelers, the da…
It's Too Late Stayed in bed all mornin' just to pass the time. There's…
It's Your Thing It don't mean a thing If it ain't got that swing (doo…
Jazzman Lift me, won't you lift me above the old routine; Make…
Jumpin' Blue Ausverkaufte Tour, aber ich rapp erst seit Corona Ich bin üb…
Just Squeeze Me Want you to know I go for your squeezin' Want you…
Killing Me Softly Strumming my pain with his fingers, singing my life with…
Laura Laura, is the face in the misty light Footsteps that you…
Lemon Drop scatting…
Let It Snow Oh the weather outside is frightful But the fire is so…
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Oh the weather outside is frightful But the fire is so…
Life Ist Just a Bowl of Cherries People are queer, they're always crowing, scrambling and rus…
Long Long Night Long time no see, Baby, what's the reason I get the…
Looking For Yesterday Looking for yesterday Most any day I spent with you, One…
Love Is A Many Splendored Thing Love is a many splendored thing It's the April rose that…
Love Is A Many Splendored Thing] Love is a many splendored thing It's the April rose that…
Love Is Here To Say It's very clear, our love is here to stay Not for…
Love Me Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
Lullaby of Birdland Lullaby of Birdland, that's what I Always hear when you…
Medley: That's My Desire To spend one night with you in our old rendezvous, And…
Midnight Sun Your lips were like a red and ruby chalice, Warmer than…
Mister Meadowlark Mr. Meadowlark, we've got an awful lot of serenadin' to…
Mood Indigo You ain't never been blue; no, no, no, You ain't…
Moonglow It must have been moonglow, way up in the blue It…
More Than You Know Whether you are here or yonder, Whether you are false…
My Baby Just Cares for Me My baby don't care for shows My baby don't care for…
My Cheri Amour La la la la la la, la la la la…
My Favorite Things Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens Bright copper ket…
My Melancholy Baby My baby don't care for shows My baby don't care for…
Nearness of You Its not the pale moon that excites me That thrills and…
Nice Work If You Can Get It The man who only lives for making money Lives a life…
No Time Long time no see, Baby, what's the reason I get the…
NO TRUE LOVE There is no greater love Than what I feel for you No…
On The Atchison Topeka And Santa Fe Do ya hear that whistle down the line? I figure that…
Our Love Is Here To Stay It's very clear, our love is here to stay Not for…
P S I Love You Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
Pennies From Heaven Every time it rains, it rains pennies from heaven Don't you…
Prelude To A Kiss If you hear A song in blue Like a flower crying For the…
PS I Love You Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
Rose I want to take you to a little room A little…
Sabre Dance My heart begins to tingle when the bells begin to…
San Francisco It only takes a tiny corner of This great big…
Santa Claus is comin I just came back from a lovely trip along the…
September Song Oh, it's a long, long while from May to December But…
Sheik Of Araby "I'm the Sheik of Araby, Your love belongs to me. At…
sinbad the sailor Sindbad The Sailor Ek Jahaaz Mein Jab Chala ...Mere Yaar Sun…
Singin I'm singin' in the rain, just singin' in the rain What…
Singin' In The Rain I'm singin' in the rain, just singin' in the rain What…
Skylark Skylark Have you anything to say to me? Won't you tell me…
Sleep Sleep, sleep, sleep How we love to sleep At the close of…
Smack Dab In The Middle Pick me a town in any clime Where people like a…
Somebody Loves Me Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
Someone to Care for Me Bluebird you sing of happiness Swinging in a blossom laden t…
Sonny Boy Climb upon my knee, Sonny Boy, Though you're only three, Son…
Squeeze Me Want you to know I go for your squeezin' Want you…
Stardust And now the purple dusk of twilight time Steals across the…
Stars Fell On Alabama Moonlight and magnolia, starlight in your hair All the world…
Surrender Surrender (ooh), why don't you surrender? (Surrender) How lo…
Sweet And Lovely Sweet and lovely sweeter than the roses in May Sweet and…
Sweet Lorraine Everything is set, skies are blue, Can't believe it yet, but…
Tallahassee Oh, won't you listen all you people on the southbound…
That's My Desire To spend one night with you in our old rendezvous, And…
The Blues are Brewin When the moon's kinda dreamy Starry eyed and dreamy And…
The Glory Of Love You've got to give a little, take a little And let…
The Late Late Show Stayed in bed all mornin' just to pass the time. There's…
The Man I Love Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
The Nearness Of You Its not the pale moon that excites me That thrills and…
The Shadow of Your Smile The shadow of your smile When you have gone Will color all…
The Sheik of Araby "I'm the Sheik of Araby, Your love belongs to me. At…
The Woodchopper's Ball Sing, sing, sing, sing everybody start to sing like dee…
There I Go There'll be a hot time in the town of Berlin When…
There Is No Greater Love There is no greater love Than what I feel for you No…
These Foolish Things Oh! Will you never let me be? Oh! Will you never…
Too Late Stayed in bed all mornin' just to pass the time. There's…
Toot Toot Tootsie! Toot, toot, Tootsie, good-bye! Toot, toot, Tootsie, don't cr…
Trouble In Mind Trouble in mind, I'm blue But I won't be blue always, 'Cause…
Try A Little Tenderness Oh she may be weary Them young girls they do get…
What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life I want to see your face in every kind of…
When Lights Are Low Listen to the melody entrancing Blending in a soft and sweet…
When You're Smiling I saw a blind man, He was a kind man, Helping a…
Where or When It seems we stood and talked like this before We looked…
Woodchopper's Ball Sing, sing, sing, sing everybody start to sing like dee…
You Rascal You I remember other days how I used to weep Over…
You Took Advantage Of Me When a girl has the heart of a mother It must…
You're My Everything You're my everything underneath the sun You're my everythin…
You're My Thrill You're my thrill You do something to me You send chills righ…
You're The One Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
We have lyrics for these tracks by His Orchestra:
Adios Maraquita Linda Te quiero, dijiste tomando mis manos entre tus manitas de bl…
Blues for Two Five foot two, eyes of blue But oh, what those five…
Carioca Ela é carioca, ela é carioca Basta o jeitinho dela andar Nem…
Don't You Do It You had plenty money 1922 You let other women make a…
Emaline Don't you hear my heart whisper thru your window, Emaline? I…
Fly Fly me to the moon Let me play among the stars Let…
I Don't Know Don't you know I care Or don't you care to…
I Hear A Rhapsody And when I hear you call So softly to me I…
I'm Sitting On Top Of The World I'm sitting on top of the world Just rolling along, Just…
If Dreams Come True If dreams come true I'll be with you I love that smile…
It Don Must be jelly 'cause jam don't shake like that Must be…
It Don't Mean a Thing It don't mean a thing If it ain't got that swing (doo…
Jersey Bounce They call it that Jersey bounce A rhythm that really counts …
Let It Snow Oh the weather outside is frightful But the fire is so…
let's get together I'm so tired of this dull routine Up to town on…
Moanin Moanin' low, my sweet man, I love him so Though he's…
Oh Marie Here while the day is fading, Dear you I'm serenading, My lo…
Posin Sposin' I should fall in love with you, Do you…
Remember The night was filled with sweet surrender I had a million…
Rock House Blues Lace up your boots and we'll broom on down To a…
Rock It For Me I heard it came to town A new kind of rhythm Spread…
Rudolph The Rednosed Reindeer You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen Comet and…
Russian Lullaby Aka Lullaby Mm Mm Every night you'll hear her croon A Russian lullaby …
Serenade Serenade in the night 'neath a fair lady's window Just the…
Since I Since I met you baby my whole life has changed Since…
Sing a Song of Sunbeams Give me a song that's robust Feeling the way I am Any…
Singin' In The Rain I'm singin' in the rain, just singin' in the rain What…
Stompin Savoy, the home of sweet romance, Savoy, it wins you with…
Stompin' at the Savoy Savoy, the home of sweet romance Savoy, it wins you at…
The Wedding Samba Way down in the land of the Rio Grande When people…
Unforgettable Unforgettable That's what you are Unforgettable Tho' near or…
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve When the bells all ring and the horns all blow And…
what is there to say Is it true what they say about Dixie? Does the…
You Feel It You make me feel so young You make me feel as…