The name "stride" comes from the left-hand movement "striding" up and down the keyboard. Sustain pedal technique further varies the left hand sound allowing the notes on beats one and three to sustain until the following chord is played.
Stride piano is highly rhythmic and somewhat percussive in nature because of the "oom-pah" sound of the left hand. This is where the term, "stride" came from. Pianist James P. Johnson, known as the "Father of Stride", created this unique style of jazz along with fellow pianists, Willie "The Lion" Smith, Fats Waller, and Luckey Roberts. The pianist usually plays one to three single notes (or walking bass) followed by a chord with the left hand, while the right hand plays the melody. Players may sometimes choose to play octaves instead of single notes to modify the sound of the left hand accompaniment. James P. Johnson's greatest contribution was to recast the rhythm of ragtime into a more swinging, steadier beat. He discovered and employed the tenth or "broken tenth" interval to introduce more swing in his left hand. This can be heard in his famous composition "Carolina Shout". The pianist can not only substitute tenths for single bass notes and triad chords, but can also play the interval up and down the keyboard.
The stride style originated in Harlem during World War I, fathered by James P. Johnson, and developed with fellow "Ticklers" Willie "The Lion" Smith, Luckey Roberts, and Fats Waller, reaping piano devices from other contemporary pianists. It was influenced by ragtime, and as a jazz piano idiom, it features improvisation, blue notes, and swing rhythms. The practitioners of "stride" practiced a full jazz piano style that made use of classical music devices such as arpeggios, musical scales, and flourishes. They often engaged in cutting contests to show off their skills.
Other notable stride pianists include Willie "The Lion" Smith, Fats Waller, Art Tatum, Donald Lambert, Cliff Jackson, Eubie Blake, Dick Wellstood, Claude Hopkins, Ralph Sutton, Hank Duncan, Dick Hyman, Don Ewell, Mike Lipskin, Terry Waldo, Stephanie Trick, William Turk, and Mark Birnbaum.
Dinah
Thelonious Monk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gave me Dinah;
I'm the proudest one
Beneath the Dixie sun.
News is spreadin'
'Bout our weddin';
I hear church bells ringin',
Here's the song my heart keeps singin':
Dinah,
Is there anyone finer
In the state of Carolina?
If there is and you know her,
Show her!
Dinah,
With her Dixie eyes blazin',
How I love to sit and gaze in
To the eyes of Dinah Lee!
Yet, every night,
My, how I shake with fright,
Because my Dinah might,
Change her mind about me!
But if Dinah,
Ever wandered to China,
I would hop an ocean liner,
Just to be with Dinah Lee!
Dinah,
Is there anyone finer
In the state of Carolina?
If there is and you know her,
Show her!
Dinah,
With her Dixie eyes blazin',
How I love to sit and gaze in
To the eyes of Dinah Lee!
Yet, every night,
My, how I shake with fright,
Because my Dinah might,
Change her mind about me!
But if Dinah,
Ever wandered to China,
I would hop an ocean!,
Just to be with Dinah Lee!
Thelonious Monk's "Dinah" is a love song that celebrates his love for his woman, Dinah, who he received from Carolina. The song talks about how proud he is to have Dinah by his side, and his fear of losing her every night. The song also talks about the rumors of their wedding, and how their love is spreading across the Dixie sun.
The chorus of the song talks about how Dinah is the finest woman in the state of Carolina, and if there is anyone better, the singer tells the audience to go and show her. The song emphasizes the beauty of Dinah's Dixie eyes, and how much the singer loves gazing into them. The last stanza talks about how the singer is willing to go to the end of the world to be with Dinah, even if she ever wanders to China.
Line by Line Meaning
Carolina
The state where the singer met Dinah.
Gave me Dinah;
Introduced me to Dinah.
I'm the proudest one
I consider myself the luckiest man after meeting her.
Beneath the Dixie sun.
In the southern part of the USA.
News is spreadin'
Word is getting around.
'Bout our weddin';
People are talking about our marriage.
I hear church bells ringin',
I imagine the sound of church bells announcing our wedding.
Here's the song my heart keeps singin':
A romantic tune I can't help but sing in my heart.
Dinah,
The name of the singer's lover.
Is there anyone finer
Is there anyone more beautiful and perfect.
In the state of Carolina?
In the entire state of North Carolina and South Carolina.
If there is and you know her,
If there's someone else you think is even better, please let me know.
Show her!
Introduce me to her!
With her Dixie eyes blazin',
Her expressive eyes reflecting her southern roots.
How I love to sit and gaze in
How I could spend hours simply looking into them.
To the eyes of Dinah Lee!
To the beauty and uniqueness of Dinah's eyes.
Yet, every night,
Despite my love for her, every night.
My, how I shake with fright,
How afraid I am of losing her.
Because my Dinah might,
Because there's a chance Dinah will.
Change her mind about me!
Stop loving me or wanting to be with me.
But if Dinah,
If she were.
Ever wandered to China,
If she left me and went to a faraway place like China.
I would hop an ocean liner,
I would go to great lengths to be with her again.
Just to be with Dinah Lee!
Because being with Dinah is worth the effort.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Akst, Samuel M. Lewis, Joseph Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@toniekid
I've been listening to this recording for over thirty years and it still brings a smile to my face. Monk is god!
@pijim96
My favorite Thelonious Monk song.
@lucalupe2466
actually, this is Django Reinhardt's song GYPSYJAZZ
@tallen1628
Wasn't written by Monk or Django
@Pinko-Diamond
@@lucalupe2466 Written by Harry Akst for broadway musical called Kid Boots.
@svetlanatodorovic4653
Mine too
@gatobrancopreto
one of my favourites songs ever, for sure!
@alonzogarbanzo
Whoooooeeee. I only regret that I was too dumb to go and see that man play when he was with us. Thanks for posting this gem. The ending is to die for.
@postatility9703
Monk takes an old tune,dusts it off,and gives it a new coat of paint In an unexpected color.
@brabazon10
I bought this album in London in1965, and still have the vinyl. It still delights, and brings out Monk's amazing musical style. James P Johnson was probably looking down on Monk, and nodding approval.