Trent played piano since childhood and worked in local bands in Arkansas through his youth. He led his first band in the mid-1920s, possibly as early as 1923. In 1924 he played with Eugene Cook's Synco Six, and then took over leadership of the band, which played until 1934, playing mostly in the American South and Midwest, as well as on steamboats.
He left music in the mid-1930s but returned with another band in 1938. His sidemen included Terrence Holder, Alex Hill, Stuff Smith, Snub Mosley, Charlie Christian, Sweets Edison, Mouse Randolph, and Peanuts Holland. As leader, he recorded only eight sides: four in 1928, two in 1930, and two in 1933.
His small recorded legacy has made him a somewhat obscure figure today, but the sophistication of his arrangements and the precision with which they were executed inspired awe in contemporaries - one such, Budd Johnson (quoted by Gunther Schuller via The Jazz Review) stated:
"Let me tell you about Trent... They were gods back in the twenties, just like Basie was, only many years ahead of him... They worked nothing but the biggest and finest hotels in the South... They were years ahead of their time."
Clementine
Alphonse Trent And His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Excavatin' for a mine,
There lived a miner from North Carolina
And his daughter, chubby Clementine.
Now every mornin', just about dawnin'
A'when the sun begins to shine
You know she would rouse up, wake all a dem cows up
A'took the foot bridge, way 'cross the water
Though she weighed two-ninety nine.
The old bridge trembled and disassembled
(Oops!) dumped her into the foamy brine.
Hey, crackle like thunder, (ho, ho) she went under
(ho, ho) blowin bubbles (bubble sound) down the line.
Hey, I'm no swimm'a but were she slimm'a
I might'a saved that Clementine.
(Ho) broke the record, way under water
I thought that she was doin' fine.
I wasn't nervous ya until the service
That they held for Clementine.
Hey you sailor (ho, ho) way out in your whaler
With a harpoon, your trusty line.
If she shows now, yo, there she blows now,
It just may be chunky Clementine.
(One more time)
Oh my darlin', oh my darlin', oh my darlin'
Oh my darlin' , oh my darlin' sweet Clementine,
You may be gone
But!
You're not forgotten,
Fare thee well
So long, Clementine
(Bubble sound) Bye!
The lyrics to Alphonse Trent And His Orchestra's song "Clementine" tell the story of a miner from North Carolina who lived with his daughter, Clementine, in a cavern down by a canyon while excavating for a mine. Every morning, Clementine would wake up at dawn, walk down to the mine, and bring the cows with her. To get there, she had to cross a footbridge across the water, even though she weighed 299 pounds. One day, as she was crossing the bridge, it trembled and disassembled, causing Clementine to fall into the water and drown. The song ends with the singer pondering whether Clementine's body may show up in a whaling ship.
Line by Line Meaning
In a cavern down by a canyon
There was a mine located in a canyon that was dug into a cavern.
Excavatin' for a mine
They were digging and removing rock to create a mine.
There lived a miner from North Carolina
The miner who owned the mine was from North Carolina.
And his daughter, chubby Clementine.
The miner had a daughter named Clementine, who was described as chubby.
Now every mornin', just about dawnin'
Every morning, right before sunrise.
A'when the sun begins to shine
As soon as the sun rises and starts to shine its light.
You know she would rouse up, wake all a dem cows up
Clementine would get up and wake up all the cows to prepare them for the day.
And walk 'em down to her Daddy's mine.
She would lead the cows down to her father's mine.
A'took the foot bridge, way 'cross the water
She crossed a bridge to get to the mine.
Though she weighed two-ninety nine.
Even though she was a heavy person.
The old bridge trembled and disassembled (Oops!) dumped her into the foamy brine.
The old bridge shook and fell apart, causing Clementine to fall into the water below.
Hey, crackle like thunder, (ho, ho) she went under (ho, ho) blowin bubbles (bubble sound) down the line.
Clementine sank fast and far, making noise and all the while blowing bubbles as she went under the water.
Hey, I'm no swimm'a but were she slimm'a
He is not a good swimmer, but if she was thinner he might have been able to save her.
I might'a saved that Clementine.
He believes he could've saved Clementine if she was thinner.
(Ho) broke the record, way under water
Clementine stayed underwater for a long time, possibly even breaking a record.
I thought that she was doin' fine.
He thought Clementine was doing well underwater.
I wasn't nervous ya until the service
He wasn't worried until the funeral or memorial service for Clementine.
That they held for Clementine.
A ceremony or service was held in honor of Clementine.
Hey you sailor (ho, ho) way out in your whaler
He is addressing a sailor out on a whaling expedition.
With a harpoon, your trusty line.
The sailor has a harpoon and line with him.
If she shows now, yo, there she blows now,
If someone spots Clementine's body in the water, they might exclaim 'there she is!' using a whaling term.
It just may be chunky Clementine.
The body they see in the water may belong to Clementine, who was described as chubby.
Oh my darlin', oh my darlin', oh my darlin'
The singer is addressing Clementine with affectionate names.
Oh my darlin' , oh my darlin' sweet Clementine,
The artist is fondly remembering Clementine.
You may be gone
Clementine has passed away.
But!
There is something important to be said next.
You're not forgotten,
The singer will remember Clementine.
Fare thee well
Goodbye and be well.
So long, Clementine
A final farewell to Clementine.
(Bubble sound) Bye!
A sound effect indicating the end of the song and also alluding to Clementine's drowning.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: LEE HAYS, FRED HELLERMAN, RONNIE GILBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@martintanksley3561
One THE best EARLY swing records... should made more records because his band was GREAT....4 STARS!!!!!
@RatPfink66
It was just too bad that if you played music this interesting in 1933, you generally didn't to record it at all. Never mind more than once.
@martintanksley3561
@@RatPfink66 Too bad they got VERY LITTLE opportunities to SHINE..whatever the reason, th few they did was GREAT!!!
@RatPfink66
Arranged by Trent's 2d trombonist, Augustus Wilson. The brother of pianist Teddy Wilson, Gus was offered a job with Duke Ellington but did not take it. As a result almost nothing else of his work survives on record.
Soloists: Peanuts Holland, trumpet; Snub Mosley, trombone; Lee Hillyard, alto sax; Hayes Pillars, tenor sax.
Champion was virtually a custom pressing operation by 1933, and No. 16587 apparently had a press run of just 50 copies. 78 Quarterly in 2000 estimated 5 were known to survive. It was Trent's last recording.
@simonetticarlo150
Thanks for your comment.
@yvesfrancoisritmo
It is about my favourite record ever made - terrific arrangement. Fact - Harry Sweets Edison first recording, trumpet solo however is by the great Peanuts Holland