He was born in New York City (but grew up in New Haven, Connecticut) and began learning the saxophone when he was 15 and by age 16, had begun to tour with a band. He reached Hollywood the first time, as a sideman with Irving Aaronson's band in 1931, performing at the famous Orange Blossom Room (site of the first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929). Returning to New York City in1932, he became a highly in-demand session musician, working for example as one of just a handful of accompanists to Bing Crosby's first signature radio show for William S. Paley's already powerful and influential CBS radio network. Ultimately, Artie (who was known strictly as "Art" Shaw until his fortuitous Summer, 1938 contract with RCA Victor records' Bluebird label commenced) organized and led five, full-time touring orchestras that were all extremely popular -save the last, from 1949, with its be-bop oriented book. Ironically, that final Shaw-led big band (populated with players like Al Cohn), is considered by most jazz critics to have been Artie's best. With time out to lead a Navy service band (in the Pacific combat theater) during WWII, Shaw's actual big band- leading career lasted less than a decade overall -yet, it was a remarkably productive one, populated with some fourteen "Gold" records. These included such mega-hits as "Begin the Beguine", "Stardust", "Frenesi", "Moonglow", "Temptation", "Dancing In The Dark" and "Summit Ridge Drive" -the latter by his famous quintet billed as the Gramercy 5.
Shaw was known for being an innovator in the big band idiom, pioneering strings with jazz and using unusual instrumentations. His Summer, 1935 piece "Interlude in B-flat" was one of the earliest examples of what would be later dubbed "third stream". In 1938 he convinced Billie Holiday to be his band's vocalist, becoming the first white bandleader to hire a full-time black female singer. This 1938-1939 orchestra became phenomenonally successful and appeared in the movie "Dancing Co-ed" which also featured one of his future wives, Lana Turner, in the cast. Artie's clarinet playing, had by now reached a level that was arguably the greatest in jazz, easily rivaling that of Benny Goodman. Longtime Duke Ellington clarinetist Barney Bigard, himself a highly talented musician -cited Shaw (in 1940) as his "favorite" clarinet player. Literally abandoning his famous 1938-1939 band at the absolute peak of its' fame and earning power (Artie, just himself alone pulling down more than $10K per week) in late November, 1939, Shaw "abdicated" to Acapulco, Mexico. Returning to the U.S. he organized an entirely new orchestra, with full string section in the Summer of 1940. A truly stellar aggregation, it lasted until mid-1941, featuring stars Billy Butterfield, Johnny Guarneiri, Nick Fatool and Ray Conniff as principal arranger. This outfit can be prominently seen in the RKO film "Second Chorus" starring Fred Astaire and Paulette Goddard. The final pre-war Shaw band, started in late, 1941, had Davey Tough and Hot Lips Page and big hits on St. James Infirmary Blues and Blues In The NIght. Artie broke this outstanding unit up shortly after Pearl Harbor so he could "enlist" in the Navy -refusing an offered commission. Back from the Navy, Shaw put together a new band that featured Roy Eldridge and an ambitious library stocked with arrangements by Eddie Sauter, Buster Harding, Ray Conniff and others. Hit records for this band included "Little Jazz" and "S'Wonderful" and by now Artie was married to Ava Gardner. His final public performances (as a clarinetist) took place in 1954, including with a sublime quartet in an extended Las Vegas booking. Apparently, he last picked up and played his fabled clarinet in about 1960 at his beach house in Spain (as recounted in final wife actress Evelyn Keyes' autobiography) and resisted all lucrative offers to return to the stage until finally fielding a "ghost" band under the highly capable aegis of outstanding clarinetist Dick Johnson in 1985. For about the first year, Artie often appeared on stage with this very fine orchestra at certain, prestigious bookings, but soon tired of the "grind" -and not to Dick Johnson's dismay. This now true "ghost" band is still appearing during Summer seasons (with much of the original Shaw "books"), principally in the New England area (Johnson lives in Boston) and is well worth seeing. Although he had more wives (8) than bands, Artie fell one wife short of Charlie Barnet's record (for a famous bandleadrer) of nine.
Carioca
Artie Shaw Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's not a foxtrot or a polka
It has a little bit of new rhythm, a blue rhythm that sighs
It has a meter that is tricky
A bit of wicked wacky-wicky
But when you dance it with a new love, there's a true love in her eye
Its theme is a kiss and a sigh
You dream of a new Carioca
When music and lights are gone we say goodbye
Two heads together, they say are better than one
Two heads together, that's how the dance is begun
Two arms around you and lips, that's why I'm yours and you are mine
And you are mine
Now that you've done the Carioca
You'll never care to do the polka
And then you'll realize the blue hula and bamboola are through
Tomorrow morning you'll discover
You're just a Carioca lover
And when you dance it with each new love, there'll be true love just for you
Now you'll dream of a new Carioca
Its theme is a kiss and a sigh
You'll dream of a new Carioca
When music and lights are gone and we're saying goodbye
Goodbye
The lyrics to Artie Shaw's classic song Carioca describe the dance of the title, which is a Brazilian dance that combines elements of samba and tango. The lyrics also emphasize how the dance can bring two people together and create a sense of true love. The opening lines ask if the listener has seen a Carioca and describe how it is different from popular dances of the time like the foxtrot or polka. The lyrics go on to explain how the Carioca has a unique rhythm that is both tricky and seductive.
Throughout the song, the lyrics encourage the listener to try the Carioca and experience its magic. The chorus repeats the idea that two heads and two arms are better than one and that the dance can create true love between two people. However, the song also acknowledges that the Carioca can be addictive and that once you try it, you'll never want to go back to other dances. The final lines suggest that even after the music and lights are gone, the listener will continue to dream of the Carioca and the sense of true love it brings.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, have you seen a Carioca
Have you ever witnessed the Carioca dance?
It's not a foxtrot or a polka
It is not related to Foxtrot or Polka.
It has a little bit of new rhythm, a blue rhythm that sighs
It contains a new rhythm, a blue rhythm that evokes poignant sentiments.
It has a meter that is tricky
It has a complicated structure.
A bit of wicked wacky-wicky
It's somewhat mischievous and whimsical.
But when you dance it with a new love, there's a true love in her eye
When you dance it with someone new, there is genuine affection in their eyes.
You dream of a new Carioca
You imagine the prospect of experiencing a new Carioca dance.
Its theme is a kiss and a sigh
Its core is all about kissing and longing.
Two heads together, they say are better than one
They say that the collaboration of two minds is often more successful than one alone.
Two heads together, that's how the dance is begun
That's how the dance initiates - by two people coming together to dance.
Two arms around you and lips, that's why I'm yours and you are mine
My arms around you, and our lips against each other's, make us inseparable.
And you are mine
I possess you entirely.
Now that you've done the Carioca
Now that you've experienced the Carioca dance.
You'll never care to do the polka
You'll no longer want to dance the polka.
And then you'll realize the blue hula and bamboola are through
And eventually you'll recognize that the blue hula, and bamboola dances are gone.
Tomorrow morning you'll discover
The day after, you'll realize.
You're just a Carioca lover
You're merely a lover of Carioca dance now.
And when you dance it with each new love, there'll be true love just for you
As you dance it with every new partner, you'll sense genuine love for you.
Goodbye
Farewell
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EDWARD ELISCU, GUS KAHN, VINCENT YOUMANS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steven Smith
This arrangement is a go-to soundtrack for many swing dance troupes performing today. What a treat to hear it sounding better than ever.
Trombonology Erstwhile
Jerry Gray's arrangement, with the arresting wah-wah brass intro, is a knockout, and the leader's blowing is torrid, but I think we can say that it's young Buddy Rich who supplies the "wicked wacky-wicky" in the lyric!
rusty beltway
Didn't Gene Krupa play with Artie Shaw?
shrinkprof
@rusty beltway No.
Trombonology Erstwhile
@rusty beltway No, Gene played with the other virtuoso clarinetist, Benny Goodman.
Swingman 56
A brilliant example of swing's heyday! For a post war take of this epic tune,you must listen to Les Brown's take,recorded 10 years later. Brassy bop,at it's finest!
shrinkprof
@Swingman 56 Did you know that the drummer on the Les Brown "Carioca" is none other than Buddy Rich?
Inderneil Bose Roy Chowdhury
👍👏👌🎼🎺
MonkeyTennis74
Artie Shaw 🔥🔥👏👏👏
Engy Adel
Best version of carioca I have ever heard 👌