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.
Honeysuckle Rose
Artie Shaw Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When they see you out with me.
Goodness knows
You're my honeysuckle rose
When you're passin' by flowers droop and sigh,
And I know the reason why.
Goodness knows
You're my honeysuckle rose
Don't buy sugar,
You just have to touch my cup.
You're my sugar.
It's sweeter when you stir it up.
When I'm taking sips from your tasty lips
Seems the honey fairly drips.
Goodness knows
You're my honeysuckle rose
Goodness knows
You're my honeysuckle rose
Don't buy sugar,
You just have to touch my cup.
You're my sugar.
It's sweeter when you stir it up.
When I'm taking sips from your tasty lips
Seems the honey fairly drips.
Goodness knows
You're my honeysuckle rose
The lyrics of Artie Shaw's song "Honeysuckle Rose" depict a strong infatuation and admiration for a particular individual. The opening lines, "Every honey bee fills with jealousy, when they see you out with me," suggest that the singer's relationship with this person is envied by others. The honey bees represent the rest of the world, who become envious or resentful upon seeing the singer and their loved one together. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the captivating allure and desirability of the singer's partner.
The chorus, "Goodness knows, you're my honeysuckle rose," further emphasizes the significance and endearment the singer feels towards their companion. The term "honeysuckle rose" is a term of endearment, comparing the person to a sweetly scented flower. It connotes beauty, delicacy, and attractiveness, highlighting the special qualities perceived in the partner.
The subsequent verse, "When you're passin' by, flowers droop and sigh, and I know the reason why," adds to the imagery of fascination and charm that surrounds the loved one. The flowers' reaction to the person passing by implies that their presence has the power to captivate and enthrall all those who encounter them. This further reinforces the idea that the loved one is extraordinary and holds an unmistakable allure.
The lines, "Don't buy sugar, you just have to touch my cup. You're my sugar. It's sweeter when you stir it up," compare the person to sugar, reinforcing their sweetness and the joy they bring to the singer's life. The singer finds their partner's presence alone to be enough to bring happiness and fulfillment, needing no additional external sources of sweetness. The act of stirring up the sugar can be interpreted as the passionate and exciting moments shared between them, enhancing the already delightful experiences of being together.
The final lines, "When I'm taking sips from your tasty lips, seems the honey fairly drips. Goodness knows, you're my honeysuckle rose," continue the metaphorical language used throughout the song. Sipping from the loved one's "tasty lips" implies the enjoyment and pleasure they bring to the singer. The "honey" that drips can be seen as a metaphor for the sweetness and desirability of their relationship. This repeated statement, "Goodness knows, you're my honeysuckle rose," reiterates the profound affection and admiration the singer holds for their partner, emphasizing their unique and cherished qualities.
Overall, Artie Shaw's "Honeysuckle Rose" portrays a profound infatuation and adoration for a person who captivates not only the singer but also the world around them. The lyrics metaphorically describe the beauty and allure of the loved one, comparing them to sweet scents, sugar, and honey. The song conveys a sense of joy, desire, and admiration for this extraordinary individual who holds a special place in the singer's heart.
Line by Line Meaning
Every honey bee fills with jealousy,
Every bee becomes envious when they see you with me.
When they see you out with me.
When they witness us together.
Goodness knows
Definitely, without a doubt
You're my honeysuckle rose
You are my sweet and beautiful companion.
When you're passin' by flowers droop and sigh,
When you walk by, the flowers wilt and express sadness.
And I know the reason why.
And I am fully aware of the reason behind it.
Don't buy sugar,
There is no need to purchase sugar.
You just have to touch my cup.
All you have to do is touch my loving cup.
You're my sugar.
You are the sweetener in my life.
It's sweeter when you stir it up.
It becomes even more delightful when you mix it.
When I'm taking sips from your tasty lips
When I am savoring kisses from your appealing lips
Seems the honey fairly drips.
It feels like the honey is flowing abundantly.
You're my honeysuckle rose
You are my sweet and beautiful companion.
Goodness knows
Definitely, without a doubt
You're my honeysuckle rose
You are my sweet and beautiful companion.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andy Razaf, Thomas Waller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jim
no one in the new Avengers is as much of a hero as you...
thank you so so SO much!
AmericanBiker5150
@Christopher Anton,
Hi. I'm wondering if you know how I can buy this song. I have a Seinfeld playlist on Spotify. There are some songs that Spotify doesn't have, so I have to add them through my local files. That's why I want to buy this song. I may transfer the playlist over here, eventually. I don't know. Here it is.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/28q9iN2GFNORSKxhYUvlnP?si=q17HjXVnSSWaYNOnnnI2hQ
Also, you may already know this, but the song that you're referring to is "Scenes From theSam Twenties", by Sam Fonteyn. I'd like to buy that, too. I just found out, since I looked it up.
Christopher Anton
Jim thank you so much! As soon as I get a chance I'm going to upload the bottle collecting music! I found that as well!
Anthony Long
Fantastic I'm just watching that episode of Seinfeld now 😂
khomotso Seerane
😂😂😂 Me too
Ethan Wade
Same 😂
Jose Luis Aponte Pantoja
I arrive here for this episode
Zrinka Pinka
Same! 💓💓
JD Desrouleaux
🌚✨
Nadeem Hazboun
"Elaine, what in blazes are you listening to?"