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.
The Blues Part 1
Artie Shaw Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They were serving drinks as usual, and the usual crowd was there
On my left stood Big Joe McKennedy, and his eyes were bloodshot red
And he turned his face to the people, these were the very words he said
I was down to St. James infirmary, I saw my baby there
She was stretched out on a long white table,
So sweet, cool and so fair
Let her go, let her go, God bless her
Wherever she may be
She may search this whole wide world over
Never find a sweeter man as me
When I die please bury me in my high top Stetson hat
Put a twenty dollar gold piece on my watch chain
The gang'll know I died standing pat
Let her go, let her go God bless her
Wherever she may be
She may search this wide world over
Never find a sweeter man as me
I want six crapshooters to be my pallbearers
Three pretty women to sing a song
Stick a jazz band on my hearse wagon
Raise hell as I stroll along
Let her go Let her go
God bless her
Wherever she may be
She may search this whole wide
World over
She'll never find a sweeter
Man as me
The song "St. James Infirmary" is about a man who visits the hospital ward where his lover is laying on a long white table after dying of some mysterious illness. The man, Big Joe McKennedy, is highly emotional and can barely handle the sight of his sweetheart laying before him. He reflects on the memories they shared together, and laments the fact that she won't find a better man than him, even if she searched the whole world. The song then takes on a more upbeat tone as he begins planning for his own funeral, stating that he wants a jazz band playing as his hearse wagon rolls by, and that six crapshooters should carry his coffin, along with three pretty women singing a song.
The lyrics are heavy with melancholy and despair, and they evoke a sense of loss and heartbreak that is still relatable today. The song has become a classic jazz standard, and it has been covered by numerous artists over the years. It's one of those songs that captures a moment in time and tells a story that everyone can appreciate.
Line by Line Meaning
It was down by old Joe's barroom, on the corner of the square
The scene of the song is set on a street corner, at a bar called Old Joe's.
They were serving drinks as usual, and the usual crowd was there
The bar was serving drinks like it always did, and the people who usually frequented the bar were present.
On my left stood Big Joe McKennedy, and his eyes were bloodshot red
The singer noticed Big Joe McKennedy standing on his left, and his eyes were noticeably red and bloodshot.
And he turned his face to the people, these were the very words he said
Big Joe McKennedy addressed the other people at the bar with these words.
I was down to St. James infirmary, I saw my baby there
The artist went to the St. James Infirmary and saw his lover lying on a table.
She was stretched out on a long white table, So sweet, cool and so fair
The singer's lover was lying on a white table, looking peaceful and beautiful.
Let her go, let her go, God bless her
The singer is saying goodbye to his lover, and wishing her well.
Wherever she may be
The artist is unsure where his lover will end up.
She may search this whole wide world over
It is suggested that the artist's lover may end up searching for someone like him, but she will never find anyone as sweet as him.
Never find a sweeter man as me
The artist believes he is a sweet person, and that his lover will never find anyone better than him.
When I die please bury me in my high top Stetson hat
The singer is giving instructions for his burial, asking to be buried in a specific hat.
Put a twenty dollar gold piece on my watch chain
The artist wants to be buried with a gold piece on his watch chain.
The gang'll know I died standing pat
The singer wants his friends to know that he didn't back down in life.
I want six crapshooters to be my pallbearers
The singer wants six gamblers to carry his coffin.
Three pretty women to sing a song
The singer wants three attractive women to sing at his funeral.
Stick a jazz band on my hearse wagon
The artist wants a jazz band to play music as his funeral procession goes by.
Raise hell as I stroll along
The artist wants his funeral procession to be a lively and joyous event.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOE PRIMROSE, IRVING MILLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vladimir Kievsky
Simply fantastic. I recently started to listen to '30-40 music - what a universe of talents, both white and black bands and performers! It's just like one huge family of music geniuses giving joy to themselves and their audience! And Artie Shaw is one of the best.
Brenda Reed
Thank you!
Nathaniel
@SwingMan1937 Ok I start posting part 2 now. Hope that it get this time a little faster.
Maureen Ahl
To hard to remove