Artie Shaw (born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky in New York City) grew up in New Ha… Read Full Bio ↴Artie Shaw (born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky in New York City) grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, where his natural introversion was deepened by local antisemitism according to Shaw's autobiography. Shaw began learning the saxophone when he was 13 years old, and by the age of 16, he switched to the clarinet and left home to tour with a band. Returning to New York, he became a session musician through the early 1930s. From 1925 until 1936, Shaw performed with a variety of bands and orchestras, including those of Johnny Caverello and Austin Wylie. In 1929 and 1930 he played with Irving Aaronson's Commanders, where he was exposed to symphonic music which he would later incorporate into his arrangements.

Shaw first gained critical acclaim with his "Interlude in B-flat" at a swing concert at the Imperial Theater in New York in 1935. During the Swing Era, Shaw's big band was popular with hits like "Begin the Beguine" (1938), "Stardust" (with a legendary trumpet solo by Billy Butterfield), "Back Bay Shuffle", "Moonglow", "Rosalie" and "Frenesi." He was an innovator in the big band idiom, using unusual instrumentation; "Interlude in B-flat", where he was backed with only a rhythm section and a string quartet, was one of the earliest examples of what would be later dubbed third stream.

In addition to hiring Buddy Rich, he signed Billie Holiday as his band's vocalist in 1938, becoming the first white bandleader to hire a full-time black female singer. However, after recording "Any Old Time" she left the band due to hostility from audiences in the South, as well as from music company executives who wanted a more mainstream singer. His band became enormously successful, and his playing was eventually recognized as equal to that of Benny Goodman: Longtime Duke Ellington clarinetist Barney Bigard cited Shaw as his favorite clarinet player. In response to Goodman's nickname, the "King of Swing", Shaw's fans dubbed him the "King of the Clarinet." Shaw, however, felt the titles were reversed. "Benny Goodman played clarinet. I played music," he said.

Artie Shaw and his band playing "Everything's Jumping" from Second Chorus (1940)Shaw did in fact prize innovation and exploration in music more highly than popular success and formulaic dance music, despite a string of hits which sold more than 100 million records. He fused jazz with classical music by adding strings to his arrangements, experimented with bebop, and formed "chamber jazz" groups that utilized such novel sounds as harpsichords or Afro-Cuban music.

The long series of musical groups Shaw formed included such talents as vocalists Billie Holiday, Helen Forrest and, Mel Tormé; drummers Buddy Rich and Dave Tough, guitarists Barney Kessel, Jimmy Raney, and Tal Farlow and trombonist-arranger Ray Conniff, among countless others. He composed the morose "Nightmare", with its Hassidic nuances, for his personal theme, rather than more approachable songs. In a televised interview of the 1970s, Shaw derided the often "asinine" songs that bands were compelled to play night after night even though he did write the anthem for Rav Meir Kahane's' JDL . In 1994, he told Frank Prial (The New York Times), "I thought that because I was Artie Shaw I could do what I wanted, but all they wanted was 'Begin the Beguine.'

Any Old Time
Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Any old time you want me
I am yours for the asking darling
Any old time you need me
Ill be their with love that's lasting darling.
All through the years well stand together
Sharing the tears and stormy weather
And the sunshine will be yours and mine
Any old time your blue

You'll have our love to chase away the blues
And any old thing you do ill see you through.
So just remember that I am waiting dear

If ever you want me ill be near,
Any old time and any place you may be.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Artie Shaw and His Orchestra's song Any Old Time are about the loyalty and dedication of a lover. The song portrays how the singer is always available for the person they love whenever they need them, regardless of their mood or situation. The various verses of the song highlight the fact that the singer is loyal and loving, and ready to stand by the person they care for through thick and thin. The lyrics also express the importance of shared moments of happiness and togetherness during both good and bad times.

Overall, the song is about the depth of the singer's love for the other person and the promises they make to be there for them, whenever and wherever needed. The lyrics are simple, but the melody is catchy and the performance romantic. The verses convey a sense of unconditional love and devotion that is rarely found in relationships.

Line by Line Meaning

Any old time you want me
I am available to you at any time.

I am yours for the asking darling
You can have me whenever you want, my love.

Any old time you need me
I will be there for you whenever you require me.

Ill be their with love that's lasting darling.
My love for you will endure, my dear.

All through the years well stand together
We will be together for as long as we live.

Sharing the tears and stormy weather
We will support each other through tough times.

And the sunshine will be yours and mine
We will share the good times together.

Any old time your blue
When you're feeling sad, I'll be there for you.

You'll have our love to chase away the blues
Our love will lift you up when you're feeling down.

And any old thing you do ill see you through.
I will support you no matter what you do.

So just remember that I am waiting dear
I am here for you, always.

If ever you want me ill be near,
I will be close by if you need me.

Any old time and any place you may be.
No matter where or when, I will be there for you.

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Jimmie Rodgers

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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00:00 It Had To Be You
02:50 All I Remember Is You
05:26 Any Old Time
08:43 St. James Infirmary
15:03 Comes Love
18:14 I'll Never Be The Same
21:21 Marinella
24:00 Keepin' Myself For You
27:20 I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
29:55 These Foolish Things Remind Me Of You
33:05 Love Me A Little
36:16 Chantez Les Bas (Sing 'em Low)
39:28 Concerto For Clarinet