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.'
Frenesí
Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wandered down into old Mexico
While I was there
I felt romance everywhere
Moon was shining bright
And I could hear laughing voices in the night
Everyone was gay
This was the start of their holiday
And so I stopped a while to see the show
I knew that frenesí meant "Please love me"
And I could say frenesí
A lovely señorita caught my eye
I stood enchanted as she wandered by
And never knowing that it come from me
I gently sighed frenesí
She stopped and raised her eyes to mine
Her lips just pleaded to be kissed
Her eyes were soft as candle-shine
So how was I to resist?
And now without a heart to call my own
A greater happiness I've never known
Because her kisses are for me alone
Who wouldn't say frenesí?
Bésame tu a mí
Bésame igual que mi boca te besó
Dame el frenesí
Qui mi locura te dió
Quien si no fui yo
Pudo enseñarte el camino del amor
Muerto mi altivez
Cuando mi orgullo rodo a tus pies
Quiero que vivas solo para mí
Why que tu vayas por donde yo voy
Para que mi alma sea no mas de ti
Bésame con frenesí
Dame la luz que tiene tu mirar
Why la ansiedad que entre tus labios vi
Esa locura de vivir why amar
Que es mas que amor frenesí
Hay en el beso que te di
Alma, piedad, corazón
Dime que sabes tu sentir
Lo mismo que siento yo
Quiero que vivas solo para mí
Why que tu vayas por donde yo voy
Para que mi alma sea no mas de ti
Bésame con frenesí
The lyrics to Artie Shaw and His Orchestra's song Frenesi describe the singer's experience in Mexico, where he encountered a festive and romantic atmosphere. He recalls hearing laughter and seeing a bright moon while everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. The singer became enchanted with a lovely señorita who caught his eye, and he found himself sighing "frenesí," which he learned means "Please love me." The two shared a passionate moment, and the singer describes the intense feelings of love and desire that the encounter instilled in him. He wants the señorita to live only for him and to follow him wherever he goes so that his soul belongs only to her.
Overall, the lyrics celebrate the powerful emotions of love and desire that can be found in romantic encounters like the one that the singer has in Mexico. The singer is utterly taken with the señorita, and his experience of frenesi showcases the all-consuming passion and intensity that can arise in these situations.
Line by Line Meaning
Some time ago
In the past
I wandered down into old Mexico
I traveled to Mexico
While I was there
During my visit
I felt romance everywhere
Love was in the air
Moon was shining bright
The moon was bright
And I could hear laughing voices in the night
People were laughing at night
Everyone was gay
Everyone was happy
This was the start of their holiday
The festivities had begun
It was fiesta down in Mexico
It was a celebration in Mexico
And so I stopped a while to see the show
I paused to watch the festivities
I knew that frenesí meant "Please love me"
I knew the meaning of frenesí
And I could say frenesí
I could speak the word frenesí
A lovely señorita caught my eye
A beautiful woman caught my attention
I stood enchanted as she wandered by
I was captivated by her as she passed by
And never knowing that it come from me
Unaware that I had said it
I gently sighed frenesí
I softly whispered the word frenesí
She stopped and raised her eyes to mine
She looked at me
Her lips just pleaded to be kissed
She wanted to be kissed
Her eyes were soft as candle-shine
Her eyes were gentle and warm
So how was I to resist?
I couldn't resist
And now without a heart to call my own
Without my heart
A greater happiness I've never known
I've never been happier
Because her kisses are for me alone
Only I receive her kisses
Who wouldn't say frenesí?
Who wouldn't want to say frenesí?
Bésame tu a mí
Kiss me
Bésame igual que mi boca te besó
Kiss me like I kissed you
Dame el frenesí
Give me the passion
Qui mi locura te dió
That you gave me
Quien si no fui yo
Who but me
Pudo enseñarte el camino del amor
Showed you the path of love
Muerto mi altivez
My pride is dead
Cuando mi orgullo rodo a tus pies
When my pride fell at your feet
Quiero que vivas solo para mí
Live only for me
Why que tu vayas por donde yo voy
And go where I go
Para que mi alma sea no mas de ti
So that my soul belongs only to you
Bésame con frenesí
Kiss me with passion
Dame la luz que tiene tu mirar
Give me the light in your eyes
Why la ansiedad que entre tus labios vi
And the desire I saw in your lips
Esa locura de vivir why amar
This madness of living and loving
Que es mas que amor frenesí
Frenesí is more than just love
Hay en el beso que te di
In the kiss I gave you
Alma, piedad, corazón
Soul, mercy, heart
Dime que sabes tu sentir
Tell me that you feel the same
Lo mismo que siento yo
As I do
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Alberto Borras Dominguez, Leonard Whitcup
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Arturo7881
Number 1 for 13 weeks in USA in 1944 (Billboard)
Frenesí is a musical piece originally composed by Alberto Domínguez for the marimba, and adapted as a jazz standard by Leonard Whitcup and others
Cover versions
Other performers who have recorded the song include:
Les Brown
Dave Brubeck
Betty Carter
June Christy
Natalie Cole
Ray Charles
Bing Crosby
Tommy Dorsey
The Four Freshmen
Eydie Gorme
Woody Herman
Earl Hines
Harry James
Ben E. King
Steve Lawrence
Billy May
Glenn Miller
Anita O'Day
Perez Prado
Cliff Richard
Linda Ronstadt
Jack Emblow,
Pat Suzuki
Frank Sinatra
Three X Sisters vocals with the Watson Orchestra
Caterina Valente
Jesus Chino Miranda.
@kemardudley156
For those who don’t know the story behind this song, Artie Shaw wanted to quit music for good before this song was written. He walked away from his band at the top of his career, and went to Acapulco for a few months. In realizing that he had to go back, he carried the Frenesi melody back with him, and his career stayed on top.
Moral of the story: a vacation will inspire the greatness in us.
@infonut
Or Acapulco does.
@scotnick59
Great anecdote: thanks for sharing it!!!@@infonut
@alanoneill3065
Very good
@PaulaAllien
This song was not composed by this dude 😅
@b1lc1s
I started with the clarinet, put it down for the saxophone. But the clarinet has a draw to it in my older age. Frenesi is one that I played (tried hard) back in the day. This is very special music indeed!
@RemoRam
In the Tamil film Vallavan Oruvan - The song 'palinginal oru maligai' was based on Artie Shaw - Frenesi 1956 track. WoW I love this.
@lomark1508
Copycat (old version)
@MrRmcShekar
I was not able to recall the name of the tamil song , you helped me. Thank you for this information. 😊🙏
@vasanthbenjamin
I was listening to it and then it suddenly struck me and I was like... wait a sec, I've heard this somewhere and then bang..... Palinginal Oru Maaligai with our very own James Bond :)