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.'
It's All Yours
Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is it, the night of nights
No more rehearsing and nursing a part
We know every part by heart
Overture, curtains, lights
This is it, you'll hit the heights
And oh what heights we'll hit
Tonight what heights we'll hit
On with the show this is it.
The song "This Is It" by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra With Helen Forrest is an upbeat anthem about the excitement and anticipation of a big night. The opening lyrics "Overture, curtains, lights" bring to mind a grand theatrical performance, and the repetition of the phrase "This is it" emphasizes the importance and significance of the event. The second set of lyrics "No more rehearsing and nursing a part, we know every part by heart" suggests that the performers are well-prepared and confident in their abilities.
The phrase "you'll hit the heights" speaks to the idea that tonight, everything will go perfectly, and the performers will achieve their loftiest goals. The final repetition of "On with the show this is it" reinforces the idea that the time for preparation is over, and it's time for action. Overall, the song celebrates the excitement and anticipation of a big night and the thrill of performing at one's best.
Line by Line Meaning
Overture, curtains, lights,
The performance is about to start, the curtains are opening, and the lights are coming up.
This is it, the night of nights
This is the most important and exciting night of our performance.
No more rehearsing and nursing a part
We have rehearsed and prepared for this night for so long, and we are finally ready to perform without any hesitations or doubts.
We know every part by heart
We have memorized every word, every move, and every note, and we are confident in our abilities to perform flawlessly.
This is it, you'll hit the heights
We are about to reach the highest level of our performance, and it will be a memorable experience for everyone involved.
And oh what heights we'll hit
We are going to exceed everyone's expectations, and it will be an unforgettable night for everyone who is watching us.
On with the show this is it
It is time to start the performance, and we are excited to give it our all and make it a night to remember.
Tonight what heights we'll hit
We are anticipating a successful and memorable night, and we are ready to perform at our very best.
On with the show this is it.
The moment has arrived, and it is time for us to showcase our talent and give the audience an unforgettable performance.
Lyrics © SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC. , Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CINDY WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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