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.'
My Fantasy
Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your memory lives on - each night you are close to me.
One day your love died, but somehow it always seems
You're ever at my side in all of my dreams.
And though I'm still in love with only a phantom kiss
I know I'm just a fool to torture my heart like this.
You're gone, but still you belong to me
The song "My Fantasy" by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra is a poignant ballad that tells the story of a lost love that continues to live on in the singer's dreams and fantasies. The lyrics express the singer's longing for his former lover, who has passed away, but who he still feels close to every night. Despite the fact that their love has ended, the singer can't help but hang onto the memory of his past love and the way that she made him feel.
The song's melancholic tone is accentuated by the poignant melody and slow, steady rhythm, combining to create a sense of sadness and loss. Throughout the song, the singer confesses to his foolishness for holding onto a love that is no longer present in his life, but still he finds himself unable to let go. The bittersweet flavor of nostalgia that pervades "My Fantasy" brings to mind the longing and the emptiness that can come after the loss of a love that once burned bright.
Line by Line Meaning
You're gone, but still in my fantasy
Although you are no longer with me in reality, I still imagine and dream about you.
Your memory lives on - each night you are close to me.
Your memory is still vivid in my mind, and I feel as if you are with me every night in my dreams.
One day your love died, but somehow it always seems
Even though your love for me is gone, I can't help but feel like there's a part of you that still loves me.
You're ever at my side in all of my dreams.
Whenever I dream, it feels like you're always there with me, guiding me through the sleepless night.
And though I'm still in love with only a phantom kiss
My love for you is still strong, even though it's based on memories and fantasy rather than reality.
I know I'm just a fool to torture my heart like this.
Deep down, I know that it's unhealthy to keep holding onto a dream that can never be fulfilled, and I'm only hurting myself by doing so.
You're gone, but still you belong to me
Even though you're not physically present, you still hold a special place in my heart and thoughts.
Your memory lives on in my fantasy.
Your memory is still alive and well in my imagination and dreams, and I can't help but hold onto it.
Writer(s): B.g. De Sylva, Vincent Rose, Paul Whiteman
Contributed by Natalie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mosspower Mobile
«My Fantasy» — Artie Shaw And His Orchestra, vocal: Pauline Byrne, 1940
The original 78rpm single was issued on Victor 26614 - My Fantasy (Whiteman-Meskill-Edwards) by Artie Shaw & his Orchestra, vocal by Pauline Byrne, recorded in Hollywood, March 3, 1940
You gone, but still in my fantasy
Ты ушел, но всё ещё остаёшься в моём воображении
Your memory lives on each night you are close to me
Твой образ оживает каждую ночь, когда ты рядом со мной
One day your love die
Однажды твоя любовь умрёт
But somehow is always seen
Но так или иначе по-видимому
You ever at my site, in all of my dream
Ты всегда будешь у меня перед глазами, целиком в моей мечте
And though I'm stolen love
И хотя я украла любовь
With only a femdom kiss
Всего лишь с помощью насильного женского поцелуя
I'm know, I'm just a fool
Я знаю, что это просто глупо с моей стороны
To tortured my heart like this
Так терзать своё сердце
You gone, but still you belong to me
Ты ушел, но все ещё принадлежишь мне
Your memory lives on in my fantasy...
Твой образ живёт в моей мечте...
- = The End = -
Rodrigo de Almeida Neves
You're gone, but still in my fantasy
Your memory lives on - each night you are close to me.
One day your love died, but somehow it always seems
You're ever at my side in all of my dreams.
And though I'm still in love with only a phantom kiss
I know I'm just a fool to torture my heart like this.
You're gone, but still you belong to me
Your memory lives on in my fantasy.
sherhino
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Before it was "Stranger in Paradise", it was part of the Polovtsian Dances from "Prince Igor" by Alexander Borodin.
cossackred
Love hearing my grandmother sing. Miss you and love you Gandma Pauline!!
street legal film
I love her singing. Her "Gloomy Sunday "is more haunting than bluesy like, Billie Holliday's
Mark Thompson
I wish your Grandmother could have stayed with the band longer- she had a really super voice, reminiscent of a young Doris Day- Helen Forrest was a good singer, but just never did much for me. This is a great record.
Bruce Kuehn
My Fantasy came out in 1940 from Artie Shaw. Stranger in Paradise was from the Broadway show Kismet in 1953 and holds closer to the original melody of Alexander Borodin which was incorporated into the musical by Robert Wright and George Forest along with the memorable songs And This is My Beloved and Baubles, Bangles and Beads. They gave Borodin credit and so he won a Tony Award in 1954 even though he had died in Russia in 1887.
Victor_ Silva
This song is such a treasure. I've search all the Internet. Finally I found it!
minus
Such an awesome voice and song, listen to it all the time.
Mosspower Mobile
«My Fantasy» — Artie Shaw And His Orchestra, vocal: Pauline Byrne, 1940
The original 78rpm single was issued on Victor 26614 - My Fantasy (Whiteman-Meskill-Edwards) by Artie Shaw & his Orchestra, vocal by Pauline Byrne, recorded in Hollywood, March 3, 1940
You gone, but still in my fantasy
Ты ушел, но всё ещё остаёшься в моём воображении
Your memory lives on each night you are close to me
Твой образ оживает каждую ночь, когда ты рядом со мной
One day your love die
Однажды твоя любовь умрёт
But somehow is always seen
Но так или иначе по-видимому
You ever at my site, in all of my dream
Ты всегда будешь у меня перед глазами, целиком в моей мечте
And though I'm stolen love
И хотя я украла любовь
With only a femdom kiss
Всего лишь с помощью насильного женского поцелуя
I'm know, I'm just a fool
Я знаю, что это просто глупо с моей стороны
To tortured my heart like this
Так терзать своё сердце
You gone, but still you belong to me
Ты ушел, но все ещё принадлежишь мне
Your memory lives on in my fantasy...
Твой образ живёт в моей мечте...
- = The End = -
Malcolm Marzo
Wonderfully done video. Thank you!
Rodrigo de Almeida Neves
You're gone, but still in my fantasy
Your memory lives on - each night you are close to me.
One day your love died, but somehow it always seems
You're ever at my side in all of my dreams.
And though I'm still in love with only a phantom kiss
I know I'm just a fool to torture my heart like this.
You're gone, but still you belong to me
Your memory lives on in my fantasy.