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.'
Yesterdays
Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd listened to the radio
Waitin' for my favorite songs
Waiting they played I'd sing along
Those were such happy times
And not so long ago
How I wondered where they'd gone
But they're back again
Just like a long lost friend
All the songs I loved so well
(*) every sha-la-la-la
Every wo-wo-wo
Still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling
That they're starting to sing's
So fine
When they get to the part
Where he's breakin' her heart
It can really make me cry
Just like before
It's yesterday once more
Lookin' back on how it was
In years gone by
And the good times that I had
Makes today seem rather sad
So much has changed
It was songs of love that
I would sing to then
And I'd memorize each word
Those old melodies
Still sound so good to me
As they melt the years away
Repeat (*)
All my best memories
Come back clearly to me
Some can even make me cry
Just like before
It's yesterday once more
The lyrics of Artie Shaw and His Orchestra's song Yesterdays describes a nostalgic reminiscence of youth and the happy times spent listening to the radio and waiting for one's favorite songs to play. The singer reflects on the past and how quickly time has passed, leaving behind memories that make today seem rather sad. As the songs come back to play, the singer cannot help but feel emotional and memories flood back as every sha-la-la-la and wo-wo-wo remind them of the happy times gone by. The memories of the old songs and love melodies that were sung to back then still sound so good, as they melt the years away.
The lyrics of the song evoke the sentimentality and nostalgia of an era gone by, and the powerful memories that are brought back by songs and melodies. The singer is taken back to a simpler time where they felt joy in listening to the radio and singing along to their favorite tunes. However, the memories now make them emotional and even bring tears to their eyes. The song is a reminder that music has the power to evoke strong emotions and memories, and that even though time passes, the feelings that certain songs and memories can evoke last a lifetime.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was young
At a time when I was a child
I'd listened to the radio
I used to tune in to the radio
Waitin' for my favorite songs
Anticipating the arrival of my choice tracks
Waiting they played I'd sing along
As I waited, I hummed along to the songs played
It made me smile
It brought a smile to my face
Those were such happy times
Those were the times of joy
And not so long ago
Though it wasn't far back in time
How I wondered where they'd gone
I often pondered where they vanished
But they're back again
But they've returned
Just like a long lost friend
Exactly like a dear old friend who was once out of reach
All the songs I loved so well
All of my favorite tunes
(*) every sha-la-la-la
Every repeated chorus of sha-la-la-la
Every wo-wo-wo
Each instance of the phrase wo-wo-wo
Still shines
Retains their shine
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling
Each use of the phrase 'shing-a-ling-a-ling'
That they're starting to sing's
That's what they're beginning to sing
So fine
So beautiful
When they get to the part
At the point they get to
Where he's breakin' her heart
When he breaks her heart
It can really make me cry
It's capable of making me weep genuinely
Just like before
Just like in the past
It's yesterday once more
It's a return to yesterday
Lookin' back on how it was
Revisiting the good old days
In years gone by
In the past years when they've passed by
And the good times that I had
And the good memories accompanying those days
Makes today seem rather sad
Tinges today's moments with sadness
So much has changed
So many things have turned around
It was songs of love that
It was love songs that
I would sing to then
I would hum then
And I'd memorize each word
And I learned every lyric
Those old melodies
Those ancient rhythms
Still sound so good to me
They still appeal to my ears
As they melt the years away
As they stop me from ageing mentally
Repeat (*)
Reiterate starting from the line with (*)
All my best memories
All my favorite recollections
Come back clearly to me
Are as apparent as though they occurred yesterday
Some can even make me cry
Some of them are strong enough to bring about tears
It's yesterday once more
It's yesterday revisited
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JIM MUNDY, PEGGY WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@luismantaras6460
My favorite ballad! So rich in harmonies that could be treated in fast tempo and renewed harmonies as John Coltrane did twenty years after this recording. Shaw was a master in soft, melodic, romantic but rhythmic swing jazz, both soloing and arranging! I had it in this H.M.V. edition. Artie stressed his instrument with passion. Thanks Andy for bringing this classic up to live!
@james-flynn1938
Absolutely excellent andy artie will always have a special place in my musical tastes
@haddaelbaroudi6307
Incroyable sa mère
@Trombonology
Artie's band always played more Class A material than any of the others except Ellington's, which, of course, drew heavily upon the leader's own creations. I love the trombones on this side -- beautiful figures!
@luismantaras6460
I liked those trombones too!
@mcareyop
Terrific. And even at this slower tempo, it demands a slow Lindy rather than a Foxtrot for dancing. So much did Artie swing! No need to mention what a great song it is!
@csigabiga1975
Beautiful :O