Once in a while a musician comes along with impecca… Read Full Bio ↴Beegie Adair Bio
Once in a while a musician comes along with impeccable technique, deep understanding of the jazz repertoire, an innate tendency to swing and the rare ability to communicate the heart and soul of a tune to listeners. That musician is Beegie Adair.
About her music Adair says, “Falling in love with jazz is like falling in love with a person, except with jazz you never get over it.” About Beegie (say B-G) Adair, what do others say?
Jazz great Helen Merrill salutes her “inventive jazz sense, her wonderful sense of time and improvised melody.”
Christopher Louden of Jazz Times magazine says Adair is “an accomplished artist with a delicate touch.”
The Los Angeles Times calls her music “Elegant.”
Entertainment News writes, “Beegie Adair is one of the finest piano players in the world.”
Intrigued? So are thousands of jazz fans, who agree with critics about Adair’s sophisticated and listenable jazz performances, and who have made her recordings among the biggest sellers in the jazz world.
Citing George Shearing, Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson and Erroll Garner among her influences, Adair has recorded 24 CDs, ranging from Cole Porter standards to Frank Sinatra classics to romantic World War II ballads. Her 6-CD Centennial Composers Collection of tunes by Rodgers, Gershwin, Kern, Ellington, Carmichael and Berlin became an instant collectible classic when it was released in 2002.
Kentucky born and raised, Adair lives and records in Nashville – something of a surprise to people who associate the city solely with country music. In fact Nashville lives up to its “Music City” nickname by hosting a vibrant jazz scene, in which she has been a leading light for decades. A sought-after studio musician in her early days there, Adair accompanied such legendary performers as Chet Atkins, Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash – and also worked with Lucille Ball, Dinah Shore, Mama Cass Elliott and Peggy Lee.
Her guests on Improvised Thoughts, Beegie’s radio talk/music show on the local NPR affiliate, included such greats as Tony Bennett, Joe Williams, Marian McPartland, Benny Golson and Helen Merrill. She has guested on McPartland’s Piano Jazz show and has performed with Nat Adderley, Bill Watrous, Lew Tabackin, Terry Clarke, Urbie Green and Jim Ferguson, among many others.
When she’s not in the studio or appearing in clubs and concert halls around the country, Adair wears a variety of hats, from adjunct professor at Vanderbilt University to teacher and mentor at the Nashville Jazz Workshop. Recently she co-wrote and scored an innovative theatrical production, Betsy, which in April 2006 premiered off-Broadway in New York.
She has recorded eight projects for Village Square Records in Nashville; her most recent CDs are Sentimental Journey, a popular collection of World War II-era songs, and a solo piano recording, Quiet Romance.
She performs solo and with the Beegie Adair Trio, whose members include drummer Chris Brown, a veteran of the Maynard Ferguson ensemble, and bassist Roger Spencer, who has played with the Les Brown Band, Ray Conniff, the Page Cavanaugh Trio and Pete Jolly. They are, she says, “my main guys. They’re so tuned into the way I visualize music that it’s effortless to play with them.”
In clubs and concert venues from Los Angeles to New York, Beegie and her “main guys” win kudos from audiences and critics alike who appreciate her unique take on classic jazz. She fell in love with the music a long time ago, and indeed she’s never gotten over it -- a love affair the jazz world is much the better for.
Pick Yourself Up
Beegie Adair Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nice teacher, teach me something.
I'm as awkward as a camel, that's not the worst,
My two feet haven't met yet,
But I'll be teacher's pet yet,
'Cause I'm gonna learn to dance or burst.
Nothing's impossible I have found,
I pick myself up,
Dust myself off,
Start all over again.
Don't lose your confidence if you slip,
Be grateful for a pleasant trip,
And pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
Work like a soul inspired,
Till the battle of the day is won.
You may be sick and tired,
But you'll be a man, my son!
Will you remember the famous men,
Who had to fall to rise again?
So take a deep breath,
Pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
I'll get some self assurance
If your endurance is great.
I'll learn by easy stages
If you're courageous and wait.
To feel the strength I want to,
I must hang on to your hand,
Maybe by the time I'm fifty
I'll get up and do a nifty.
Nothing's impossible I have found,
For when my chin is on the ground,
I pick myself up,
Dust myself off,
Start all over again.
Don't lose your confidence if you slip,
Be grateful for a pleasant trip,
And pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
Work like a soul inspired,
Till the battle of the day is won.
You may be sick and tired,
But you'll be a man, my son!
Will you remember the famous men,
Who had to fall to rise again?
So take a deep breath,
Pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
The lyrics of Beegie Adair's song "Pick Yourself Up" are all about being resilient and persistent despite setbacks in life. The singer seems to be seeking guidance from a teacher figure, asking for help in becoming more confident and skilled. They acknowledge their own clumsiness and awkwardness, but express their determination to improve ("I'm gonna learn to dance or burst").
The main message of the song is encapsulated in the chorus, which emphasizes the importance of picking oneself up and starting again after failure. The singer encourages listeners to keep their chin up and not lose confidence when they stumble. Rather, they should view each setback as a learning opportunity and a chance to grow stronger.
The final stanza of the song references "famous men" who have fallen and risen again, suggesting that perseverance in the face of adversity is a quality that is universally admired and respected. The overall tone of the song is uplifting and motivational, with an emphasis on hard work, determination, and self-improvement.
Line by Line Meaning
Please teacher, teach me something,
I am eager to learn and willing to take instruction from someone with more knowledge and experience.
Nice teacher, teach me something.
I am expressing my respect and appreciation for the teacher's efforts to help me learn.
I'm as awkward as a camel, that's not the worst,
I am acknowledging my shortcomings and limitations, but recognizing that they are not insurmountable obstacles.
My two feet haven't met yet,
I am struggling with coordination and balance, which is preventing me from achieving my goals.
But I'll be teacher's pet yet,
I aspire to be the best student possible and earn the teacher's respect and admiration.
'Cause I'm gonna learn to dance or burst.
I am determined to succeed in my learning, even if it means facing significant challenges and setbacks.
Nothing's impossible I have found,
Through my experiences, I have discovered that there is always a path to achieving success, even when it initially seems impossible.
For when my chin is on the ground,
When faced with failure or defeat, I am not giving up or losing hope. Instead, I am looking for ways to keep moving forward.
I pick myself up,
I am taking responsibility for my own success and not relying on others to solve my problems or setbacks.
Dust myself off,
I am acknowledging and letting go of negative feelings or self-doubt, and focusing on the next step.
Start all over again.
Even after setbacks or failures, I am not giving up on my goals. Instead, I am starting over and focusing on what I can learn and improve on.
Don't lose your confidence if you slip,
Even when things don't go as planned or mistakes are made, I am reminding myself to stay confident in my abilities and not give up.
Be grateful for a pleasant trip,
I am recognizing the positive experiences and lessons learned even when things may not have gone exactly as planned.
Work like a soul inspired,
I am working with passion, dedication, and commitment towards achieving my goals, not just going through the motions.
Till the battle of the day is won.
I am willing to work hard and persist through challenges until my current goal is achieved.
You may be sick and tired,
Even when I may feel exhausted or overwhelmed, I am not giving up, but continuing to push forward towards my goal.
But you'll be a man, my son!
By persevering and pushing through challenges, I am developing character and becoming a strong and capable person.
Will you remember the famous men,
I am considering the examples of others who overcame challenges, setbacks, or failures to succeed and using those stories to motivate and inspire myself.
Who had to fall to rise again?
I am recognizing that sometimes failure is a necessary step in the learning and growth process, and that success is often achieved only through perseverance and determination.
So take a deep breath,
When faced with challenges, I am taking a moment to pause and collect myself before continuing.
Pick yourself up,
I am not waiting for someone else to help me or fix my problems, but taking responsibility for my own success and looking for ways to keep moving forward.
Dust yourself off,
I am acknowledging and letting go of negative feelings or self-doubt, and focusing on the next step.
Start all over again.
Even after setbacks or failures, I am not giving up on my goals. Instead, I am starting over and focusing on what I can learn and improve on.
I'll get some self assurance
I recognize that having confidence in my own abilities is critical to my success, and I am seeking to develop more self-assurance.
If your endurance is great.
I recognize that having the support of others, especially those with more experience or knowledge, can help me to build my own endurance and collaborate more effectively towards success.
I'll learn by easy stages
I recognize that learning is a process and that progress may come gradually, through a series of smaller steps rather than big leaps.
If you're courageous and wait.
I recognize that courage and patience are essential to achieving success, and that it may take time and perseverance to reach my goals.
To feel the strength I want to,
I recognize that to achieve my goals, I must develop strength, resilience, and tenacity.
I must hang on to your hand,
I recognize that I may not be able to achieve success entirely on my own, and may need the support, guidance, and mentoring of others to succeed.
Maybe by the time I'm fifty
I recognize that success may not come immediately or quickly, but may take years of dedication and effort.
I'll get up and do a nifty.
Through perseverance and dedication, I will achieve success and do something remarkable.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: DOROTHY FIELDS, JEROME KERN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind