Ben Webster, a.k.a. "The Brute" or "Frog", was considered one of the three most important "swing tenors" along with Coleman Hawkins (his main influence) and Lester Young. Known affectionately as "The Brute", he had a tough, raspy, and brutal tone on stomps (with his own distinctive growls), yet on ballads he played with warmth and sentiment. Stylistically he was also indebted to alto star Johnny Hodges, who, he said, taught him to play his instrument.
Webster learned to play piano and violin at an early age, before learning to play the saxophone. Once Budd Johnson showed him some basics on the saxophone, Webster began to play that instrument in the Young Family Band (which at the time included Lester Young). Webster spent time with quite a few orchestras in the 1930s (including Andy Kirk, Fletcher Henderson in 1934, Benny Carter, Willie Bryant, Cab Calloway, and the short-lived Teddy Wilson big band).
In 1940 Ben Webster became the first major tenor soloist of Duke Ellington's orchestra. During the next three years he was on many famous recordings, including "Cotton Tail" and "All Too Soon." After three productive years of playing with Ellington, Webster left the band in an angry altercation, during which he cut up one of Ellington's suits. After leaving Ellington in 1943, Webster worked on 52nd Street in New York City; recorded frequently as both a leader and a sideman; had short periods with Raymond Scott, John Kirby, and Sid Catlett; and toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic during several seasons in the 1950s.
Webster recorded a classic set with pianist Art Tatum and generally worked steadily, but in 1964 he moved permanently to join other American jazz musicians in Copenhagen, Denmark where he played when he pleased during his last decade. Although not all that flexible, Webster could swing with the best, and his tone was a later influence on such diverse players as Archie Shepp, Lew Tabackin, Scott Hamilton, David Murray, and Bennie Wallace. In 1971 Webster reunited with Duke Ellington and his big band for a couple of shows at the Tivoli Gardens in Denmark
Ben Webster died in Amsterdam, The Netherlands in 1973 and was interred in the Assistens Kirkegård in the Nørrebro section of Copenhagen.
After Webster's death, Billy Moore Jr. created The Ben Webster Foundation, together with the trustee of Webster's estate. Since Webster's only legal heir, Harley Robinson in Los Angeles, gladly assigned his rights to the foundation, The Ben Webster Foundation was confirmed by The Queen of Denmark's Seal in 1976. In the Foundation's trust deed, one of the initial paragraphs reads: "to support the dissemination of jazz in Denmark".
It is a beneficial Foundation, which channels Webster's annual royalties to musicians, both in Denmark and the U.S. An annual Ben Webster Prize is awarded to a young outstanding musician. The prize is not large, but considered highly prestigious. Over the years, several American musicians have visited Denmark with the help of the Foundation, and concerts, a few recordings, and other jazz-related events have been supported.
Webster's private collection of jazz recordings and memorabilia is archived in the jazz collections at the University Library of Southern Denmark, Odense.
Ben Webster has a street named after him in southern Copenhagen, "Ben Websters Vej" (Ben Webster's Street).
Exactly Like You
Ben Webster Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not a real one, just a dream
A wonderful vision of us as a team
Can you imagine how I feel now
Love is real now, it's ideal
You're just what I wanted
And now it's nice to live
Paradise to live
I know why I've waited
Know why I've been blue
Prayed each night for someone
Exactly like you
Why should we spend money
On a show or two
No one does those love scenes
Exactly like you
You make me feel so grand
I want to hand the world to you
I hope you'll understand
Each foolish little scheme I'm schemin'
And dream I'm dreamin'
Now I know why mother
Taught me to be true
She meant me for someone
Exactly like you
In Ben Webster's "Exactly Like You," the lyrics describe a person who used to have a perfect sweetheart but it was only a dream. Now that they have found real love, it is everything they could have hoped for. They express how they have been waiting for someone who is exactly like their current partner, who makes them feel grand and inspires them to want to give them the world. The lyrics also mention how they do not need to spend money on romantic shows because their partner is all they need for a perfect love story.
The song is a beautiful ode to a newfound love that is perfect for the individual. It details how the person's mother had taught them to be true to themselves, knowing they would find someone exactly like the one they were meant to be with. The lyrics express how it feels to have finally found that person, and how they hope their partner can understand the dreams they have and how they want to give them everything they ever wanted.
The song's lyrics are a beautiful and touching testament to love and the search for perfection in a partner. Ben Webster's performance of the lyrics is full of emotion and depth, making it a beautiful addition to any collection of love songs.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to have a perfect sweetheart
I used to have an imaginary perfect partner.
Not a real one, just a dream
This partner was not really a person, just a dream character.
A wonderful vision of us as a team
They had a great vision of working together.
Can you imagine how I feel now
Now that they have met someone real, they feel excited.
Love is real now, it's ideal
They have finally found real love and it's perfect.
You're just what I wanted
Their current partner is the perfect match they were looking for.
And now it's nice to live
Life is good now with their ideal partner.
Paradise to live
Life now feels like paradise with their ideal partner.
I know why I've waited
They had been waiting for someone who matched their perfect imaginary partner.
Know why I've been blue
They felt sad because they could not find someone who matched their ideal.
Prayed each night for someone
They had been hoping and praying for the right person to come along.
Exactly like you
They had been looking for someone who was exactly like their current partner.
Why should we spend money
They don't see the need to spend money on lavish dates or experiences.
On a show or two
Going out for shows or entertainment doesn't matter when they have each other's company.
No one does those love scenes
Movies or books cannot compare to the love they share.
You make me feel so grand
Their partner makes them feel amazing and loved.
I want to hand the world to you
They wish they could give their partner everything in the world to show their love.
I hope you'll understand
They hope their partner understands their feelings.
Each foolish little scheme I'm schemin'
They have some silly ideas or plans cooking in their head.
And dream I'm dreamin'
They have some wild dreams about their future with their partner.
Now I know why mother
They understand why their mother taught them certain values in life.
Taught me to be true
Their mother had taught them to stay true to themselves and their beliefs.
She meant me for someone
Their mother always knew they were meant to find someone special.
Exactly like you
Their mother envisioned someone exactly like their current partner for them.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dorothy Fields, Jimmy Mchugh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@zvonimirtosic6171
I think this particular track shows the consummate professionalism of Ben Webster. He is outside his usual genre here, playing on top of a South American rhythm, but he sounds better than Hawkins himself (who could never properly adjust to Bossa Nova). And I think in sheer elegance, Ben Webster's soft attack and ethereal vibratos sound even more sumptuous than the velvety (sometimes too thin, too much alto-like) playing of Stan Getz in this specific genre.
@johnclowes5448
Ben Webster second to none, best sound ever .
@faustinkibaboukibamba9844
Ben W., the KING of Tenors...!!!
@gabrielleauguste5946
J'espère que vous saurez sauvegarder cette richesse musicale ,dont vous êtes tant battus, pour la faire vivre.
@tamazpatarkalashvili2811
Only Coleman Hawkins can be placed besides Ben
@zvonimirtosic6171
In this particular case, playing on top of a South American rhythm, Ben Webster sounds better than Hawkins himself (who could never properly adjust to Bossa Nova). And I think in sheer elegance, Ben Webster's soft attack and vibratos sound even more sumptuous than the velvety playing of Stan Getz in this specific genre.