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).
St. Louis Blues
Ben Webster Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hate to see that evening sun go down
Cause my baby, he's gone left this town
Feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
If I'm feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
I'll pack my truck and make my give-a-way
Pulls that man around by her, if it wasn't for her and her
That man I love would have gone nowhere, nowhere
I got the St. Louis blues, blues as I can be
That man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me
I love my baby like a school boy loves his pie
Like a Kentucky colonel loves his mint 'n rye
I love my man till the day I die
The lyrics to Ben Webster's song "St. Louis Blues" are filled with themes of heartbreak, nostalgia, and love. The song begins with a poignant statement, where the singer expresses how much they hate to see the evening sun go down, especially since their lover has left town. The melancholic tone of the song is set from this very first line. The following verses continue to build on this theme, as the singer talks about feeling tomorrow just like they feel today, and how they'll pack their things and leave if things continue in this way.
The next verse is particularly powerful, centering around a woman with a diamond ring who has tangled the singer's lover around her finger. The singer sings about how, were it not for this woman, her lover would have stayed with her. The final verse of the song is a declaration of love - the singer compares their love to that of a schoolboy for his pie, or a Kentucky colonel for their mint and rye. This finale is both sweet and heart-wrenching, leaving the listener with a sense of longing and sadness.
Overall, "St. Louis Blues" is a song that speaks to universal themes of love, heartbreak, and longing. The lyrics are simple and straightforward, yet are able to convey deep emotions and complex feelings. The song is a testament to the power of music to communicate the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
I hate to see that evening sun go down
I feel unhappy about the evening ending and night approaching.
Cause my baby, he's gone left this town
My lover has left this town, and I feel sad and lonely without them.
Feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
I believe that tomorrow will be just as bad as today, and I will continue to feel unhappy.
I'll pack my truck and make my give-a-way
I will leave this place and start fresh somewhere else.
St. Louis woman with her diamond ring
A wealthy woman from St. Louis who wears expensive jewelry.
Pulls that man around by her, if it wasn't for her and her
The woman controls the man and without her, he wouldn't be successful.
That man I love would have gone nowhere, nowhere
The man I love wouldn't have achieved anything without the help of the St. Louis woman.
I got the St. Louis blues, blues as I can be
I feel extremely sad and lonely because of the departure of my lover.
That man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea
My lover is very cold-hearted and unfeeling, like a rock in the ocean.
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me
My lover left me because he doesn't care about me, otherwise he wouldn't have gone so far from me.
I love my baby like a school boy loves his pie
I love my lover very much, akin to how a young boy loves his favorite dessert.
Like a Kentucky colonel loves his mint 'n rye
My love for my lover is deep and strong, comparable to how a colonel from Kentucky loves his mint and rye beverage.
I love my man till the day I die
I will always love my lover, even until the end of my life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing, HANDY BROTHERS MUSIC CO.,INC., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: William Christopher Handy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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