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).
Stars Fell On Alabama
Ben Webster Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the world a dream come true
Did it really happen, was I really there, was I really there with you?
We lived our little drama, we kissed in a field of white
And stars fell on Alabama last night
I can't forget the glamor, your eyes held a tender light
And stars fell on Alabama last night
A fairy land where no one else could enter
And in the center just you and me, dear
My heart beat like a hammer, my arms wound around you tight
And stars fell on Alabama last night
We lived our little drama, we kissed in a field of white
And stars fell on Alabama last night
I can't forget the glamor, your eyes held a tender light
And stars fell on Alabama last night
I never planned in my imagination a situation so heavenly
A fairy land where no one else could enter
And in the center just you and me, dear
My heart beat like a hammer, my arms wound around you tight
The song "Stars Fell on Alabama" by Ben Webster recounts a moment of romantic fantasy shared by the singer and his lover in the titular southern state. With vivid imagery like "moonlight and magnolia" and "starlight in your hair," the lyrics evoke a dreamlike setting where anything seems possible. The singer is lost in the moment, questioning whether it was all a dream, a testament to the surreal nature of the experience. The scenes they create together are magical and unforgettable - kissing in a field of white with stars raining down from the sky.
The lyricist delivers these dreamy verses with a solemn and measured delivery, as if to emphasize the weight of the memory. The singer emphasizes the wonder of the experience, comparing it to a "fairy land where no one else could enter." The lyrics reflect a sense of awe and wonder, and that the singer and his lover experienced something incredibly special and unique together. Ultimately, the song serves a tribute to a singular moment in time – the pair were serenaded by the stars in Alabama and it was unforgettable.
Line by Line Meaning
Moonlight and magnolia, starlight in your hair
Amidst the beauty of the night, under the moon and stars, your beauty is illuminated and inspiring.
All the world a dream come true
Being with you feels like all my wildest dreams have come true, as if the whole world is in a dreamy state of happiness.
Did it really happen, was I really there, was I really there with you?
The experience feels too good to be true, and I'm still trying to make sense of the fact that it happened, and that it was with you.
We lived our little drama, we kissed in a field of white
Our love story played out like a beautiful drama, and we had a romantic moment together in a white, serene field.
And stars fell on Alabama last night
The night sky was awe-inspiring and beautiful, as if the stars were falling down upon us, in the beautiful state of Alabama.
I can't forget the glamor, your eyes held a tender light
Every detail of that magical moment is etched in my memory, especially your beauty, and the tenderness of your gaze.
I never planned in my imagination a situation so heavenly
I couldn't have imagined such a magical or heavenly moment in my wildest dreams - this experience was beyond my imagination.
A fairy land where no one else could enter
This moment felt like it was just for us alone, a fairy tale-like land where nobody else could enter or disrupt our beautiful moment together.
And in the center just you and me, dear
In the heart of that moment was just the two of us, deeply in love and lost in our beautiful moment together.
My heart beat like a hammer, my arms wound around you tight
I felt deeply in love, and held you tight in my arms with a heart beating in love, almost as if it was beating like a hammer.
And stars fell on Alabama last night
The beauty of that moment is still unforgettable to me, as if the stars were falling down upon us, in the beautiful state of Alabama.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FRANK PERKINS, FRANK S PERKINS, MITCHELL PARISH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind