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).
Sweet Lorraine
Ben Webster Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't believe it yet, but it's true,
I'll give you just one guess,
My sweet Lorraine said "yes"
Waiting for the time, soon to be,
When the bells will chime merrily,
(I'm so happy,) when it's raining I don't miss the sun,
Just think that I'm the lucky one
Who will lend her down the aisle
Each night I pray
That nobody steals her heart away,
Just can't wait until that happy day,
When I marry sweet Lorraine
Everything is set, skies are blue,
Can't believe it yet, but it's true,
I'll give you just one guess,
My sweet Lorraine said "yes"
Waiting for the time, soon to be,
When the bells will chime merrily,
(I'm so happy,) when it's raining I don't miss the sun,
For it's in my sweeties smile,
Just think that I'm the lucky one
Who will lend her down the aisle
Each night I pray
That nobody steals her heart away,
Just can't wait until that happy day,
When I marry sweet Lorraine
The lyrics to Ben Webster's song "Sweet Lorraine" tell the story of a man who is overjoyed that his beloved Lorraine has agreed to marry him. The opening lines, "Everything is set, skies are blue, can't believe it yet, but it's true" express his disbelief and delight at the prospect of his upcoming nuptials. He sings, "I'll give you just one guess, my sweet Lorraine said "yes"", indicating that she has accepted his proposal.
The song also highlights the singer's deep love for Lorraine. He declares that he is so happy in her presence that he doesn't miss the sun when it's raining. He sees himself as lucky to be the one who will walk her down the aisle and pledges to protect her heart from being stolen. The final line, "Just can't wait until that happy day, when I marry sweet Lorraine", conveys his excitement and impatience for the day of their wedding.
"Sweet Lorraine" is a beautiful love song that captures the feelings of happiness, love, and anticipation that come with a marriage proposal. It also speaks to the timeless yearning of finding and committing to one's soulmate.
Line by Line Meaning
Everything is set, skies are blue,
The singer is elated and everything feels perfect; the environment is bright and cheerful.
Can't believe it yet, but it's true,
The singer is over the moon and can hardly fathom that they have received a positive response from Lorraine.
I'll give you just one guess,
The singer is so ecstatic that they anticipate others can guess what has happened without being told the news.
My sweet Lorraine said "yes"
Lorraine has agreed to marry the artist.
Waiting for the time, soon to be,
The artist is excited about the impending wedding and eager to move forward with their plans.
When the bells will chime merrily,
The bells will ring out in celebration at the joyous occasion.
(I'm so happy,) when it's raining I don't miss the sun,
The singer's happiness is not diminished by difficult or unpleasant circumstances; they revel in the positive aspects of life, such as Lorraine's smile.
For it's in my sweeties smile,
Lorraine's smile is a source of immense joy for the artist.
Just think that I'm the lucky one
The artist feels incredibly lucky to be with Lorraine and to have her love.
Who will lend her down the aisle
The artist will escort Lorraine down the aisle during the wedding ceremony.
Each night I pray
The singer prays fervently to keep Lorraine's affection and to prevent others from stealing her heart away.
That nobody steals her heart away,
The artist is fiercely protective of Lorraine's love and fears losing her to someone else.
Just can't wait until that happy day,
The singer is impatient to get married and begin their new life together.
When I marry sweet Lorraine
The singer is eagerly looking forward to their wedding and future with Lorraine.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CLIFF BURWELL, CLIFFORD BURWELL, MITCHELL PARISH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind