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).
You Are Too Beautiful
Ben Webster Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I am a fool for beauty
Fooled by a feeling that because I have found you
I could have bound you too
You are too beautiful for one man alone
For one lucky fool to be with
When there are other men
Love does not stand sharing
Not if one cares
Have you been comparing
My every kiss with theirs
If, on the other hand, I'm faithful to you
It's not through a sense of duty
You are too beautiful
And I am a fool for beauty
Love does not stand sharing
Not if one cares
Have you been comparing
My every kiss with theirs
If, on the other hand, I'm faithful to you
It's not through a sense of duty
You are too beautiful
And I am a fool for beauty
The lyrics of "You Are Too Beautiful" express the singer's love and admiration for the person he's singing to, and how their beauty has captivated and entranced him. He acknowledges that this beauty is so great that it seems almost too good to be true, and that his feelings for this person have made him a "fool" because he is so deeply affected by their physical appearance. However, he also acknowledges that this person's beauty is not just physical, but encompasses their personality and character as well, and as a result, he feels that he is not the only person who can appreciate them fully.
The song takes on a more complex tone when the singer realizes that while he loves this person dearly, he is also extremely possessive of them. He recognizes that their beauty is so great that other men will also be drawn to them, which makes him jealous and anxious. The singer struggles with his desire to hold on to this person and not share them with anyone else, but also realizing that love cannot be forced and that they must ultimately decide who they want to be with.
Overall, "You Are Too Beautiful" is a bittersweet ode to the power of beauty, love, and possession. The singer acknowledges that his feelings are irrational and possessive, yet he cannot help but succumb to them because of the immense beauty of the person he's singing to.
Line by Line Meaning
You are too beautiful, my dear, to be true
Your beauty is so breathtaking that I find it hard to believe it's real.
And I am a fool for beauty
I am easily fooled and swayed by physical beauty.
Fooled by a feeling that because I have found you
I am convinced that because I have found you, you belong to me and me alone.
I could have bound you too
I could have kept you all to myself, without sharing you with anyone else.
You are too beautiful for one man alone
Your beauty is so great that one man is not enough to appreciate it fully.
For one lucky fool to be with
To be with you, one must be both lucky and foolish.
When there are other men
There are other men in the world who may also be able to appreciate your beauty.
With eyes of their own to see with
These other men have their own perspectives and ways of appreciating your beauty.
Love does not stand sharing
Love cannot be shared without causing pain or hurt.
Not if one cares
Sharing love with someone else would show that one does not truly care for their partner.
Have you been comparing
Are you comparing me to other men you've been with?
My every kiss with theirs
Are you measuring each kiss I give you against those given by other men?
If, on the other hand, I'm faithful to you
If I am loyal to you and only you
It's not through a sense of duty
My faithfulness is not out of obligation, but out of my love for you.
And I am a fool for beauty
My love for you stems from my foolishness when it comes to your beauty.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: LORENZ HART, RICHARD RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind