As a youth, Carter lived in Harlem around the corner from Bubber Miley who was Duke Ellington's star trumpeter. Carter was inspired by Miley and bought a trumpet, but when he found he couldn't play like Miley he traded the trumpet in for a saxophone.
Carter began playing professionally at 15. He first recorded in 1928 and formed his first big band the following year. He played with Fletcher Henderson in 1930 and 1931, then briefly led McKinney's Cotton Pickers before returning to lead his own band in 1932. The few recordings his band made between 1933 and 1934 are considered by most jazz scholars to be milestones in early swing arranging. They were sophisticated and very complex arrangements, and a number of them became swing standards which were performed by other bands ("Blue Lou" is a great example of this.) He also arranged for Henderson and Duke Ellington during these years and wrote two hits, "Blues in My Heart" and "When Lights are Low." By the early 1930s he and Johnny Hodges were considered the leading alto players of the day. Carter also quickly became a leading trumpet soloist, having rediscovered the instrument. He recorded extensively on trumpet in the 1930s. Also, in 1933, Carter took part in an amazing series of sessions that featured the British band leader Spike Hughes, who came to New York specifically to organize a series of recordings featuring the best Black musicians available. These 14 sides were only issued in England at that time, though they are available on CD and worthwhile looking for. (The musicians were mainly made up from member of Carter's band and from Luis Russell's.)
In 1935 he moved to Europe, where he became staff arranger for the British Broadcasting Corporation dance orchestra and made several records. He returned to the United States in 1938 and led a big band and sextet before moving to Los Angeles in 1943 to write for movie studios. Carter continued writing and performing into his 90s. He arranged for Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and Sarah Vaughan, among many others.
His biggest hit was "Cow Cow Boogie", a song he co-wrote with Don Raye and Gene DePaul, which was a hit for Ella Mae Morse in 1942.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Carter was one of the first black men to compose music for films. He was an inspiration and a mentor for Quincy Jones when Jones began writing for television and films in the 1960s. Also in the 1940s, Carter's successful legal battles in order to obtain housing in then-exclusive neighborhoods in the Los Angeles area made him a pioneer in an entirely different area.
He also appears uncredited in the 1952 film, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, as a sax player.
Carter was admired for his ability to write saxophone solis, which are sections of music that the entire section plays as one unit in the manner of a solo.
Carter was a member of the music advisory panel of the National Endowment for the Arts. He was also a member of the Black Film Makers' Hall of Fame and in 1980 received the Golden Score award of the American Society of Music Arrangers. Carter was also a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1996 and received honorary doctorates from Princeton, Harvard, Rutgers, and the New England Conservatory.
He died, aged 95, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles of what is thought to have been bronchitis.
For You
Benny Carter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, bar-room eyes shine vacancy
To see her you gotta look hard
Wounded deep in battle, I stand stuffed like some soldier undaunted
To her Cheshire smile I'll stand on file
She's all I ever wanted
You let your blue walls stand in the way of these facts, honey
Get your carpet baggers off my back
You said, "Here's your mirror and your ball and jacks"
But they're not what I came for
Oh I came for so much more
And I know you that too
And I know you know that's true
I came for you
I came for you
I came for you
For you
I came for you
Crawl into my ambulance
Your pulse is getting weak
Reveal yourself all to me now
While you've got the strength to speak
'Cause they're waiting for you at Bellevue
With their oxygen masks
But I could give it all to you now
If only you could ask
Don't call for your surgeon
Even he says it's late
It's not your lungs this time
But your heart holds your fate
Don't give me my money back
Don't want it anymore
It's not that nursery mouth I came back for
It's not the way you're stretched out on the floor
I've broken all your windows
And I've rammed through all your doors
Who am I to ask you to fight my wars
And you should know that's true
You should know that too
I came for you
I came for you
I came for you
For you
I came for you
Don't call for your surgeon
Even he says it's late
It's not your lungs this time
But your heart holds your fate
Don't give me my money back
Don't want it anymore
It's not that nursery mouth I came back for
It's not the way you're stretched out on the floor
I've broken all your windows
And I've rammed through all your doors
Who am I to ask you to fight my wars
You should know that's true
You should know that too
I came for you
I came for you
I came for you
For you
I came for you
The lyrics of Benny Carter's "For You" depict a man's willingness to overcome obstacles to be with the woman he loves. The song is a powerful expression of how love can conquer all, that nothing will stand in his way to fully express his affection towards the object of his desire. The first stanza describes how the woman sends him cards and has a striking appearance with shining eyes, but is not easy to find. The second verse speaks about how the man has to fight various obstacles and endured the pain of past battles to see her.
The chorus, which repeats several times, is a declaration of the man's love for her. He has come for her, despite any difficulties that might have arisen. The bridge builds on this idea, with the man begging the woman to open up to him. He wants to help her and support her. He wants to be there for her no matter what happens. The final verses repeat the theme of the need for acceptance and commitment, ending with the phrase "I came for you" repeated four times, as if to drive home the deep sense of devotion he has.
Overall, Benny Carter's "For You" is about the lengths a man will go for the woman he loves, and the intense love he is willing to give her. The lyrics are powerful and emotive, and they capture the intensity and depth of emotion that love can create.
Line by Line Meaning
Princess cards she sends me with her regards
She sends me these cards as a way to show that she remembers and cares for me.
Oh, bar-room eyes shine vacancy
Her eyes are vacant, lacking emotion, suggesting that she may be struggling with something.
To see her you gotta look hard
She is not easily seen, perhaps because she is hiding or because she is not physically present.
Wounded deep in battle, I stand stuffed like some soldier undaunted
I am emotionally scarred and hurt, but I stand strong and brave like a soldier who refuses to be defeated.
To her Cheshire smile I'll stand on file
I am willing to wait for her and be patient, even though her smile is ambiguous and mysterious like the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland.
She's all I ever wanted
She is the one I desire and need in my life.
You let your blue walls stand in the way of these facts, honey
You are letting your biases and misconceptions prevent you from understanding the truth, my dear.
Get your carpet baggers off my back
Get rid of the people who are taking advantage of you and exploiting you, and stop allowing them to affect our connection.
Girl give me time to cover my tracks
Allow me some time to prepare and protect myself from any potential obstacles or consequences.
You said, "Here's your mirror and your ball and jacks"
You have given me these superficial things, like toys, that do not matter in the grand scheme of our relationship.
But they're not what I came for
I came for something deeper and more meaningful than material possessions.
Oh I came for so much more
I came for an emotional and spiritual connection that transcends petty things.
And I know you that too
I know that you want the same thing as me.
And I know you know that's true
I know that you understand and acknowledge this as well.
I came for you
I came for you, and you alone.
Crawl into my ambulance
Let me help and care for you, like an ambulance would.
Your pulse is getting weak
Your strength and vitality are fading, you need my help more than ever.
Reveal yourself all to me now
Be open and honest with me, share your thoughts and feelings so we can work together to overcome any challenges.
While you've got the strength to speak
Speak up now, while you still have the ability to do so.
'Cause they're waiting for you at Bellevue
Other people are waiting for you to fail or struggle, and they may not have your best interest in mind.
With their oxygen masks
They are prepared for the worst-case scenario, and may not actually help you recover.
But I could give it all to you now
I am willing to give you everything I have to help you through this difficult time.
If only you could ask
But you have to be willing to ask for my help and accept it without hesitation.
Don't call for your surgeon
Don't rely on medication or other temporary fixes to get through this challenge.
Even he says it's late
Even the doctor recognizes that it may be too late for traditional medicine to help you.
It's not your lungs this time
The problem is not physical, it is emotional and spiritual.
But your heart holds your fate
Ultimately, your happiness and well-being depend on the condition of your heart and the relationships you cultivate.
Don't give me my money back
I don't care about material possessions or money, I just want to help you and be with you.
Don't want it anymore
Money is meaningless to me when compared to our relationship and your health.
It's not that nursery mouth I came back for
I didn't come back for some immature, childish behavior or treatment from you.
It's not the way you're stretched out on the floor
I don't care about your physical appearance or position, I care about your emotional and spiritual well-being.
I've broken all your windows
I have overcome many obstacles to be with you, and I am willing to do whatever it takes to continue being with you.
And I've rammed through all your doors
I have been persistent and determined in my pursuit of you, despite the challenges we have faced.
Who am I to ask you to fight my wars
I don't want to burden you with my own personal problems, and I don't expect you to fight my battles for me.
You should know that's true
I hope you understand that I would never ask you to do something that would put you in harm's way or jeopardize our relationship.
I came for you
I want to be with you and support you, no matter what.
I came for you
I am determined to be with you, no matter what the obstacles may be.
I came for you
I am committed to our relationship and to helping you in any way I can.
For you
You are the one I care about and want to be with above all else.
I came for you
I will always come to you, whenever you need me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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From Perfect Swing - Lively Jazz Swing Bands Of The 1930s & 40s: https://youtu.be/JwR-AK0N3FU
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Grizzely
my grandmother who was born in 1955 always tells me that I have an old soul, since I adore this music, I am only 21 years old but when I discovered this music years ago I couldn't help falling in love. maybe in my past life I was a person from the 20's
Rainer Takamara
I've been told the same, as I'm even younger at the age of 17. I absolutely adore this music :)
Delaney Pokorney
@Rainer Takamara I am also 17 and have loved this music and listening to it with my grandparents! ❤️
Mauro Taffijn
I'm 13 and I'm in love with this genre of music, and not just swing but jazz as well
Susan Hinkle
I’m glad to hear this because my son is 16 and goes to sleep to this song every night. Baffling but I love it. He played the trombone than the tuba but in high school Quit the band because he did not want to march lol.
Tom Perrone
Not only "swing" but a nice arrangement by Benny Carter with interesting complexity - a Carter hallmark
dragon wizard
Makes me think of Tom and Jerry.
DeltaFRFX
Makes sense, Tom and Jerry were created around the same time as this
Something Funny
Swing