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.
If I Had You
Benny Carter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I could be glad all of the while
I could change the grey skies to blues
If I had you
I could leave the old days behind
Leave all my pals, I'd never mind
I could start my life all a new
If I had you
Sail the mighty ocean wide
I could cross the burning desert
If I had you by my side
I could be a king, dear, uncrowned
Humble or poor, rich or renowned
There is nothing I couldn't do
If I had you
I could show the world how to smile
I could be glad all of the while
I could change the grey skies to blues
If I had you
I could leave the old days behind
Leave all my pals, I'd never mind
I could start my life all a new
If I had you
I could climb the snow capped mountains
Sail the mighty ocean wide
I could cross the burning desert
If I had you by my side
I could be a king, dear, uncrowned
Humble or poor, rich or renowned
There is nothing I couldn't do
"If I Had You" is a classic love song about the singer's devotion to their partner. The song is upbeat and optimistic, with the singer expressing that they could do anything and conquer any challenge if they had their loved one by their side. The lyrics convey a sense of longing and a desire to be with their partner, as well as a belief that their love could transform the world around them.
The opening stanza sets the scene for the rest of the song, as the singer imagines the positive impact they could have on the world if they had the love of their life by their side. The second stanza is more personal, with the singer expressing their willingness to leave their old life behind and start anew with their partner. The third stanza is more fantastical, with the singer imagining themselves as adventurers and rulers, all made possible by the love they share.
Overall, the lyrics of "If I Had You" convey a deep sense of love and devotion, as well as a belief in the transformative power of that love.
Line by Line Meaning
I could show the world how to smile
I have the ability to spread joy and happiness throughout the world
I could be glad all of the while
I can maintain positivity and happiness all the time
I could change the grey skies to blues
I can bring positivity and joy to situations that are otherwise sad or bleak
If I had you
But I need you with me to make these things possible
I could leave the old days behind
I can leave behind past experiences and start anew
Leave all my pals, I'd never mind
I can distance myself from friends and companions if necessary
I could start my life all a new
I can begin a new phase in my life
I could climb the snow capped mountains
I have the ability to undertake challenging tasks
Sail the mighty ocean wide
I can explore the world and experience new things
I could cross the burning desert
I can persevere in difficult situations
If I had you by my side
As long as I have you with me to support me
I could be a king, dear, uncrowned
I can be powerful and influential, even without an official title or position
Humble or poor, rich or renowned
My status in life doesn't matter; I can still accomplish great things
There is nothing I couldn't do
With your help and support, I can overcome any obstacle and achieve anything
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GORDON MILLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind