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.
Sweet Lorraine
Benny Carter 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
Benny Carter's song Sweet Lorraine is a celebration of love and the excitement that comes with being engaged to someone you adore. The lyrics describe an almost fairy tale-like scenario where everything seems to be falling into place. The singer is ecstatic that his beloved Lorraine has said yes to his proposal, and he can't wait for the day they'll be married. The weather is perfect, and he imagines the bells ringing merrily on their big day. He is so in love with Lorraine that even when it rains, he doesn't miss the sun because her smile lights up his world. He's thankful that she chose him to be her life partner and is afraid that someone will steal her heart away. He eagerly awaits their wedding day when he will finally tie the knot with his beloved Lorraine.
Overall, Sweet Lorraine is a heartwarming love song that captures the joy and excitement that come with being engaged to someone special. The lyrics are simple yet powerful, and they paint a picture of a love that is pure, genuine, and enduring. The song has remained popular over the years and continues to be a favorite of jazz fans and romantics alike.
Line by Line Meaning
Everything is set, skies are blue,
The singer's world is perfect and in place, without a cloud in the sky.
Can't believe it yet, but it's true,
The singer is in disbelief that his dreams are coming true.
I'll give you just one guess,
The singer is teasing the listener, but the answer is clear.
My sweet Lorraine said "yes"
The artist's love interest has agreed to marry him.
Waiting for the time, soon to be,
The artist is eagerly anticipating the upcoming wedding day.
When the bells will chime merrily,
The wedding day will be filled with joy and celebration.
(I'm so happy,) when it's raining I don't miss the sun,
The singer is so content with his life that even bad days cannot bring him down.
For it's in my sweeties smile,
The artist's happiness stems from his love interest's presence and joy.
Just think that I'm the lucky one
The artist is overwhelmed with gratitude and feels blessed to have his love interest.
Who will lend her down the aisle
The artist will have the honor of accompanying his love interest during their wedding ceremony.
Each night I pray
The singer is devoted to his love interest and hopes for their continued happiness.
That nobody steals her heart away,
The artist fears losing his love interest to another person.
Just can't wait until that happy day,
The singer is eagerly awaiting the wedding day with excitement.
When I marry sweet Lorraine
The wedding day will mark the beginning of the singer's life with his love interest.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CLIFF BURWELL, CLIFFORD BURWELL, MITCHELL PARISH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
5gramercy
Swingin' The '20s : Benny Carter Quartet With Earl Hines : Benny Carter (as,tp-1) Earl Hines (p) Leroy Vinnegar (b) Shelly Manne (d)
Los Angeles, November 2, 1958
Mary Lou Contemporary M3561, S7561, OJC CD-339-2 [CD]
If I could be with you (1) - - -
In a little Spanish town - - -
Just imagine - - -
Sweet Lorraine - - -
A Monday date - - -
Someone to watch over me (1) - - -
All alone (by the telephone) (1) - - -
All alone (by the telephone) (alt take) (1) -
Who's sorry now ? - - -
Who's sorry now ? (alt take) -
Thou swell - - -
Laugh, clown, laugh - - -
Laugh, clown, laugh (alt take) -
My blue heaven - - -
Note: Contemporary M3561(mono) = S7561(stereo).
All titles from Contemporary M3561 also on Contemporary JCD694-7561 [CD], (F)CHTX240.630, (Jap)K20P-6601, VDJ-1562 [CD], P-7579, Vogue (E)LAC12225, OJC 339.
All above titles also on Contemporary (Jap)VICJ-41797 [CD] titled "Swingin' The '20s".
All above titles also on Essential Jazz Classics (Sp)EJC55522 [CD] titled "Benny Carter/Earl Hines Quartet! - Swingin' the '20s Plus Barbara Dane's Livin' With The Blues".
JazzClassic
Benny Carter toujours élégant au saxo alto et Earl Hines dans un solo éblouissant au piano !...
MrJimmienoone
She looks nice. Great hair-do, great make-up. And the music a perfect fitting. What a wonderful tone and dynamics in Carter's playing! And Hines' solo is nothing short of ingenuous - an assortment of great musical ideas like a bunch of flowers in notes.
Natalia Bravo
Que estilo!!!!! que dulzura a los oídos, música para soñar.!!
Alondra
I LOVE BENNY CARTER'S SAX PLAYING!!!!🎷🎷🎷🎷🎷👌
Charles Barry
To the following list you can add Benny Carter : Johnny Hodges: Charlie Parker: Cannonball Adderley . They are three of the greatest alto saxophonists ever.
Ελενη Καραγιαννιδου
he sounds so pure . it's obvious he was studyinng all day
Fredy Wraamann
Sweet, very sweet !! and a beautiful lady .
Tom Gilfoyle
I have been looking for this version ever since I heard it In a documentary on "Demon Rum" about thirty years ago.
Man Ray
One of the top alto players of all time.
Mumin Blues
Menudo regalo acabo de encontrar... gracias!