Benny Goodman, born Benjamin David Goodman, (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) … Read Full Bio ↴Benny Goodman, born Benjamin David Goodman, (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American jazz musician, known as King of Swing, Patriarch of the Clarinet, The Professor, and Swing's Senior Statesman.

Goodman was regarded by some as a demanding taskmaster, by others an arrogant and eccentric martinet. Many musicians spoke of The Ray, Goodman's trademark glare that he bestowed on a musician who failed to perform to his demanding standards. Anita O'Day and Helen Forrest spoke bitterly of their experiences singing with Goodman. "The twenty or so months I spent with Benny felt like twenty years," said Forrest. "When I look back, they seem like a life sentence." He could also be incredibly self-absorbed; it is reported that when eating an egg onto which a ketchup bottle cap had fallen, Goodman simply ate around it. At the same time, there are reports that he privately funded several college educations and was sometimes very generous, though always secretly. When a friend asked him why one time, he reportedly said, "Well, if they knew about it, everyone would come to me with their hand out."

Some suggest that Elvis Presley had the same success with rock and roll that Goodman achieved with jazz and swing. Without Goodman there would not have been a swing era. It is true that many of Goodman's arrangements had been played for years before by Fletcher Henderson's orchestra. While Goodman publicly acknowledged his debt to Henderson, many young white swing fans had never heard Henderson's band. While most consider Goodman a jazz innovator, others maintain his main strength was his perfectionism and drive. Goodman was a non - pariel virtuoso clarinetist and -along with only Artie Shaw, amongst the most technically proficient jazz clarinetists of all time.

Goodman is also responsible for a significant step in racial integration in America. In the early 1930s, black and white jazz musicians could not play together in most clubs or concerts. In the Southern states, racial segregation was enforced by the Jim Crow laws. Benny Goodman broke with tradition by hiring Teddy Wilson to play with him ] in the Autumn of 1936. He then added Lionel Hampton on vibes in December, 1936, and in the early Summer of 1939 he augmented the famous "quartette" with pioneering jazz guitarist Charlie Christian to his band and small ensembles, who played with him until his untimely death from tuberculosis less than three years later. To give an understanding of American history at this time, Goodman's integration of popular music happened ten years before Jackie Robinson entered Major League Baseball. "[Goodman's] popularity was such that he could remain financially viable without touring the South, where he would have been subject to arrest for violating Jim Crow laws." By the mid- Summer of 1941, Benny had hired the incomparably rhythmic and show-man drummer, legendary "Big Sid" Catlett, the (later) famous John Simmons on bass, and still possessed the incomparable Charlie Christian on electric guitar -plus Cootie Williams was in the middle of his one-year contract... This amounted to virtually one-quarter of the orchestra of black heritage, but of course -following Jimmy Munday and Fletcher Henderson (who also joined the band as pianist for 6 months in July, 1939) it was really an orchestrated white extension of black big band jazz -only, curiously -better.

Alexander's Ragtime Band
Benny Goodman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Come on and hear, come on and hear
Alexander's Ragtime Band
Come on and hear, come on and hear
It's the best band in the land

They can play a bugle call
Like you never heard before
So natural that you want to go to war

That's just the bestest band what am, Honey Lamb

Come on along, come on along
Let me take you by the hand
Up to the man, up to the man
Who's the leader of the band

And if you want to hear the Swanee River played in ragtime

Come on and hear, come on and hear
Alexander's Ragtime Band

Overall Meaning

Benny Goodman's "Alexander's Ragtime Band" is a cheerful and upbeat song that invites the listener to come and hear the best band in the land. The song celebrates the infectiousness and brilliance of Alexander's band, encouraging the audience to join in the fun. The opening lines, "Come on and hear, come on and hear/ Alexander's Ragtime Band/ Come on and hear, come on and hear/ It's the best band in the land," underscore the song's enthusiasm from the outset.

As the song progresses, the singer describes the band's remarkable musical ability, from displaying superior trumpet evocation to being able to play any tune in ragtime, such as the famous "Swanee River." The song also recognizes the band's leader for his essential role in bringing together a group of musicians capable of such amazing talent. In essence, the song invites the audience to be part of the journey and witness the fantastic experience that lies in hearing Alexander's Ragtime Band.

Overall, "Alexander's Ragtime Band" celebrates the enjoyment of music and musicianship, and invites the listener to witness a musical feat.

Line by Line Meaning

Come on and hear, come on and hear
Invitation to come and hear Alexander's Ragtime Band.

Alexander's Ragtime Band
Name of the best band in the land.

It's the best band in the land
Confirmation that Alexander's Ragtime Band is indeed the best band.

They can play a bugle call
The band has the ability to play a bugle call.

Like you never heard before
Their rendition of the bugle call is unique and remarkable.

So natural that you want to go to war
Their bugle call is so real, it will make you feel the need to join the military and fight.

That's just the bestest band what am, Honey Lamb
A statement confirming that Alexander's Ragtime Band is indeed the best band in the land.

Come on along, come on along
Another invitation to come and hear the band.

Let me take you by the hand
The artist will lead the listener to the band.

Up to the man, up to the man
The artist intends to take the listener to the leader of the band.

Who's the leader of the band
The singer wants to introduce the listener to the band's leader.

And if you want to hear the Swanee River played in ragtime
If the listener wants to hear a classic song played in ragtime, they should come hear Alexander's Ragtime Band.

Come on and hear, come on and hear
Reiteration of the invitation to hear the band.

Alexander's Ragtime Band
Reiteration of the name of the band.

Lyrics © IMAGEM U.S. LLC
Written by: F. KARLIN, I. BERLIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS