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.
But Not for Me
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never tell me dreams come true
Just try it and I'll start a riot
Beatrice Fairfax don't you dare
Ever tell me he will care
I'm certain it's the final curtain
I never want to hear from any cheerful Pollyannas
Who tell you fate supplies a mate
They're writing songs of love but not for me
A lucky star's above but not for me
With love to lead the way I've found more clouds of gray
Than any Russian play could guarantee
I was a fool to fall and get that way
Hi-ho, alas, and also lack-a-day
Although I can't dismiss the memory of his kiss
I guess he's not for me
I was a fool to fall and get that way
Hi-ho, alas, and also lack-a-day
Although I can't dismiss the memory of his kiss
In Benny Goodman's song But Not for me, the singer is expressing a sense of disillusionment regarding love. The first stanza talks about how the singer does not believe in dreams coming true or in the possibility of someone caring for them. The use of the phrase "final curtain" indicates the feeling of hopelessness and finality regarding the situation. The singer also dismisses any "cheerful Pollyannas" who suggest that fate will eventually provide them with a mate.
The second stanza speaks to the songwriter's sense of personal inadequacy in love. They feel that while love may lead the way for others, they only find clouds of gray. The mention of "any Russian play" could be a reference to the bleakness and difficulty of Russian literature, thus implying that their own experiences are even worse. The last part of the stanza mentions a past love and how the kiss was memorable, but ultimately that person is not meant for the singer.
The repeated lines "I was a fool to fall and get that way/Hi-ho, alas, and also lack-a-day" create a sense of regret and melancholy, emphasizing the singer's sense of having made poor choices in love. The song as a whole functions as a kind of anti-love song, detailing the way that romantic love can lead to disappointment and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
Old man sunshine listen you
Hey, sun, old man, listen, and pay attention.
Never tell me dreams come true
Don't tell me that dreams actually come true, as they don't always come to fruition.
Just try it and I'll start a riot
If challenged to make my dreams a reality and they don't work out, I'll cause a fuss and start a riot.
Beatrice Fairfax don't you dare
Beatrice Fairfax, or anyone like her, shouldn't be daring me to believe that my love interest will care about me.
Ever tell me he will care
I don't believe that he will ever care about me, no matter what anyone says.
I'm certain it's the final curtain
I'm certain that it's the end of the road for me as far as love is concerned.
I never want to hear from any cheerful Pollyannas
I don't want to hear from anyone who is always optimistic like Pollyanna, as I don't believe in fate and destiny when it comes to love.
Who tell you fate supplies a mate
I don't believe in the concept of fate supplying me with a mate, as it's all nonsense.
It's all bananas
It's all crazy talk and makes no sense.
They're writing songs of love but not for me
People are writing and singing love songs, but they're not about me and my situation.
A lucky star's above but not for me
There may be a lucky star shining in the sky, but it's not shining on me and my love life.
With love to lead the way I've found more clouds of gray
Even though love is supposed to lead the way, I've encountered more sadness and gloomy days than I've ever experienced.
Than any Russian play could guarantee
The amount of gray clouds in my life exceeds any amount a Russian play could ever guarantee.
I was a fool to fall and get that way
I was foolish to fall in love and to feel the way that I do now.
Hi-ho, alas, and also lack-a-day
I express disappointment and regret with this exclamation.
Although I can't dismiss the memory of his kiss
Even though we're not together anymore, I can't completely forget the memory of his kiss and the love we shared.
I guess he's not for me
Despite my feelings and my memories, I know deep down that he's not the one for me.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind