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.
Exactly Like You
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not a real one, just a dream
A wonderful vision of us as a team
Can you imagine how I feel now
Love is real now, it's ideal
You're just what I wanted
And now it's nice to live
Paradise to live
I know why I've waited
Know why I've been blue
Prayed each night for someone
Exactly like you
Why should we spend money
On a show or two
No one does those love scenes
Exactly like you
You make me feel so grand
I want to hand the world to you
I hope you'll understand
Each foolish little scheme I'm schemin'
And dream I'm dreamin'
Now I know why mother
Taught me to be true
She meant me for someone
Exactly like you
The song "Exactly Like You" by Benny Goodman describes the feeling of finding the perfect partner. The song begins by describing a dream that the singer used to have about having a perfect sweetheart. This person was just a vision and not a real person. However, now the singer has found someone who is exactly what they wanted in a partner. The love shared is real and ideal, making life a paradise. The singer expresses gratitude for finding someone just like their dream.
The singer then goes on to explain why they were waiting and feeling blue. They had been praying each night for someone exactly like their current partner. The song emphasizes the uniqueness of their love by questioning why they should spend money on a show or two when no one does those love scenes exactly like the way they do. The partner makes the singer feel grand and they want to give the world to them.
Finally, the singer mentions that their mother taught them to be true because she knew the singer was meant for someone exactly like their current partner. This song is essentially a love letter to the singer's significant other, expressing deep gratitude and love for someone who was exactly what the singer had been looking for.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to have a perfect sweetheart
I used to dream of a perfect partner that could make my life fulfilled.
Not a real one, just a dream
It was just an ideal match I could picture in my mind, not someone real.
A wonderful vision of us as a team
I envisioned us as a perfect couple working together for happiness and success.
Can you imagine how I feel now
It's hard to believe that my dream has finally come true, and I feel ecstatic.
Love is real now, it's ideal
Love has surpassed my expectations and has become a perfect reality for me.
You're just what I wanted
You are everything that I have ever wished for in a partner.
And now it's nice to live
Your presence in my life has made everyday living a joyful experience.
Paradise to live
With you in my life, it feels like I am living in paradise.
I know why I've waited
I have finally found the one for me, and it's crystal clear why I've waited this long.
Know why I've been blue
I have been missing the kind of happiness and love you provide, and that has made me feel blue.
Prayed each night for someone
Every night I prayed to find someone who could understand and love me for who I am.
Exactly like you
That someone is exactly like you, and I am grateful that you have come into my life.
Why should we spend money
I don't see why we need to spend money on artificial love or entertainment.
On a show or two
We can enjoy our love for each other without needing to go out and see other people pretend to be in love.
No one does those love scenes
Nobody can replicate the kind of love and connection that we have for each other.
Exactly like you
It's because it's unique and special, just like the way we love and care for each other.
You make me feel so grand
Your love makes me feel so elevated, happy, and empowered.
I want to hand the world to you
I am willing to do anything for you because of the amount of love and admiration I have for you.
I hope you'll understand
I hope you can see how much you mean to me and understand the depth of my love for you.
Each foolish little scheme I'm schemin'
I might get carried away and come up with silly ideas, but that's just because I want to make you happy in any way possible.
And dream I'm dreamin'
I am still in disbelief that my dream partner has become a reality, and I am living a dream with you.
Now I know why mother
My mother always taught me the importance of finding a partner who could truly love me for who I am.
Taught me to be true
She taught me to be honest and genuine so that I could attract someone who could reciprocate that love and loyalty.
She meant me for someone
I now recognize that my mother meant for me to find the perfect partner who could complete my life.
Exactly like you
That person, as fate would have it, is someone exactly like you.
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dorothy Fields, Jimmy Mchugh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind