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.

Fine And Dandy
Benny Goodman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Please forgive this platitude
But I like your attitude
You are just the kind I've had in mind
Never could find

Honey, I'm so keen on you
I could come to lean on you
On a random bay, give you your way

Do what you say

Gee, it's all fine and dandy
Sugar candy, when I've got you

Then I only see the sunny side
Even trouble has it's funny side
When you're gone, my sugar candy
I get so lonesome, I get blue

But when you're handy
It's fine and dandy

But when you're gone
What can I do?

Overall Meaning

In the song "Fine and Dandy", Benny Goodman is expressing his admiration for the person he is addressing in the song. He starts by apologizing for using a common phrase, "Please forgive this platitude," but proceeds to let them know that he likes their attitude. Goodman says that this person is exactly what he has been searching for and that he could come to depend on them. He is willing to accommodate them and do whatever they want.

The chorus of the song features the phrase "fine and dandy" repeatedly. Goodman refers to his love interest as "sugar candy", which is a term of endearment. He says that everything is good when he is with this person because even trouble has a funny side when they are around. However, when they are gone, Goodman gets lonely and blue, and he doesn't know what to do without them.

Overall, the song portrays Goodman's infatuation with this person and how much they mean to him, making him feel happy and content when he's with them.

Line by Line Meaning

Please forgive this platitude
I hope you won't mind me being cliché

But I like your attitude
I am impressed and fond of your behavior and beliefs

You are just the kind I've had in mind
You are exactly the kind of person I was looking for

Never could find
Until now, I had trouble finding someone like you

Honey, I'm so keen on you
Darling, I am very enthusiastic about you

I could come to lean on you
I could become emotionally dependent on you

On a random bay, give you your way
In any situation, I would agree with your preferences

Do what you say
I will follow your instructions

Gee, it's all fine and dandy
Wow, everything is great and delightful

Sugar candy, when I've got you
My dear, you make my life sweet and beautiful

Then I only see the sunny side
In your presence, everything seems positive and hopeful