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.
Get Happy
Benny Goodman Lyrics
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Ya better chase all your cares away
Sing Hallelujah, c'mon get happy
Get ready for the judgment day
The sun is shinin', c'mon get happy
The Lord is waiting to take your hand
Shout Hallelujah, c'mon get happy
We're headin' 'cross the river
Gonna wash our sins in the tide
It's all so peaceful
On the other side
Forget your troubles and just get happy
Ya better chase all your cares away
Sing Hallelujah, c'mon get happy
Get ready for the judgment day
The sun is shinin', c'mon get happy
The Lord is waiting to take your hand
Shout Hallelujah, c'mon get happy
We're goin' to the Promised Land
We're headin' 'cross the river
Wash our sins away in the tide
It's all so peaceful
On the other side
We're headin' 'cross the river
Wash our sins away in the tide
It's all so peaceful
On the other side
Forget your troubles and just get happy
Ya better chase your cares away
Sing Hallelujah, c'mon get happy
Get ready for the judgment day
Benny Goodman's Get Happy is a song that encourages people to look beyond their troubles and focus on the brighter aspects of life. The song starts with an invitation for listeners to leave behind their worries and find happiness. The reference to the judgment day suggests that this happiness comes from being prepared for eternal life. The song proceeds with several instances of the phrase "c'mon get happy" suggesting that happiness is not just a destination, but also an active pursuit.
The song speaks about the beauty of nature as the sun shines and the Lord waits to take one's hand. The lyrics encourage people to sing Hallelujah, an expression of gratitude or rejoicing in the presence of God. The image of crossing the river suggests moving from one phase of life to another, with the act of washing sins away in the tide representing a metaphorical cleansing process. The song concludes with the repetition of the chorus, underscoring the importance of letting go of troubles and focusing on happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Pack up your troubles and just get happy
Don't let your troubles burden you. Instead, focus on being happy.
Ya better chase all your cares away
It's important to not let your worries get the best of you.
Sing Hallelujah, c'mon get happy
Sing and celebrate your happiness.
Get ready for the judgment day
Prepare yourself for the day when you'll be judged.
The sun is shinin', c'mon get happy
The good times are here, enjoy yourself.
The Lord is waiting to take your hand
Believe in God, who will guide and support you.
Shout Hallelujah, c'mon get happy
Sing praises to the Lord and spread good vibes.
We're goin' to the Promised Land
We're heading towards a better place.
We're headin' 'cross the river
We're traversing through obstacles.
Gonna wash our sins in the tide
We will rid ourselves of our wrongdoings.
It's all so peaceful
On the other side
Things will be better on the other side of our sorrows.
Forget your troubles and just get happy
Quit stressing over your troubles and let yourself be happy.
Ya better chase your cares away
Stop focusing on your worries.
Get ready for the judgment day
Be prepared for the reckoning.
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Viggo Kalman
I like this question-answer type of music. The trumpet brings its argument and the clarinet answers as a voice of reason kinda :)
Carl WKBRL
i love this.
Grant Koeller
Words and music by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler