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.
Hi
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
And I know He watches me.
"Let not your heart be troubled," His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
The lyrics to Benny Goodman's song "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" are a testament to faith and trust in God's constant presence and protection. The song begins with the question of why one would feel discouraged or lonely when Jesus is a constant friend and "portion." The repeated line "His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me" serves as a reminder that no matter what, God is always watching over and protecting us, just like the sparrow in the song.
The second verse reinforces this message, with the singer taking comfort in God's tender words and resting on his goodness to dispel doubts and fears. The idea that one may only see one step ahead on life's path, but that God is still keeping watch, is a powerful expression of trust and hope. The final verse speaks to the challenges and struggles of life, from temptation to sadness and despair, but the ultimate message is one of hope and reassurance. By drawing closer to God, the singer is able to find freedom and peace, knowing that God's eye is constantly on them, just like the sparrow.
Overall, Benny Goodman's "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" is a powerful expression of faith and hope, reminding us that we are never alone and that God is always watching over us.
Line by Line Meaning
Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
I wonder why I should feel sad and why darkness surrounds me,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
Why should my heart feel isolated and long for a heavenly place?
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
When Jesus is the one who sustains me, and He is always there for me,
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
He cares for the sparrows, and I am confident that He is watching me too.
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
He cares for the sparrows, and I am confident that He is watching me too.
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm glad,
I sing because I'm free,
I sing because I am liberated,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
Because He cares for the sparrows,
And I know He watches me.
And I am confident that He is watching over me.
"Let not your heart be troubled," His tender word I hear,
"Do not be disturbed," I hear His caring words speak to me,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
And when I rely on His goodness, I lose my uncertainties and apprehensions,
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
Although I can only see one step of the path He takes me on,
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
He cares for the sparrows, and I am confident that He is watching me too.
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
He cares for the sparrows, and I am confident that He is watching me too.
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm glad,
I sing because I'm free,
I sing because I am liberated,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
Because He cares for the sparrows,
And I know He watches me.
And I am confident that He is watching over me.
Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
Whenever I am lured by temptation, and storm clouds gather,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
When happy songs switch to sad sighs, and hope dissipates within me,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
I draw near to Him, and He frees me from all anxiety,
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
He cares for the sparrows, and I am confident that He is watching me too.
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
He cares for the sparrows, and I am confident that He is watching me too.
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm glad,
I sing because I'm free,
I sing because I am liberated,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
Because He cares for the sparrows,
And I know He watches me.
And I am confident that He is watching over me.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: C D MARTIN, CHARLES HUTCHISON GABRIEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@colt4667
I'm only 16 and I like this music.
I'm 14 and I like this music.
I'm 4 and I like this music.
I'm 3 months old and I like this music.
I'm 2 days old and I like this music.
I'm 2 hours old and I like this music.
I'm still a fetus and I like this music.
I'm an embryo and I like this music.
I'm still an egg cell and I like this music.
I'm a strand of DNA and I like this music.
I'm a Carbon atom (not yet part of a DNA strand) and I like this music.
I'm a Neutron (soon to be part of a Carbon atom) and I like this music.
I'm still a Quark and I like this music.
@MeA-aSchwalbe
85 years later and I'm still waiting for them to sing.
@MichaelDelugg
Oh man, they ARE singin’!
@victorm.photovic9983
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@patopotato9988
@@grahamdalbymusic Dang.. had no idea!
@rogal2358
Man, u don't need to wait more, thier instruments are singing
@hmackie6823
good 1
@biskit460
Can you imagine hearing this song for the first time when it came out?
@mabel8179
Yes people would've LOVED it and been so excited! In fact there was a British female musician named Ivy Benson whose family wanted her to be a classical musician but then she heard Benny Goodman and that was IT. She became a bandleader for an all female dance/jazz band.
@evenvega3728
I'd flip out!!
@shannahuffman4655
I would be going crazy .. it's such a cool song