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.
I'm Nobody's Baby
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wonder why
Each night and day I pray the Lord up above
Please send me down somebody to love
But nobody wants me
I'm blue somehow
Won't someone hear my plea and take a chance with me
Nobody's baby
And I've got to know the reason why
Last week I was walking down the street and met a boy and I said
"Hey! Maybe I was meant for you"
But he only shook his head and said "Goodbye"
He kept on walking down the avenue
Nobody wants me
I'm mighty blue somehow
Won't someone hear my plea and take a chance with me
Because I'm nobody's baby now
In Benny Goodman and His Orchestra's song "I'm Nobody's Baby," the singer laments their lonely status as an unloved outsider. They question why they can't seem to find anyone to love despite their fervent prayers, and they express the pain of being rejected by someone they felt a connection to. The singer reveals their vulnerability and desperation, pleading for someone to take a chance on them and break their cycle of loneliness. Despite the pain they describe, the song is ultimately an upbeat and cheerful anthem aimed at getting listeners to dance.
The tone of the lyrics is reflective of the societal attitudes of the time period in which the song was written and recorded (in 1937). At this point in history, women were still viewed as being primarily dependent on men for happiness and fulfillment. The lyrics reflect this idea, as the singer feels incomplete without a romantic partner. The song's popularity also speaks to this phenomenon - it was a hit with female listeners in particular.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm nobody's baby
I am single and not committed to anyone.
I wonder why
I am curious about why I am still alone.
Each night and day I pray the Lord up above
Every day and night I pray to God to send me someone to love.
Please send me down somebody to love
I am asking God to send me a companion to love.
But nobody wants me
However, no one seems to be interested in me.
I'm blue somehow
I feel sad and lonely even though I don't know why.
Won't someone hear my plea and take a chance with me
I hope someone would listen to my request and consider being with me.
Because I'm nobody's baby now
I am still uncommitted and single, without any romantic partner.
And I've got to know the reason why
I am curious and need to understand why I am single even though I want to love and be loved.
Last week I was walking down the street and met a boy and I said
Recalling a recent incident when I met someone and expressed my interest to him.
"Hey! Maybe I was meant for you"
I expressed my interest for that person, hoping that we could be together.
But he only shook his head and said "Goodbye"
However, the person did not reciprocate my feelings and chose to end the conversation.
He kept on walking down the avenue
He walked away, leaving me still alone and single.
I'm mighty blue somehow
I still feel sad and lonely, even more so after being rejected.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MILTON AGER, BENNY DAVIS, LESTER SANTLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind