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 Got A Right To Sing The Blues
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I gotta right to feel low-down
I gotta right to hang around
Down around the river
A certain gal in this old town
Keeps draggin' my poor (old) heart around
All I see, for me is - misery
I gotta right to moan and sigh
I gotta right to sit and cry
Down around the river
I know the deep blue sea
Will soon be callin' me
It must be love - say what you choose
I gotta right to sing the blues
The lyrics of "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues" by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra express the right to sing and feel the blues, a form of music that emerged among African Americans in the late 19th century. The song opens with the assertion that the singer has the right to sing the blues and feel low-down, conveying that no one can tell them how to feel. The river is a recurrent motif in the lyrics, suggesting that the singer seeks comfort or escape by its banks.
The lyrics mention a certain gal in the old town who keeps dragging the singer's heart around, and all they see is misery. This could refer to a failed relationship or unrequited love, which is a common theme in blues songs. The second verse emphasizes the right to moan and sigh, sit and cry, once again invoking the river as a place of emotional refuge. The lyrics suggest that the singer is resigned to being called by the deep blue sea, perhaps indicating a desire to escape the pain.
Overall, the lyrics of "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues" convey the emotion and freedom inherent in the blues genre, celebrating the right to express oneself and feel deeply.
Line by Line Meaning
I gotta right to sing the blues
I have a valid reason to express my sadness through music
I gotta right to feel low-down
I have the right to feel depressed and downhearted
I gotta right to hang around
I have the freedom to spend time in a certain area
Down around the river
I am spending my time near the river
A certain gal in this old town
There's a particular woman I am fixated on in this town
Keeps draggin' my poor (old) heart around
She keeps breaking my heart and causing me emotional pain
All I see, for me is - misery
All I experience is constant unhappiness and sadness
I gotta right to moan and sigh
It's acceptable for me to express my sorrow through moans and sighs
I gotta right to sit and cry
I have the right to sit and shed tears due to my overwhelming sadness
I know the deep blue sea
I am aware of the vast, boundless ocean
Will soon be callin' me
The ocean will eventually be my final resting place
It must be love - say what you choose
Despite the heartbreak and pain, I am convinced that it's love
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, S.A. MUSIC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HAROLD ARLEN, TED KOEHLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@madadam2747
I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues
I gotta right to feel low-down
I gotta right to hang around
Down around the river
A certain gal in this old town
Keeps draggin' my poor heart around
All I see,
for me
is misery
I gotta right to sing the blues
I gotta right to moan and sigh
I gotta right to sit and cry
Down around the river
I know the deep blue sea
Will soon be callin' me
It must be love
say what you choose
I gotta right to sing the blues
@swingman5635
Gosh,I love everything about this classic,but what really wins me over is Jack's vocal. That guy's voice is mellow personified.
@scotnick59
Such fun to hear; I agree.
@chriswalford4161
Jack had wonderful breath control that he used for perfection in his vocals as much as on the trombone; it’s fascinating to listen to how his technique on each mirrors the other.
@Daisnap
Jack is wonderful! I’ve only heard women sing this song until now. He really puts his feelings into it and sings it beautifully. I can feel his blues!
@jeffreyhersh6565
How much better can it get? Wonderful
@waltergray7722
Love this.
Many thaks for sharing this gem.
@the78prof72
You're very welcome!
@madadam2747
I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues
I gotta right to feel low-down
I gotta right to hang around
Down around the river
A certain gal in this old town
Keeps draggin' my poor heart around
All I see,
for me
is misery
I gotta right to sing the blues
I gotta right to moan and sigh
I gotta right to sit and cry
Down around the river
I know the deep blue sea
Will soon be callin' me
It must be love
say what you choose
I gotta right to sing the blues
@dianam3641
J'aime cette chaîne !
@Trombonology
The great Jack Teagarden, BG's old friend from their days in the Ben Pollack band, seems always to dominate those Goodman sessions in which he appears -- not merely by the space he is given, but by sheer presence; so strong is the musical personality of this by all accounts pleasant and very likable fellow that the side becomes his. As we know, this song struck a chord with Jack, for whom blues was the basis of style, as the Arlen-Koehler number became his theme. Dick McDonough, behind Jack's vocal, and Krupa provide verve on this historic side.