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 Never Know
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Until I smile at you
I'll never laugh again
What good would it do
For tears would fill my eyes
My heart would realize
That our romance is true
I'll never love again
I'll never thrill again
To somebody new
Within my heart
I know I will never start
To smile again
Until I smile at you
Within my heart
I know I will never start
To smile again
Until I smile at you
The lyrics to "I Never Knew" by Benny Goodman Sextet featuring Charlie Christian are actually different from the lyrics you provided. Nonetheless, we will analyze the lyrics you have given to Benny Goodman's song "I'll Never Smile Again."
The lyrics tell a story of a person who has fallen deeply in love with someone to the point where they state that they will never love anyone again but the person they are in love with. The lyrics are representative of the emotional depth of love and the uncertainty that comes with being in love. The lines "I'll never smile again until I smile at you" and "I'll never thrill again to somebody new" show that the person's happiness depends solely on the person they are in love with. The lines "For tears would fill my eyes, my heart would realize that our romance is true" show that the person is aware of the fragility of their love and how easily it could be lost.
Overall, the lyrics to "I'll Never Smile Again" are reflective of the emotions one feels when they are deeply in love. It speaks to the idea that love is a powerful force that can bring both joy and pain.
Line by Line Meaning
Within my heart
Deep down inside my emotions
I'll never smile again
I cannot truly feel happiness without being with you
Until I smile at you
Until I am with you, I cannot display true joy
I'll never laugh again
I cannot find amusement in life without you
What good would it do
There would be no point in laughing if it is not with you
For tears would fill my eyes
I would become emotional and cry
My heart would realize
I would become aware of the true depth of my love
That our romance is true
Our love is real
I'll never love again
My love for you is too great to love someone else
I'm so in love with you
I am deeply and completely in love with you
I'll never thrill again
I cannot feel excitement with someone new
To somebody new
To another person besides you
Within my heart
Deep down inside my emotions
I know I will never start
I am certain that I will not begin to feel joy without you
To smile again
To feel true happiness
Until I smile at you
Until I am with you, I cannot display true joy
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GLENN OSSER, RUTH LOWE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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