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 See a Million People
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hear a million voices, but only your voice comes through.
I wait for your footsteps, I've waited before,
I know if it's you if you knock at my door,
I know you're around by the sound of my pounding heart!
I see a million faces, but what do I really see?
A million little traces keep bringing you back to me;
What can I do if you're always there?
I see a million people, but all I can see is you!
These lyrics speak to the overwhelming presence of a single person in the singer's life. Though surrounded by countless others, they are unable to focus on anything besides this individual. The first stanza highlights the way in which this person's voice and presence eclipse all others - the singer is attuned to the sound of their footsteps and the beat of their own heart when they are nearby. The second stanza takes this a step further by acknowledging that even if the singer tries to forget about this person, they are constantly reminded of them through various "traces."
One interpretation of these lyrics could be that the singer is deeply in love with someone, and that this love is all-consuming. Even in social situations, they are unable to truly engage with anyone else as their thoughts are constantly pulled back to their beloved. However, another way to interpret these lyrics might be that the person in question has passed away, and the singer's grief has caused them to fixate on memories of their loved one. The repeated line "I see a million people, but all I can see is you" could be read as a representation of the way in which grief can make the world around us feel dim and colorless.
Line by Line Meaning
I see a million people, but all I can see is you.
Despite the crowds, my attention is focused solely on you.
I hear a million voices, but only your voice comes through.
Amidst the noise, I can only hear the sound of your voice.
I wait for your footsteps, I've waited before,
I eagerly anticipate your arrival, as I have many times before.
I know if it's you if you knock at my door,
You have a distinct knock that I recognize instantly.
I know you're around by the sound of my pounding heart!
My heart races at the mere thought of your presence, signaling that you must be nearby.
I see a million faces, but what do I really see?
Although there are many faces around me, I am only focused on the one that matters.
A million little traces keep bringing you back to me;
No matter how hard I try to forget you, small reminders of you continue to resurface and haunt me.
And try as I may to forget to care,
Despite my attempts to move on, I cannot help but still deeply care for you.
What can I do if you're always there?
Your constant presence in my mind and heart leaves me powerless to move on.
I see a million people, but all I can see is you!
Once again, amongst the multitude, your image is the only one that stands out to me.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: VNAM CARISLE, ROBERT SOUR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind