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.
It Had to Be You
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wandered around and finally found the somebody who
Could make me be true, could make me feel blue,
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you.
Some others I've seen might never be mean
Might never be cross or try to be boss,
But they wouldn't do.
With all your faults, I love you still,
It had to be you, wonderful you,
It had to be you.
It had to be you, it had to be you.
I wandered around and finally found somebody who
Could make me be true, could make me be blue,
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you.
Some others I've seen might never be mean
Might never be cross or try to be boss,
But they wouldn't do.
For nobody else gave me a thrill.
With all your faults, I love you still.
It had to be you, wonderful you
It had to be you.
The lyrics of Benny Goodman's "It Had to Be You" express the feeling of finding one's perfect match in life. The singer talks about wandering around aimlessly and finally discovering the person who makes them feel true and blue, and even find joy in sadness while thinking of them. The lyrics also acknowledge that there might have been others who could have been kind, but they wouldn't do because nobody else gave the same thrill as this one person. The singer loves this person despite their faults, and it had to be them, no one else.
The song's lyrics are an embodiment of the idea that there is someone out there for everyone. It is a heartfelt tribute to the person who makes everything feel right and real in one's life. It is also notable that the lyrics hold a particular meaning for couples who dance to this song, as it resonates so much with a sense of perfect intimacy and understanding of each other.
Line by Line Meaning
It had to be you, it had to be you.
You were the only one who could make me happy and it was fate that brought us together.
I wandered around and finally found the somebody who
After many failed attempts, I finally found the perfect person for me.
Could make me be true, could make me feel blue,
You bring out my true self, even if it means feeling heartbreak and sadness at times.
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you.
I find solace in knowing that even when I'm sad, I can think of you and find some happiness in that.
Some others I've seen might never be mean
I've seen other people who are kind and gentle.
Might never be cross or try to be boss,
They might not show any signs of aggression or dominance.
But they wouldn't do.
However, they just couldn't compare to you.
For nobody else gave me a thrill.
No one else has ever given me the excitement and joy that you have.
With all your faults, I love you still,
Even with all of your imperfections, I still love you deeply.
It had to be you, wonderful you,
You are truly wonderful and there was no one else for me but you.
It had to be you.
The universe brought us together and I'm grateful that it did.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Isham Jones, Gus Kahn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind