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.
Lady Be Food
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's terribly sad but true,
All dressed up, no place to go
Each evening I'm awfully blue.
I must win some handsome guy
Can't go on like this,
I could blossom out I know,
Oh, sweet and lovely lady, be good
Oh, lady, be good to me
I am so awfully misunderstood
So lady, be good to me
Oh, please have some pity
I'm all-alone in this big city
I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,
So lady be good to me.
Oh, please have some pity
I'm all alone in this big city
I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,
So lady be good to me.
Oh lady be good to me.
The song "Oh Lady Be Good!" by Benny Goodman and his Sextet is a tale of woe from the perspective of a lonely woman who is all dressed up with no place to go. She longs for love and wants to find a handsome man who can take her out and show her a good time. The lyrics are full of sadness, expressing the woman's deep longing for companionship and affection. Despite her loneliness, she still holds onto hope, believing that she could blossom out with someone just like the person she's singing to.
The lyrics are skillfully delivered by Goodman and his Sextet, and the melody is upbeat and catchy, creating a sense of urgency and longing that perfectly captures the mood of the song. The woman's plea for love and companionship is both touching and relatable, and the song has become a classic of the swing era, loved by jazz fans all over the world.
Overall, "Oh Lady Be Good!" is a poignant and emotional love song that speaks to the heart of anyone who has ever felt alone and in need of someone to love and care for them.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen to my tale of woe,
Please pay attention to my sad story,
It's terribly sad but true,
It's not an exaggeration, I'm truly unhappy,
All dressed up, no place to go
Although I'm prepared, I have nowhere to be,
Each evening I'm awfully blue.
Every night, I am overcome with sadness.
I must win some handsome guy
I need to find a good-looking man,
Can't go on like this,
I cannot continue feeling so hopeless,
I could blossom out I know,
I'm confident I could flourish if given the chance,
With somebody just like you. So
If I had someone as wonderful as you, I would thrive. Therefore,
Oh, sweet and lovely lady, be good
Oh dear woman, please act kindly towards me,
Oh, lady, be good to me
Please, I implore you, treat me with kindness,
I am so awfully misunderstood
People don't get me, and it hurts me deeply,
So lady, be good to me
Therefore, I ask that you show me mercy,
Oh, please have some pity
Oh please, feel compassion for me,
I'm all alone in this big city
I'm entirely isolated in this massive metropolis,
I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,
I'm a lonely soul wandering around the city,
So lady be good to me.
Therefore, I'm appealing to you to be kind to me, dear lady.
Oh lady be good to me.
Oh dear woman, please show me kindness.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE GERSHWIN, IRA GERSHWIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@georgezbinden112
I'm 86 years young, spent many hours listening to the big bands on my portable radio while collecting newspapers,tires and lard for the war effort. This music will live forever.
@billstokes6740
I'm right there with you. I was born before WW2 , and this music is great. Louie Prima and Kellie Smith had a TV show for a while. Loved his music.
@beaufitz8993
God bless you,George!!
@fenrislyulf8861
I'm 57 and never got to dance like that but I have loved this music since I was about 5 years old.
@uliuli201
WHAT A MARVELOUS WAY TO SPEND YOUR LIFEISTENING TO MUSIC YOU LOVE. BE SAFE. BE HEALTHY. BE MINDFUL.
@Matt-zx7vz
🙏beautifully said
@alcyone9361
Probably the greatest piece of swing music ever written
@isabellind1292
I couldn't agree more! It's one of my very favorite pieces of music as well as my favorite musical scenes from any movie I've ever seen. It's just amazing! 🎵💓
@charles2241
I would call it the birth of rock and roll.
@Talwyn22
Probably? No. DEFINATELY!