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.
Moonglow
Benny Goodman Lyrics
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It must have been moonglow that led me straight to you
I still hear you sayin', "Dear one, hold me fast"
And I keep on prayin', "Oh Lord, please let this last"
We seemed to float right through the air
Heavenly songs seemed to come from everywhere
I'll always remember, that moonglow gave me you
It must have been moonglow, way up in the blue
It must have been moonglow that led me straight to you
I still hear you sayin', "Sweet child, hold me fast"
And I keep on prayin', "Oh Lord, please let this last"
We seemed to float right through the air
Heavenly songs seemed to come from everywhere
And now when there's moonglow, way up in the blue
I'll always remember, that moonglow gave me you
The song "Moonglow" by Benny Goodman is a love song that talks about being led to love by the moonlight. The singer of the song reminisces about a magical night where they were drawn to their loved one by the light of the moon, hearing them say "hold me fast" and praying for that moment to last forever. The song describes the sensation of floating in the air and listening to heavenly songs that seemed to come from all around them. This romantic moment is forever etched in the singer's memory, to be brought to mind every time they see the moonglow in the sky.
The lyrics of "Moonglow" have a dreamy, ethereal quality that captures the mood of a magical night of love. The singer is floating in the air, surrounded by heavenly songs, and being drawn to their loved one by a force that feels larger than themselves. The moonglow is portrayed as a mystical force that brought the two lovers together, creating a moment of pure magic that will never be forgotten. The refrain of "It must have been moonglow" serves as a reminder that there are some things that cannot be explained by logic or science – sometimes, love is simply a product of magic and fate.
Line by Line Meaning
It must have been moonglow, way up in the blue
The singer believes that the romantic atmosphere created by the moon's glow in the night sky brought them to their loved one
It must have been moonglow that led me straight to you
The singer is convinced that the magical and romantic energy of the moon was responsible for them finding their soulmate
I still hear you sayin', "Dear one, hold me fast"
The singer remembers their loved one asking to be held tightly, expressing their love through physical touch
And I keep on prayin', "Oh Lord, please let this last"
The artist is grateful for their relationship and prays that their love will continue to flourish forever
We seemed to float right through the air
The artist remembers feeling weightless and full of love while with their significant other
Heavenly songs seemed to come from everywhere
The singer experienced an overwhelming feeling of joy and love, as if the universe was celebrating their love
And now when there's moonglow, way up in the blue
Whenever the singer sees the moon's glow in the sky, they are reminded of the romantic energy that brought them to their loved one
I'll always remember, that moonglow gave me you
The artist will forever cherish the romantic energy of the moon that brought them to their soulmate
I still hear you sayin', "Sweet child, hold me fast"
The artist remembers their loved one asking to be held tightly, expressing their love and adoration for the artist
And I keep on prayin', "Oh Lord, please let this last"
The artist is grateful for their relationship and prays that their love will continue to flourish forever
We seemed to float right through the air
The singer remembers feeling weightless and full of love while with their significant other
Heavenly songs seemed to come from everywhere
The artist experienced an overwhelming feeling of joy and love as if the universe was celebrating their love
And now when there's moonglow, way up in the blue
Whenever the singer sees the moon's glow in the sky, they are reminded of the romantic energy that brought them to their loved one
I'll always remember, that moonglow gave me you
The singer will forever cherish the romantic energy of the moon that brought them to their soulmate
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Eddie Delange, Irving Mills, Will Hudson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind