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.
More Than You Know
Benny Goodman Lyrics
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Whether you are false or true
Whether you remain or wander,
I'm growing fonder of you
Even though your friends forsake you,
Even though you don't succeed
Wouldn't I be glad to take you,
Give you the break you need
More than you know, more than you know
Girl of my heart, I love you so
Lately I find you're on my mind
More than you know
Whether you're right, whether you're wrong
Girl of my heart, I'll string along
You need me so
Much more than you'll ever know (ever know)
Loving you the way that I do
There's nothing I can do about it
Loving may be all you can give
But baby I can't live without it
Oh, how I'd cry, oh, how I'd cry
If you got tired and said "Good-bye"
More than I'd show
More than you'd ever know
The lyrics of Benny Goodman's song "More Than You Know" express the depth of love and devotion that the singer has for the girl he loves. He sings about how he is growing fonder of her, regardless of whether she is near or far, loyal or unfaithful, staying or leaving. He reassures her that he would be there for her even when her friends forsake her or when she doesn't succeed. He loves her more than she knows and she is always on his mind lately.
The singer can't help but love the girl of his heart, even if she is right or wrong, and he promises to always be by her side to support her. He believes that she needs him more than she realizes and he loves her more than she'll ever know. He cannot imagine living without loving her, and the thought of losing her makes him emotional, as he would cry if she ever left him.
Overall, the lyrics of "More Than You Know" express the singer's deep affection and dedication for the girl he loves, and how much he cares for her well-being, despite the uncertainty of their future together.
Line by Line Meaning
Whether you are here or yonder,
No matter where you are, near or far
Whether you are false or true
Regardless of whether you're honest or deceitful
Whether you remain or wander,
Whether you stay or leave
I'm growing fonder of you
My affection for you is increasing
Even though your friends forsake you,
Even if your friends abandon you
Even though you don't succeed
Even if you fail
Wouldn't I be glad to take you,
I would welcome the opportunity to support you
Give you the break you need
Provide you with the chance you deserve
More than you know, more than you know
My feelings for you run deeper than you realize
Girl of my heart, I love you so
You are the woman I love deeply
Lately I find you're on my mind
I've been thinking about you a lot lately
Whether you're right, whether you're wrong
Regardless of whether you make good or bad decisions
Girl of my heart, I'll string along
I'll always be by your side
You need me so
You depend on me greatly
Much more than you'll ever know (ever know)
You don't even realize how much you need me
Loving you the way that I do
My love for you is intense
There's nothing I can do about it
I can't help but love you
Loving may be all you can give
Your love may be all you have to offer
But baby I can't live without it
But I can't live without your love
Oh, how I'd cry, oh, how I'd cry
I would be devastated
If you got tired and said "Good-bye"
If you grew tired of me and decided to leave
More than I'd show
I hide my true emotions
More than you'd ever know
You have no idea how much I love you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Barry James Eastmond, Cynthia De Mari Biggs
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind