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.
Organ Grinder
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Good old organ grinder Pete
He's the latest rhythm king
With his organ grinder's swing
Dadya, Pa swings it, so does Ma
Dadya, Ma swings it, so does Pa
Dadya, you swing it, so do I
Dadya, I swing it so do you
When he turns that handle down
Music goes around and 'round
Ev'rybody starts to sing
To that organ grinder's swing
Trala, Pa swings it, so does Ma
Trala, Ma swings it, so does Pa
Trala, you swing it, so do I
Trala, I swing it so do you
All the children tag along
Just to listen to his song
Monkey dancing on a string
To the organ grinder's swing
O-hum, Pa swings it, so does Ma
O-hum, Ma swings it, so does Pa
O-hum, you swing it, so do I
O-hum, I swing it so do you
The song "Organ Grinder's Swing" by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra describes the charming street performances of an organ grinder named Pete. The lyrics describe how everyone, from parents to children, begins to swing and sing along with his music as soon as he starts cranking the handle of his organ.
The repetition of the line "Pa swings it, so does Ma" and "Ma swings it, so does Pa" implies that the swing music is contagious and everyone gets caught up in it, regardless of age or gender. Additionally, the monkey dancing on a string is a playful visual that emphasizes the whimsical and lively tone of the song.
Overall, "Organ Grinder's Swing" is a fun and catchy song that celebrates the joyful and communal experience of enjoying swing music on the streets.
Line by Line Meaning
Who's that coming down the street?
Who is the person walking down the street?
Good old organ grinder Pete
It is the familiar street performer called Organ grinder Pete
He's the latest rhythm king
He is the latest performer who creates music in a rhythmic fashion
With his organ grinder's swing
He produces his music with the rhythm created by himself and his instrument
Dadya, Pa swings it, so does Ma
Everyone in the family, including father and mother, swings with the organ grinder's swing rhythm
When he turns that handle down
When he rotates the handle of his instrument
Music goes around and 'round
Sound is produced in a looping pattern
Ev'rybody starts to sing
Everyone begins to hum along with the music
To that organ grinder's swing
To the rhythmic sound created by the organ grinder
Trala, Pa swings it, so does Ma
Both mother and father continue to swing with the rhythm
All the children tag along
All the nearby kids follow him
Just to listen to his song
Just to hear him play his music
Monkey dancing on a string
A monkey continues to dance on a leash
To the organ grinder's swing
To the rhythm produced by the organ grinder
O-hum, Pa swings it, so does Ma
The rhythm is still playing and mother and father continue to swing
O-hum, Ma swings it, so does Pa
The rhythm is still playing and father and mother continue to swing
O-hum, you swing it, so do I
Everyone around them continues to swing with the music
O-hum, I swing it so do you
Everyone around them continues to swing with the music
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
Written by: IRVING MILLS, MITCHELL PARISH, WILL HUDSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind