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.
Our Love Is Here to Stay
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not for a year but ever and a day
The radio and the telephone and the movies that we know
May just be passing fancies and in time may go
But oh, my dear, our love is here to stay
Together we're going a long, long way
In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble
But our love is here to stay
In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble
They're only made of clay
But our love is here to stay
The lyrics of Benny Goodman's song our love is here to stay, are a testament of the permanence of true love. The first two lines of the song make it clear that the love the artist is describing is not fleeting nor temporary, it is here to stay forever. The following lines emphasize this idea by highlighting the fragility of modern communication and entertainment avenues such as radio, telephone, and movies. These things may come and go, but true love endures.
The final lines of each verse assert a sense of unbreakable permanence through a series of metaphors. The Rockies and Gibraltar represent iconic structures that have endured the tests of time, yet even they are subject to erosion and destruction. However, the love that the artist shares with his beloved is not like these physical structures. Our love is here to stay, the artist sings, implying that it is stronger than any physical force.
In conclusion, Goodman's song our love is here to stay speaks to the enduring nature of true love. It emphasizes that true love is not easily swayed nor subject to external factors such as time, distance, or even rocky mountains or tumbles in Gibraltar. True love endures forever.
Line by Line Meaning
It's very clear, our love is here to stay
It is apparent that our love will endure and last forever
Not for a year but ever and a day
Our love will not only last a short while, but it will endure throughout all time
The radio and the telephone and the movies that we know
Things that we consider important or influential right now, such as the media, might not be relevant in the future
May just be passing fancies and in time may go
What we think is important or popular now may not have staying power and could fade away over time
But oh, my dear, our love is here to stay
Regardless of what else changes or fades away, our love will always remain strong and enduring
Together we're going a long, long way
We are in this for the long haul and will stay committed to each other for a lifetime
In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble
Even the most stable and enduring things can eventually give way to time and change
They're only made of clay
No matter how strong or stable something appears to be, it is ultimately made of fragile materials that can break down
But our love is here to stay
Despite the fragility of other things in life, our love will last through all the ups and downs
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Peermusic Publishing, RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind