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.
Royal Garden blues
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gee, hear that clarinet and flute, Cornet jazzin' with a mute,
Makes me just throw myself away, When I hear 'em play.
That weepin' melancholy strain, Say, but it's soothing to the brain;
Just wanna get right up and dance, Don't care I'll take most any chance;
No other blues I'd care to choose, But Royal Garden Blues.
The lyrics to the Benny Goodman Sextet's song "Royal Garden Blues" describe the powerful emotions and sensations that are evoked by the music being played by the band. The opening lines refer to the sounds of the trombone, saxophone, clarinet, flute, and cornet, all of which come together in a harmonious blend of jazz that is both irresistible and unforgettable. The singer of the song is so taken by the music, that they say it makes them want to throw themselves away – a testament to the sheer power and beauty of the sounds being produced by the musicians.
The lyrics also describe the bluesy, melancholic strain that is woven throughout the song. Despite this somewhat mournful tone, however, the singer is eager to dance, willing to take almost any chance in order to do so. The only blues they care to choose are the "Royal Garden Blues" – a statement that speaks to the unique power and allure of this particular piece of music. Ultimately, the lyrics to "Royal Garden Blues" are a powerful homage to the beauty of jazz, and a testament to the enduring impact that this style of music continues to have on listeners today.
Line by Line Meaning
Hon don't you hear that trombone moan?
Darling, can't you hear the deep sound of the trombone?
Just listen to that saxophone.
Just pay attention to the great sound of the saxophone.
Gee, hear that clarinet and flute,
Wow, listen to the sounds of the clarinet and the flute!
Cornet jazzin' with a mute,
The cornet is playing jazz sounds with a mute.
Makes me just throw myself away,
It makes me want to lose myself in the music.
When I hear 'em play.
When I hear them playing music.
That weepin' melancholy strain,
That sad and melancholic tune.
Say, but it's soothing to the brain;
But it's actually very soothing to the mind.
Just wanna get right up and dance,
I just want to get up and dance to the rhythm.
Don't care I'll take most any chance;
I don't care, I'll take chances to enjoy the music.
No other blues I'd care to choose,
I don't want any other blues to listen to.
But Royal Garden Blues.
Only the Royal Garden Blues will do for me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WILLIAMS SPENCER, CLARENCE WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Thomas Smith
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