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.
Solitude
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You haunt me
With dreadful ease
Of days gone by
In my solitude
You taunt me
With memories
I sit in my chair
And filled with despair
There's no one could be so sad
With gloom everywhere
I sit and I stare
I know that I'll soon go mad
In my solitude
I'm afraid
Dear Lord above
Send back my love
I sit in my chair
Filled with despair
There's no one, no one
No onecould be so sad
With gloom everywhere
I sit and I stare
I know that I'll soon go mad
In my solitude
I'm afraid
Dear Lord above
Send back my love
The song "Solitude" by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra is a melancholy piece that captures the painful feelings of loneliness and despair. In the opening verse, the lyrics reveal how the memories of the past haunt and taunt the singer, making him feel overwhelmed and helpless in his solitude. The despair is palpable as the lyrics describe the physical stance and emotional depths of the singer, who sits and stares, feeling like he is about to go crazy.
The lyrics of the song convey a deep sense of longing and a plea for help from a higher power. The chorus calls upon the "Dear Lord above" to send back the singer's love, suggesting that the loneliness and despair are a result of a separation from a loved one. The song's poetic language and poignant melody evoke a sense of sadness and isolation that can be experienced by anyone who has felt the sting of heartbreak, loss, or loneliness.
Line by Line Meaning
In my solitude
Being alone and secluded
You haunt me
Memories from the past come to mind easily
With dreadful ease
Causing great distress in a simple manner
Of days gone by
Reminiscing about moments that have already passed
You taunt me
Recalling memories that are painful
With memories
Recollection of past events
That never die
Feelings of nostalgia that persist over time
I sit in my chair
Feeling lost and alone
And filled with despair
Overwhelmed with sadness
There's no one could be so sad
Feeling like no one else understands the depth of sadness
With gloom everywhere
Surrounded by sadness and despair
I sit and I stare
Lost in thought and sadness
I know that I'll soon go mad
Feeling like the sadness will lead to a loss of sanity
I'm afraid
Feeling scared and vulnerable
Dear Lord above
A plea to a higher power for help
Send back my love
Requesting the return of a lost love
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DUKE ELLINGTON, EDDIE LANGE DE, IRVING MILLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Walter Gray
I love this version of this great Ellington number.
Thank you for sharing.
DJ Vinyl Goblin
Love this number by Benny Goodman! Also, lovely label as well! Always use to like the Dorsey's version from an old Lp I got as a kid.Do you collect any blues 78s? Thanks for posting!
Brian's 78's
not really though i do have a few blues 78's
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