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.
Sometimes I'm Happy
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And let your poor heart break a little
That's the story of, that's the glory of love
You got to laugh a little, cry a little
Until the clouds roll by a little
That's the story of, that's the glory of love
We've got the world and all it's charms
And when the world is through with us
We've got each other's arms
Got to win a little, lose a little
Always have the blues a little
That's the story of, that's the glory of love
The lyrics to Benny Goodman's song "Sometimes I'm Happy" convey a message of enduring love that requires sacrifice and resilience. The first couplet, "Got to give a little, take a little, and let your poor heart break a little," speaks to the reality of relationships that require give-and-take, and the potential pain that comes with it. But this is balanced with the beauty of love, which is the story and glory of life, and which is worth the risk.
The second couplet, "You got to laugh a little, cry a little, until the clouds roll by a little," suggests that in love, both joy and sorrow are inevitable, but they too shall pass. The imagery of "clouds rolling by" alludes to the fleeting nature of emotions and circumstances. The next two lines reinforce the idea that love is enduring, with the assurance that as long as there are two people who care for each other, the world has meaning and purpose.
The final couplet, "Got to win a little, lose a little, always have the blues a little, that's the story of, that's the glory of love," acknowledges that love also involves challenges, setbacks, and heartache, but the strength of the bond between two people can help overcome these obstacles. The repetition of the phrase "that's the story of, that's the glory of love" emphasizes the recurring theme of love's power to transform lives and bring joy.
Line by Line Meaning
Got to give a little, take a little
In a relationship, you have to compromise and make sacrifices
And let your poor heart break a little
Sometimes love hurts and makes you vulnerable
That's the story of, that's the glory of love
These ups and downs are part of what makes love so valuable
You got to laugh a little, cry a little
Life is full of highs and lows, and it's important to experience both
Until the clouds roll by a little
Challenges and obstacles will come and go, and we must weather them
As long as there's the two of us
Together, we can conquer any challenges that come our way
We've got the world and all it's charms
With each other, we have everything we need to be happy
And when the world is through with us
Even if the world is harsh on us, we still have each other
We've got each other's arms
We can comfort and support each other through anything
Got to win a little, lose a little
Success and failure are part of life, and we must learn from both
Always have the blues a little
Sadness and disappointment are part of life, and we must learn to cope
That's the story of, that's the glory of love
Overall, love is an incredible journey that we must embrace with all its twists and turns
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Clifford Grey, Irving Caesar, Vincent Youmans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Moist Nugget
This should be more popular. One of my favorite Goodman songs.
Maria Widy Aryani
Love this song ❤❤❤
Barry I. Grauman
July 1, 1935 to be exact- this was the first number recorded at that historic session that also yielded "King Porter Stomp", Helen Ward's vocal on "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea", and a swinging version of "Jingle Bells". Fletcher Henderson wrote the arrangement....Bunny Berigan has the trumpet solo at 1:14.
Nathan McMath
What a beautiful trumpet solo!
Roberto García
Bunny Berigan!!
David Lisboa
Amei
Jean-Pierre Constant
Quel délice !
Kaleb Jokinen
To the man who I sent this playlist to long ago,
I think about you friend. Hope you enjoyed these songs as much as I did. They got me through it, and now it's no more 🌅!
Jazz Ramblings
god that ending makes me wanna cry. i love BG!
Jim Jasion
Hep Jive Jazz Ramblings If you want to sample this arranging concept in gestation, listen to Fletcher Henderson's March 1932 recording of "Strangers."