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.
Sweet and Lovely
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sweeter than the roses in May
Sweet and lovely
Heaven must have sent him my way
Skies above me
Never were as blue as his eyes
And he loves me
When he nestles in my arms so tenderly
There's a thrill that words cannot express
In my heart a song of love is taunting me
Melody haunting me
Sweet and lovely
Sweeter than the roses in May
And he loves me
There is nothing more I can say
When he nestles in my arms so tenderly
There's a thrill that words cannot express
In my heart a song of love is taunting me
Melody haunting me
Sweet and lovely
Sweeter than the roses in May
And he loves me
There is nothing more I can say
There is nothing more I can say
There is nothing more I can say
There is nothing more I can say
There is nothing more I can say
Benny Goodman's Sweet and Lovely is a romantic love song that speaks of the beauty and sweetness of a love that is pure and true. The song begins by comparing the sweetness of the subject's love to the beauty of roses in May - a season that is symbolic of love and romance. The singer declares that her love must have come from heaven, emphasizing the celestial and otherworldly nature of her lover's devotion. She describes how the skies above her have never looked as blue as her lover's eyes, emphasizing the intense intensity of their connection.
As the song progresses, the singer describes the physical and emotional experiences of being loved by her partner. The feeling of being tenderly nestled in his arms is so overwhelming that it cannot be expressed in words. Instead, the melody of the experience continues to haunt her, reminding her of the love that she has found. She concludes by repeating the song's refrain, emphasizing the beauty of the love that they share and the depth of her feelings for her partner.
Overall, Sweet and Lovely is a powerful expression of romantic love that emphasizes the beauty and sweetness of a pure and true connection. Through the use of metaphors and poetic language, Goodman captures the intensity and depth of emotions experienced by the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
Sweet and lovely
My lover is the epitome of warmth and charm
Sweeter than the roses in May
No flower could be as perfect as my lover
Sweet and lovely
My lover is the embodiment of all that is good
Heaven must have sent him my way
I feel blessed to have met my soulmate
Skies above me
The world around me seems more beautiful since I met my lover
Never were as blue as his eyes
Nothing compares to the beauty of my lover's eyes
And he loves me
I feel cherished and adored by my partner
Who would want a sweeter surprise?
I can't imagine anyone being luckier than I am with my partner
When he nestles in my arms so tenderly
I feel safe and loved when holding my partner
There's a thrill that words cannot express
The feeling of being so in love is beyond any words I could use
In my heart a song of love is taunting me
My heart is overwhelmed with love and joy
Melody haunting me
The feeling of being so in love is always on my mind
There is nothing more I can say
My love is so immense that words cannot do it justice
There is nothing more I can say
My love is infinite and undefinable
There is nothing more I can say
My love is beyond words and explanation
There is nothing more I can say
My love is all-encompassing and indescribable
Lyrics © Freibank Musikverlags und vermarktungs GmbH, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Downtown Music Publishing, O/B/O CAPASSO, HARRY TOBIAS MUSIC COMPANY, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Charles N. Daniels, Gus Arnheim, Harry Tobias
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind