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.
Thanks for the Memory
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of sentimental verse,
Nothing in my purse,
And chuckles
When the preacher said
For better or for worse,
How lovely it was.
Of Schubert's Serenade,
Little things of jade
And traffic jams
And anagrams
And bills we never paid,
How lovely it was.
We who could laugh over big things
Were parted by only a slight thing.
I wonder if we did the right thing,
Oh, well, that's life, I guess,
I love your dress.
Thanks for the memory
Of faults that you forgave,
Of rainbows on a wave,
And stockings in the basin
When a fellow needs a shave,
Thank you so much.
Thanks for the memory
Of tinkling temple bells,
Alma mater yells
And Cuban rum
And towels from
The very best hotels,
Oh how lovely it was.
Thanks for the memory
Of cushions on the floor,
Hash with Dinty Moore,
That pair of gay pajamas
That you bought
And never wore.
We said goodbye with a highball,
Then I got as high as a steeple,
But we were intelligent people,
No tears, no fuss,
Hooray for us.
Strictly entire nous,
Darling, how are you?
And how are all
Those little dreams
That never did come true?
Awfully glad I met you,
Cheerio and toodle-oo
Thank you,
Thank you so much.
The song "Thanks for the Memory" by Benny Goodman, with lyrics by Leo Robin, is a nostalgic reflection on a past love, expressed through memories of various moments shared together. The opening lines express gratitude for the sentimental memories, even though there was nothing material to hold on to, except for some laughs shared during the wedding.
The second verse touches upon the little things that made their time together memorable, like listening to Schubert's Serenade, finding joy in small things, and sharing financial struggles like unpaid bills. The chorus repeats, emphasizing how lovely the memories truly were.
The bridge delves into the reason for the separation, questioning whether their choice was the right one, but remarking that it is just a part of life. The verse that follows thanks the person for forgiving their faults, reminiscing about a rainbow on a wave, and stockings in the basin while mentioning the things that make daily routines special. The next verse mentions their alma mater, Cuban rum, and towels from the best hotels. The final verse recalls their time together lying on cushions and indulging in hash with Dinty Moore, along with a pair of pajamas bought but never worn. They say goodbye with a highball, and while there are no tears, there is appreciation for their time together.
Overall, the song evokes a sense of nostalgia for a time that has passed. The memory of the little things is poignant because they are fleeting and easily forgotten, but it is those moments that truly make life sweet. The acknowledgment of faults and failure is a reflection that some things don't last, but that doesn't diminish their importance.
Line by Line Meaning
Thanks for the memory
I appreciate all the memories we made together.
Of sentimental verse,
I appreciate the poems and love letters we exchanged.
Nothing in my purse,
I appreciate the simple things we did together, even if we didn't have much money.
And chuckles
I appreciate the moments we shared where we laughed together.
When the preacher said
I appreciate the way we felt when we got married, even though it wasn't perfect.
For better or for worse,
I appreciate the commitment we made to each other.
How lovely it was.
I appreciate how beautiful and wonderful those moments were.
Of Schubert's Serenade,
I appreciate the classical music we enjoyed together.
Little things of jade
I appreciate the small, meaningful gifts we exchanged.
And traffic jams
I appreciate the times we spent stuck in traffic, because we were together.
And anagrams
I appreciate the word games we played together, and how our minds worked together.
And bills we never paid,
I appreciate the times when we struggled financially, because we learned to rely on each other.
How lovely it was.
I appreciate how beautiful and wonderful those moments were.
We who could laugh over big things
We appreciated the shared sense of humor that helped us get through tough times.
Were parted by only a slight thing.
I regret that our relationship ended over something small and seemingly insignificant.
I wonder if we did the right thing,
I question whether our decision to end it was the best one.
Oh, well, that's life, I guess,
I accept that these things happen in life and we move on.
I love your dress.
Even though we're not together anymore, I still appreciate things I loved about you.
Of faults that you forgave,
I appreciate the times when you showed me grace and forgiveness.
Of rainbows on a wave,
I appreciate the beauty of nature and the world we experienced together.
And stockings in the basin
I appreciate the simple, domestic moments we shared.
When a fellow needs a shave,
I appreciate the times when we were vulnerable around each other.
Thank you so much.
I am grateful for everything you did for me.
Of tinkling temple bells,
I appreciate the cultural experiences we shared.
Alma mater yells
I appreciate the shared memories we have from our alma maters.
And Cuban rum
I appreciate the new things we tried together, like exotic drinks.
And towels from
I appreciate the luxury experiences we shared, like staying in nice hotels.
The very best hotels,
I appreciate the luxury experiences we shared, like staying in nice hotels.
Oh how lovely it was.
I appreciate how beautiful and wonderful those moments were.
Of cushions on the floor,
I appreciate the cozy moments we shared, like lying on the floor together.
Hash with Dinty Moore,
I appreciate the simple meals we shared together.
That pair of gay pajamas
I appreciate the fun and quirky gifts we exchanged.
That you bought
I appreciate the times you went out of your way to do something nice for me.
And never wore.
I appreciate the times we made each other smile, even without material objects.
We said goodbye with a highball,
Even though we parted ways, we ended things on a friendly note.
Then I got as high as a steeple,
I appreciated the good times we shared, even if I overdid it on this occasion.
But we were intelligent people,
I appreciate that we were able to end things amicably, because we were mature adults.
No tears, no fuss,
I appreciate that we were able to say goodbye without any drama.
Hooray for us.
I appreciate that we were able to handle this in a positive way.
Strictly entire nous,
I appreciate that we had a unique connection that nobody else could understand.
Darling, how are you?
I appreciate the people we were when we were together.
And how are all
I appreciate the memories in which we shared together.
Those little dreams
I appreciate the shared hopes and aspirations we had.
That never did come true?
I appreciate the disappointment we shared, and the moments that didn't work out.
Awfully glad I met you,
I appreciate the time we spent together, and the moments that brought us together.
Cheerio and toodle-oo
Even though we're not together anymore, I still appreciate and value the time we spent together.
Thank you,
I am grateful for the experiences we shared.
Thank you so much.
I am truly grateful for everything we experienced together.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LEO ROBIN, RALPH RAINGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind