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.
The Glory of Love
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take a little,
Let your poor heart break a little.
That's the story of,
That's the glory of love.
You've got to laugh a little,
Cry a little,
That's the story of,
That's the glory of love.
As long as there's the two of us,
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.
You've got to win a little,
Lose a little,
Oh, have the blues a little.
That's the story of,
That's the glory of love.
The lyrics of Benny Goodman's song "The Glory of Love" essentially tell the story of a romantic relationship filled with ups and downs. The song calls for giving and taking, allowing oneself to experience heartbreak and sadness in addition to joy and laughter. The chorus emphasizes the importance of being with someone who understands and supports you through it all, as long as the two of you have each other, nothing else really matters. The verses call for embracing all the different emotions and experiences love brings, both good and bad, in order to fully appreciate the depth and beauty of the relationship.
In a way, the lyrics can be seen as a guide to a successful relationship. By recognizing that heartbreak and sadness are just as much a part of love as joy and happiness, couples can learn to support each other through difficult times and build an even stronger bond. The emphasis on "giving a little, taking a little" and "winning a little, losing a little" speaks to the importance of compromise and communication in relationships. Overall, "The Glory of Love" is a testament to the power and beauty of love in all its forms, and an encouragement to embrace it fully with all its complexities and nuances.
Line by Line Meaning
You've got to give a little,
You need to make sacrifices in a relationship
Take a little,
You need to receive and accept what your partner is giving you
Let your poor heart break a little.
Sometimes being vulnerable and allowing your heart to be broken is a necessary part of love.
That's the story of,
These are the experiences that make up the overall narrative of a relationship.
That's the glory of love.
These experiences are what make love so wonderful and worth the risk.
You've got to laugh a little,
You need to find joy and humor in your relationship
Cry a little,
You also need to be comfortable with showing vulnerability and sadness
Let the clouds roll by a little.
Sometimes you need to let the bad times pass and trust the good times will come again.
As long as there's the two of us,
As long as we are together, we have everything we need.
We've got the world and all it's charms.
Together, we have the ability to experience and enjoy all the world has to offer
And when the world is through with us,
When we have experienced all we can in the world,
We've got each other's arms.
We will always have each other for comfort and support.
You've got to win a little,
You need to celebrate your victories as a couple
Lose a little,
You also need to support each other through losses and failures.
Oh, have the blues a little.
Adversity is a natural part of life, and it's okay to feel sad or down sometimes.
That's the story of,
These experiences, both good and bad, make up the larger narrative of a relationship.
That's the glory of love.
Through all of these ups and downs, love is still worth it.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Billy Hill
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gyeong Jeong
You've got to give a little, take a little,
and let your poor heart break a little.
That's the story of, that's the glory of love.
You've 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.
As long as there's the two of us,
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.
You've got to win a little, lose a little,
yes, and always have the blues a little.
That's the story of, that's the glory of love.
That's the story of, that's the glory of love.
m10bob
Absolutely the best version of this great and uplifting song!...Thank you for posting it.
John Tate
This song has a great career and a long life - as the 78prof says, various doo wop groups did it including the Roommates and then in 1967 it became the theme song to the film Guess Who's Coming to Dinner with Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn and Sidney Poitier
Trombonology Erstwhile
That's the glory of the Goodman orchestra! Though the band had yet to reach its commercial zenith and was arguably not yet at its artistic peak, it had, at this time, key elements that contributed to its signature sound, including Krupa's inspiring and responsive drumming, Jess Stacy's immaculate accompaniment, Helen Ward's effortlessly swinging vocals and the ensemble's verve -- in addition, of course, to the leader's total mastery of his instrument and the swing idiom.
catman916
Considering that this was recorded 87 years ago, it still sounds fresh & energetic.Benny Goodman was one of the greats of the Big Band era.
louis hubbard
pre-disco, the big band sound.........., I LOVE IT.
Lyn Anderson
Love this
Tom Washington Jr
Fantastic ❤️❤️
charles Gam zeh ya'avor.
We're definitely going backwards I grew up in 60s and the 70s just a genuine way Dinah shore sang to Burt Reynolds in 1980 she really brought the song to it's glory
Gyeong Jeong
You've got to give a little, take a little,
and let your poor heart break a little.
That's the story of, that's the glory of love.
You've 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.
As long as there's the two of us,
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.
You've got to win a little, lose a little,
yes, and always have the blues a little.
That's the story of, that's the glory of love.
That's the story of, that's the glory of love.
Gavin Hale
Had to send this to my girlfriend after she had a bad mental breakdown