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 Lady's In Love With You
Benny Goodman Lyrics
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And when you smiled at me,
In my heart I felt a thrill you see,
That it was love at sight and
I was right to love you as I do.
Still I never dreamed that you could love me too.
Your eyes of blue, your kisses too,
I can't believe that you're in love with me.
You're telling ev'ry one I know
I'm on your mind each place we go
They can't believe that you're in love with me.
I have always placed you far above me.
I just can't imagine that you love me.
And after all is said and done,
To think that I'm the lucky one.
I can't believe that you're in love with me.
Skies are gray. I'm blue each day
When you are not around.
Ev'ry thing goes wrong, my dear I've found
But when you're by my side I fill with pride
For I'm so proud of you
It all seems too good to me to all be true
Your eyes of blue, your kisses too,
I never knew what they could do.
I can't believe that you're in love with me.
You're telling ev'ry one I know
I'm on your mind each place we go
They can't believe that you're in love with me.
I have always placed you far above me.
I just can't imagine that you love me.
And after all is said and done,
To think that I'm the lucky one.
I can't believe that you're in love with me.
In "The Lady's In Love With You," Benny Goodman sings about being surprised by the fact that the woman in question loves him. He is smitten with her and remembers the spark he felt when they first met. He is astounded by the fact that she feels the same way about him. The artist is taken aback by the fact that someone as wonderful as her could love him rather than someone better suited for her. The chorus exclaims the disbelief that he has towards this wonderful feeling he is experiencing.
Goodman sings about the woman's impact on his life. He notes that when they are apart, everything goes wrong, and he is left feeling dejected. However, when they are together, he feels an overwhelming sense of pride and happiness. He is in love with her and still cannot believe that she feels the same way. Goodman's lyrics seem to speak to anyone who has ever been in love and has felt that same sense of disbelief that someone so special would love them in return.
Line by Line Meaning
Yesterday you came my way,
I can recall the exact moment when I first saw you
And when you smiled at me,
I realized that I was attracted to you
In my heart I felt a thrill you see,
My emotions were stirred and I knew that I was feeling love
That it was love at sight and
I didn't need any time to be sure of my feelings for you
I was right to love you as I do.
My love for you is justified and true
Still I never dreamed that you could love me too.
Although I loved you deeply, I didn't think that you would reciprocate my feelings
Your eyes of blue, your kisses too,
I am fascinated by your beautiful eyes and the way you kiss me
I never knew what they could do.
Your eyes and kisses have a special power over me
I can't believe that you're in love with me.
I'm surprised and grateful that you love me back
You're telling ev'ry one I know
You are proudly expressing your love for me to everyone we meet
I'm on your mind each place we go
I am constantly on your mind, no matter where we go
They can't believe that you're in love with me.
Others are shocked by the fact that you love me so deeply
I have always placed you far above me.
I have always thought that you were too good for me
I just can't imagine that you love me.
I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that you love me
And after all is said and done,
When everything else is considered
To think that I'm the lucky one.
I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have you in my life
Skies are gray. I'm blue each day
I'm unhappy when you're not around, and everything seems dark and dreary
When you are not around.
My day is not complete without you in it
Ev'ry thing goes wrong, my dear I've found
Without you, everything seems to fall apart
But when you're by my side I fill with pride
When I'm with you, I feel proud and confident
For I'm so proud of you
I am proud of who you are and what you stand for
It all seems too good to me to all be true
I can hardly believe that I am lucky enough to be with someone as amazing as you
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CLARENCE GASKILL, JIMMY MC HUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind