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.
These Foolish Things Remind Me of You
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh! Will you never set me free?
The ties that bound us
Are still around us
There's no escape that I can see
And still those little things remain
That bring me happiness or pain
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
A fair ground's painted swings
These foolish things remind me of you
You came you saw you conquer'd me
When you did that to me
I knew somehow this had to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
First daffodils and long excited cables
And candle lights on little corner tables
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The beauty that is Spring's
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The song that Crosby sings
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
The song "These Foolish Things Remind Me of You" by Benny Goodman is a song that speaks about the enduring pain of a past love. It showcases how the little things in life can remind one of their past love and bring back both feelings of happiness and pain. Throughout the song, the singer expresses their longing for freedom from the ties that still bind them to the person they once loved, even though that person is no longer present in their life. The singer lists various things that trigger memories of their past love, such as a cigarette with lipstick traces or an airline ticket to romantic places. The singer's heart still has wings, and they are reminded of their past love through nostalgic things like the sound of a tinkling piano or the beauty of spring.
The song takes us on a nostalgic journey, reminding us that the little things in life can have significant meanings for us. The singer's heart is still beating for someone who is not in their life, and they cannot seem to shake off the memories of their past love. The lyrics talk about how different smells and sounds can bring about a strong connection in one's heart, connect one to the past, and make them feel closer to the person they once loved. The mood conveyed by the song is melancholic, and it reflects how painful it can be to hold onto memories of a lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh! Will you never let me be?
I am in pain and cannot escape the memories of our relationship.
Oh! Will you never set me free?
I am trapped by the ties that still bind us.
The ties that bound us
Our past relationship is still affecting me.
Are still around us
I cannot escape the memories of our relationship.
There's no escape that I can see
I cannot find a way to forget our relationship.
And still those little things remain
The memories of our relationship continue to linger.
That bring me happiness or pain
The memories of our relationship bring both joy and sorrow.
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
I remember the times we shared a cigarette, with marks of your lipstick remaining.
An airline ticket to romantic places
I remember the trips we took together to romantic destinations.
And still my heart has wings
Despite everything, my heart still feels light and hopeful.
These foolish things remind me of you
The memories of our relationship are triggered by seemingly insignificant things.
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
The sound of a piano from a neighboring apartment reminds me of our shared love for music.
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
I remember the times when I struggled to express my true feelings to you.
A fair ground's painted swings
The sight of a painted swingset reminds me of the fun we used to have together at amusement parks.
You came you saw you conquer'd me
You swept me off my feet and won my heart.
When you did that to me
I knew that our relationship was meant to be.
I knew somehow this had to be
Our connection was undeniable from the very beginning.
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
The change of season reminds me of the excitement and joy I felt when we were together.
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
I wonder if it's you calling, but I know that it's impossible.
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The sound of the bell at a nearby park reminds me of the peaceful moments we shared together.
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The sight of seagulls reminds me of the ocean and our travels together.
The beauty that is Spring's
The beauty of spring reminds me of the new beginnings we shared together.
These things are dear to me
Memories of our relationship are precious to me.
They seem to bring you near to me
The memories of our relationship make me feel like you are still with me.
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
The sound of trains at night reminds me of the times we said goodbye at train stations.
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
The sight of silk stockings reminds me of our romantic and intimate moments together.
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
The scent of gardenia perfume reminds me of the times we fell asleep in each other's arms.
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
The taste of strawberries reminds me of our time together in France.
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The memories of classic Hollywood and roses remind me of our romantic moments.
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The sound of a closing bar and the chatter of waiters reminds me of our nights out together.
The song that Crosby sings
The music of Bing Crosby reminds me of the times we danced together.
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
The sound and smell of fall reminds me of the times we spent together during the colder months.
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Seeing other couples walking hand in hand reminds me of our own romantic walks together.
How strange how sweet to find you still
It's comforting to know that memories of our relationship still bring me joy.
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
Despite the passage of time, memories of our relationship continue to affect me deeply.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Harry Link, Holt Marvell, Jack Strachey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@visayanmissnanny2.076
Lyrics:
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
An airline ticket to romantic places
A fairground's painted swing
These foolish things remind me of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
Oh how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
You came, you saw, you conquered me
Oh, when you did that to me
I knew somehow this had to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings, but who's to answer?
Oh how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
@WilliamSilva-ml5nw
Helen Ward's vocal is wonderful on this tune.
@witkrag4953
A great band and a tune which.brings.back many.happy memories for.me.
@muffs55mercury61
My dad had this one but it got broken. In 1992 I was able to find a nice copy and this is one of Benny's greats. The rhythm is a killer, Helen Ward's sweet vocals and of course the lyrics are out of this world. #1 for two weeks Aug, 1936.
@visayanmissnanny2.076
Lyrics:
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
An airline ticket to romantic places
A fairground's painted swing
These foolish things remind me of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
Oh how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
You came, you saw, you conquered me
Oh, when you did that to me
I knew somehow this had to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings, but who's to answer?
Oh how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
@scotnick59
Just lovely and thank-you!...they don't write such classy lyrics put to beautiful melodies anymore such as this!
@muffs55mercury61
I love the lyrics to this song.
@khussein6409
Nice!
@juliapollitt8291
Awesome track ❤️💕❤️💕❤️
@edwardgunyo3638
This was one of my mothers favoritie stongs. Danced that at the Pump Room 60 years ago.
@nathanielberry7104
i meant i listened to you since Sept 2017