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.
This Year's Kisses
Benny Goodman Lyrics
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Benny Goodman
(Irving Berlin)
This year's crop of kisses
Don't seem as sweet to me
This year's crop just misses
What kisses used to be
Doesn't seem to have a chance
Even helped by Mr. Moon above
This year's crop of kisses is not for me
For I'm still wearin' last year's love
The lyrics to Benny Goodman's song This Year's Kisses are an introspective and somewhat melancholic reflection on the passing of time and the changing nature of love. The singer laments that the kisses of this year do not have the same sweetness as those of previous years. They find that the new romance they are involved in lacks the same spark as past relationships, despite even being aided by the moon above. The singer ultimately concludes that this year's kisses are not for them because they are still cherishing the love of the previous year.
The song expresses a feeling of nostalgia for past relationships while also acknowledging the inherent impermanence of love. The repeated phrase "this year's kisses" serves as a reminder of the fleeting nature of romantic experiences and how they shift and change from year to year. It also highlights the potential for disappointment in new relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
This year's crop of kisses
The kisses that I have received this year
Don't seem as sweet to me
They don't give me the same pleasure or enjoyment as they used to
This year's crop just misses
The kisses are lacking something compared to previous years
What kisses used to be
The kisses from previous years had more passion or love associated with them
This year's new romance
The new romantic relationship that I have entered into this year
Doesn't seem to have a chance
It doesn't seem like the relationship is going to work out
Even helped by Mr. Moon above
Even with the added bonus of romantic atmosphere created by the moon and stars, the relationship still seems doomed
This year's crop of kisses is not for me
I am not content with the kisses and romantic relationships that I have experienced this year
For I'm still wearin' last year's love
I am still attached to a past romantic relationship and cannot fully embrace any new ones
Contributed by Micah C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Barry I. Grauman
Margaret recorded three sides with Benny- but he didn't consider her as a replacement for Helen Ward. He finally found her when he heard Martha Tilton (as part of Jeff Alexander's "Camel Swing Chorus") on his own "CAMEL CARAVAN" program in August 1937.
Music_ Bird
Thank you for uploading...🙏
The78Prof
My pleasure