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.
We
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day
Keep smiling through just like you always do
Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away
And won't you please say "Hello" to the folks that I know
Tell them I won't be long
They'll be happy to know that as you saw me go
We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day
Benny Goodman & His Orchestra's song "We'll Meet Again" is a poignant reminder of the wartime separations and the uncertainty of the times. The lyrics evoke the feeling of separation and uncertainty, but there is also a message of hope and resilience. The opening line "We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when" immediately sets the tone for the song. The singer doesn't know when or where they will meet their loved one again, but they are certain that they will meet again some sunny day. It's a message of hope and perseverance in trying times.
The song encourages the listener to keep smiling through tough times, just like they always do, and to remember that eventually, the dark clouds will be replaced by blue skies. Benny Goodman & His Orchestra's song "We'll Meet Again" acknowledges the challenges and difficulties of wartime, while also providing comfort and a sense of hope to listeners. The refrain is repeated throughout the song, which emphasizes the message of hopeful anticipation.
Line by Line Meaning
We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when
We don't know the time or place when we'll meet again
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day
But I know that one day we will meet again under bright skies
Keep smiling through just like you always do
Keep smiling, even when times are tough, just like you always do
Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away
Keep being positive until the good times come and the bad times go away
And won't you please say "Hello" to the folks that I know
Say hello to the people I know, if you see them
Tell them I won't be long
Let them know I won't be away for too long
They'll be happy to know that as you saw me go
They'll be glad to hear that you saw me before I left
I was singing this song
I was singing this song as I left
We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when
We don't know the time or place when we'll meet again
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day
But I know that one day we will meet again under bright skies
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hughie Charles, Ross Parker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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SH3 Bstanko6
I was born in the 80s. Love big hair bands, Metallica, etc... but this music, their is something so quality and superior to it. I don’t know what it is but my appreciation for it grows as I get older!
Sir Doof
I love this song so much it oldie but a goodie
Scotty D
Perfect ....from a time you had to be talented to make music
Jr Mastache
Perfect :')
a r
beautiful
Spamton Libertario
Sweet one
Miglior Store
What's should evoke dozens of pin ups painted on sides of bombers dropping tons of bombs over nazi germany? There could be a lot of interpretations. I'm not sure about this. A debate could be interesting. Suggestions?
Officer Farva
I was told by a WWII veteran that they did this as a distraction. Which makes sense. But at the same time it begs a lot of other questions haha. I’m sure there’s more to it than just that.
tubi333
In the military the opposite sex is one of the main topics of the soldiers, even more than in civilian life. So I guess if you have to do with bombs in a plane, the word "sex bomb" gets sooner or later into your mind. Hence you paint one on your plane.