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.
When I Grow Too Old To Dream
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Life has been beautiful, we have been young
After you've gone, life will go on
Like an old song we have sung
When I grow too old to dream
I'll have you to remember
When I grow too old to dream
So, kiss me my sweet
And so let us part
And when I grow too old to dream
That kiss will live in my heart
And when I grow too old to dream
That kiss will live in my heart
So, kiss me my sweet
And so let us part
And when I grow too old to dream
That kiss will live in my heart
The soulful lyrics of Benny Goodman's "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" are about the inevitability of aging and the beauty of memories that will last a lifetime. It starts with a sentimental reminiscence of life that has been lived to the fullest for two people, but time has marched on leaving them feeling old and weathered. Despite any potential physical limitations in the future, the singer assures their loved one that their memories will not fade, and their love will continue to live strong in their heart.
The verse, "when I grow too old to dream, I'll have you to remember" highlights that the singer may lose the ability to dream, but the memories of the significant other who made life worth living would remain etched in their heart, and nothing could ever take that away. The voice of the music then turns to a more introspective, melancholic tone as the lyrics address impending separation. The last verses feature a farewell, compelling sentiment to part with a kiss, which will stay in one's heart even after they grow too old to dream. The lyrics underscore the possibility of separating physically, but the memory of the kiss will never fade.
Overall, the song is an enchanting reflection on love and the inevitable fragility of human existence. It's a goodbye crafted as a tribute to a long-lasting love that serves as an embodiment of the couple's magic through reminiscence.
Line by Line Meaning
We have been gay, going our way
We have been happy and enjoying life, each going our separate paths
Life has been beautiful, we have been young
Life has been wonderful and full of opportunities while we were young
After you've gone, life will go on
Even when you're no longer with me, life will continue
Like an old song we have sung
Our memories together will be like an old song we used to sing
When I grow too old to dream
When I become too old to have grand dreams and aspirations
I'll have you to remember
I'll always have you as a cherished memory
Your love will live in my heart
Your love will forever stay in my heart
So, kiss me my sweet
Please give me a farewell kiss, my love
And so let us part
Let us say goodbye to each other
That kiss will live in my heart
That farewell kiss will remain a precious memory in my heart
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Oscar Hammerstein Ii, Sigmund Romberg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
HR Books&Music
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