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.
You're Easy to Dance With
Benny Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I could keep right on because you're so light on you're feet.
You're easy to dance with.
There is no doubt in the way we stand out in the crowd.
Though it's called dancing to me it's romancing out loud.
You're easy to dance with.
Loving you the away I do makes you easy to dance with.
That is why I'm always right on the beat.
I can hardly keep my mind on my feet.
Let's dance forever come on say we'll never be through,
It's so easy to dance with you.
Loving you the away I do makes you easy to dance with.
That is why I'm always right on the beat.
All those charms in one man's arms makes you easy to dance with.
I can hardly keep my mind on my feet.
So let's dance forever come on say we'll never be through,
It's so easy to dance with you.
Benny Goodman's "You're Easy to Dance With" is a jazz tune with lyrics that express the effortless ease of dancing with a beloved partner. The chorus "You're easy to dance with" is a recurring refrain throughout the song. The lyrics evoke the romantic feeling of holding one's partner closely and losing oneself in the rhythm of dance.
The song opens with the singer expressing his desire to dance with his love interest nightly, holding her tightly. He compliments her light feet, saying he could keep dancing with her forever because she's so easy to dance with. The singer describes their chemistry as standing out in the crowd, despite the fact that they're just dancing.
As the song progresses, the singer attributes his ability to follow the beat and dance fluidly to his love for his partner. The love expressed in the lyrics makes it clear that the act of dancing is romantic and feels like "romancing out loud." The singer can hardly keep his mind on his feet, as his heart is too preoccupied with the love he feels for his partner.
Overall, "You're Easy to Dance With" praises the joy and beauty of being in love and dancing with someone who makes the experience effortless and enjoyable. The lyrics celebrate the magic of dancing as an expression of love and connection between two people.
Line by Line Meaning
I could dance nightly just holding you tightly my sweet.
Dancing with you is so enjoyable, I could do it every night and never tire of it.
I could keep right on because you're so light on your feet.
You are such a skilled and graceful dancer that I could dance with you all night without ever getting tired.
You're easy to dance with.
Your natural rhythm and grace on the dance floor make it effortless for me to dance with you.
There is no doubt in the way we stand out in the crowd.
Our chemistry on the dance floor is so strong that it is impossible for us not to be noticed by everyone around us.
Though it's called dancing to me it's romancing out loud.
Dancing with you feels like a romantic expression of our deep connection and affection for one another.
Loving you the way I do makes you easy to dance with.
My love for you enhances the joy and ease of dancing with you, as we move in perfect harmony.
That is why I'm always right on the beat.
My love for you keeps me in sync with your movements, so we always dance in perfect time with one another.
All those charms in one man's arms makes you easy to dance with.
The combination of your charm and the way you hold me makes dancing with you feel like the most natural and effortless thing in the world.
I can hardly keep my mind on my feet.
Dancing with you is so enjoyable and captivating that I struggle to focus on my physical movements.
Let's dance forever come on say we'll never be through,
Our love and connection is so strong that we could dance together endlessly, without ever growing tired of one another's company.
It's so easy to dance with you.
Dancing with you comes naturally and joyfully, with every step feeling effortless and in perfect time with one another.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ClassyOldMusic
Peggy Lee ~ I'm a major BIG Fan of Her's. I think I especially dig her with Benny Goodman. Some of my favorite 78s are her titles with Benny. I Love her voice of course, but her Stage Presence, in front of the Mic with Benny conducting behind her... that almost smurky smile, the way she moved... I just love her jazzy style. Another good one is "Why Don't You Do Right?". This is a nice recording, good job! I believe she does as great a job with it as Fred Astaire. I just with there was some real video along with it. Thanks for the Post!
K Hussein
NICE!
zlatko vozila
Nezaboravno
ClassyOldMusic
Ps. added to my "Favorites" and a few other playlists as well.
Bob StClair
ClassyOldMusic /Charles frankhouser