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 Go To My Head
Benny Goodman Lyrics
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And you linger like a haunting refrain
And I find you spinning round in my brain
Like the bubbles in a glass of champagne
You go to my head
Like a sip of sparkling burgundy brew
And I find the very mention of you
The thrill of the thought
That you might give a thought to my plea, cast a spell over me
Still I say to myself get a hold of yourself
Can't you see that it never can be?
You go to my head
With a smile that makes my temperature rise
Like a summer with a thousand July's
You intoxicate my soul with your eyes
Though I'm certain that this heart of mine
Hasn't a ghost of a chance in this crazy romance
You go to my head
You go to my head
In the song You Go to My Head, Benny Goodman and His Orchestra express the feeling of being under the spell of a person, who lingers in their thoughts like a haunting melody. The lyrics describe the person's influence, comparing them to the bubbles in a glass of champagne and to a refreshing sip of sparkling burgundy brew. The mere mention of the person's name is described as having the same effect as the kicker in a julep, a strong alcoholic drink, on the singer. The thrill of the thought that the person might reciprocate their feelings casts a spell over them, although they try to remind themselves to stay rational, knowing it could never be more than a crazy romance. The person's smile and eyes intoxicate their soul, making them feel like they are in a never-ending summer.
Line by Line Meaning
You go to my head
You are always on my mind and I cannot stop thinking about you.
And you linger like a haunting refrain
You stay with me like a sad song that always comes back to haunt me.
And I find you spinning round in my brain
I keep thinking about you non-stop and it is driving me crazy.
Like the bubbles in a glass of champagne
You are effervescent and always present, just like bubbles in a glass of champagne.
Like a sip of sparkling burgundy brew
You are like a delicious drink that I cannot get enough of.
And I find the very mention of you
Just the thought of you is enough to make me feel excited and happy.
Like the kicker in a julep or two
You are like the special ingredient in a drink that makes it extraordinary.
The thrill of the thought
The excitement that comes with thinking about the possibility of being with you.
That you might give a thought to my plea, cast a spell over me
The idea that you might consider my request or show interest in me is enchanting and captivating.
Still I say to myself get a hold of yourself
Even though I am excited, I try to calm myself down and be rational.
Can't you see that it never can be?
I know that it is not possible for us to be together, but I cannot help the way I feel.
With a smile that makes my temperature rise
Your smile has a powerful effect on me and it makes me feel physically warm and excited.
Like a summer with a thousand July's
Being with you makes me feel like every day is sunny and warm, like a summer that lasts forever.
You intoxicate my soul with your eyes
Your eyes are like a drug to me and I am entranced by them.
Though I'm certain that this heart of mine
Even though I am sure that my heart will never be able to be with you.
Hasn't a ghost of a chance in this crazy romance
I know that our relationship will never work out, there is still a small part of me that hopes it will.
You go to my head
You are always on my mind and I cannot stop thinking about you.
You go to my head
You are always on my mind and I cannot stop thinking about you.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: J.F. Coots, Haven Gillespie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Manuel Gonzalez
The really master of jazz. Well done Benny!
Francisco Rivas
Simplemente,Mr Benny Goodman y está todo dicho!!
Anne Dwyer
Just beautiful!