Teenagers and college students invented new dance steps to accompany the new music sensation. Benny's band, along with many others, became hugely successful among listeners from many different backgrounds all over the country.
During this period Benny also became famous for being colorblind when it came to racial segregation and prejudice. While these groups were not the first bands to feature both white and black musicians, Benny's national popularity helped to make racially mixed groups more accepted in the mainstream.
In 1938, at the pinnacle of the Swing Era, the Benny Goodman band, along with musicians from the Count Basie and Duke Ellington bands, made history as the first jazz band ever to play in New York's prestigious Carnegie Hall.
Following the concert at Carnegie Hall, the Benny Goodman band had many different lineup changes. Gene Krupa left the band, among others, and subsequent versions of the band included Cootie Williams and Charlie Christian, as well as Jimmy Maxwell and Mel Powell, among others.
In the 1940s, although the big band days were drawing to a close and new forms of music were emerging, the Goodman band continued to play music in the swing style.
In 1953, Benny's band planned to join Louis Armstrong and his All Stars in a tour together, but the two band leaders argued and the tour never opened at Carnegie Hall, as had been planned. It is not certain whether the tour was canceled due to Benny's illness or the conflict between the band leaders. The rest of the decade marked the spread of Benny's music to new audiences around the world. Benny also toured the world, bringing his music to Asia and Europe. When he traveled to the USSR, one writer observed that "the swing music that had once set the jitterbugs dancing in the Paramount aisles almost blew down the Iron Curtain."
In 1978, the Benny Goodman band appeared at Carnegie Hall again to mark the 30th Anniversary of when they appeared in the venue's first jazz concert.
And the Angels Sing
Benny Goodman & His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The angels sing the sweetest song I ever heard
You speak, and the angels sing
Or am I breathing music into every word
Suddenly, the setting is strange
I can see water and moonlight beaming
Silver waves that break on some undiscovered shore - Then
Long winter nights with the candles gleaming
Through it all your face that I adore.
You smile, and the angels sing
And though it's just a gentle murmur at the start
We kiss, and the angels sing
And leave their music ringing in my heart.
The lyrics of Benny Goodman's song "And The Angels Sing" tell a story of love at first sight. The song’s opening lines are about the main character’s first encounter with a person they immediately connect with. The individual's first meeting is compared to an orchestral masterpiece as if every touch and word they exchange come together to create a symphonic sound that only angels can produce. The words, "You speak, and the angels sing. Or am I breathing music into every word" suggests that the person's voice is so sweet that it seems like they are singing.
As the song progresses, the scene shifts to an exotic location with water, moonlight beaming, and silver waves crashing against the undiscovered shore. This moment suggests that the pair's love is deep, imaginative and, dare I say, spiritual. The setting is then beautifully contrasted by the image of winter's long, dark nights, but even amidst the freezing nights' candles gleaming, the person's face 'I adore' is enough to light up their entire world.
Finally, the verse speaks about a gentle murmur the person makes when they smile. But, when they share a kiss, the angels take over, and their love is so pure that nothing else matters. Every kiss, touch, and every moment they spend together is accompanied by celestial music that only the angels can produce. The last line, "And leave their music ringing in my heart," concludes that the song they co-create will live on in the singer's heart forever.
Line by Line Meaning
We meet, and the angels sing
The moment our eyes met, the angels started singing the most beautiful and melodious song I have ever heard.
You speak, and the angels sing
When you speak, every word you say feels like music to my ears, and the angels can't help but sing along with your voice.
Suddenly, the setting is strange
All of a sudden, I find myself in a completely new and unfamiliar place, surrounded by shimmering moonlight and the sound of waves crashing against the shore.
I can see water and moonlight beaming
The moonlight is reflecting off the water, creating a mesmerizing and enchanting ambiance that I cannot help but admire and appreciate.
Silver waves that break on some undiscovered shore - Then
I can see waves breaking on the shore, which seems to be a secluded and hidden place that I have never seen before.
Suddenly, I see it all change
Just as soon as I've taken in the beauty of the setting, everything changes and I find myself transported to a completely different scene.
Long winter nights with the candles gleaming
I find myself transported to a cozy winter night, with the warm, flickering light of candles casting a gentle glow all around us.
Through it all your face that I adore.
No matter where I find myself, I am always drawn back to your beautiful face, which fills me with joy and adoration.
You smile, and the angels sing
When you smile, I feel like the angels are singing a beautiful tune that fills me with happiness and contentment.
And though it's just a gentle murmur at the start
At first, the music of the angels is just a soft, gentle murmur that I can barely hear, but it builds and grows stronger with each passing moment.
We kiss, and the angels sing
When we share a kiss, it feels like the angels' music is ringing out in my heart, bringing me closer to you and filling me with overwhelming love and affection.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ZIGGY ELMAN, JOHNNY MERCER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@darrylcpreston4043
One of the greatest Big Band Era songs; despite the fact that it was cobbled together at the last minute. EVERYONE connected with it performed at peak career excellence!
@stacyblue1980
Yes! T
@mikesaeli7715
Iconic recording of Johnny Mercer’s classic song. No one does it better than Martha and Ziggy
@jaimemarin22
For me there is no other version more wonderful. Marthe Tilton its smoth , voice . And that trumpet is out from every limit.
@stacyblue1980
Nothin' better! Always a favorite of mine. Timeless. Thank you.
@thorobred7
The Liltin' Miss Tilton
@Celluloidwatcher
A classic recording. Combining big band jazz with a melody from a Jewish folk song (Ziggy Elman's trumpet playing), And the Angels Sing broke ground in that regard. Also, Martha Tilton's vocalizing was another highlight, with its smoothness. I have heard this song since childhood, when it was played on the radio, and it never gets old. Thank you for uploading and sharing.
@fromthesidelines
Yes, the tune was adapted by Ziggy from "Der Shtiler Bulgar".
@HociungmarianBlogspot
Romanian song from the region of Moldavia.
@fede5615
Well a beatiful voice