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.
Get Happy
Benny Goodman & His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ya better chase all your cares away
Sing Hallelujah, c'mon get happy
Get ready for the judgment day
The sun is shinin', c'mon get happy
The Lord is waiting to take your hand
Shout Hallelujah, c'mon get happy
We're headin' 'cross the river
Gonna wash our sins in the tide
It's all so peaceful
On the other side
Forget your troubles and just get happy
Ya better chase all your cares away
Sing Hallelujah, c'mon get happy
Get ready for the judgment day
The sun is shinin', c'mon get happy
The Lord is waiting to take your hand
Shout Hallelujah, c'mon get happy
We're goin' to the Promised Land
We're headin' 'cross the river
Wash our sins away in the tide
It's all so peaceful
On the other side
We're headin' 'cross the river
Wash our sins away in the tide
It's all so peaceful
On the other side
Forget your troubles and just get happy
Ya better chase your cares away
Sing Hallelujah, c'mon get happy
Get ready for the judgment day
Benny Goodman's Get Happy is a song that encourages people to look beyond their troubles and focus on the brighter aspects of life. The song starts with an invitation for listeners to leave behind their worries and find happiness. The reference to the judgment day suggests that this happiness comes from being prepared for eternal life. The song proceeds with several instances of the phrase "c'mon get happy" suggesting that happiness is not just a destination, but also an active pursuit.
The song speaks about the beauty of nature as the sun shines and the Lord waits to take one's hand. The lyrics encourage people to sing Hallelujah, an expression of gratitude or rejoicing in the presence of God. The image of crossing the river suggests moving from one phase of life to another, with the act of washing sins away in the tide representing a metaphorical cleansing process. The song concludes with the repetition of the chorus, underscoring the importance of letting go of troubles and focusing on happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Pack up your troubles and just get happy
Don't let your troubles burden you. Instead, focus on being happy.
Ya better chase all your cares away
It's important to not let your worries get the best of you.
Sing Hallelujah, c'mon get happy
Sing and celebrate your happiness.
Get ready for the judgment day
Prepare yourself for the day when you'll be judged.
The sun is shinin', c'mon get happy
The good times are here, enjoy yourself.
The Lord is waiting to take your hand
Believe in God, who will guide and support you.
Shout Hallelujah, c'mon get happy
Sing praises to the Lord and spread good vibes.
We're goin' to the Promised Land
We're heading towards a better place.
We're headin' 'cross the river
We're traversing through obstacles.
Gonna wash our sins in the tide
We will rid ourselves of our wrongdoings.
It's all so peaceful
On the other side
Things will be better on the other side of our sorrows.
Forget your troubles and just get happy
Quit stressing over your troubles and let yourself be happy.
Ya better chase your cares away
Stop focusing on your worries.
Get ready for the judgment day
Be prepared for the reckoning.
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Viggo Kalman
I like this question-answer type of music. The trumpet brings its argument and the clarinet answers as a voice of reason kinda :)
Carl WKBRL
i love this.
Grant Koeller
Words and music by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler