Benny Goodman led his first band in 1934. The music they played had its ro… Read Full Bio ↴Benny Goodman led his first band in 1934. The music they played had its roots in the Southern jazz forms of ragtime and Dixieland, while its structure adhered more to arranged music than its more improvisational jazz counterparts. On August 21, 1935, Benny's band played the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles. The gig was sensational and marked the beginning of the years that Benny would reign as King: the Swing Era.

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Sugar
Benny Goodman and His Orchestra Lyrics

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Sugar, I call my baby my sugar
I never maybe my sugar
That's why my baby is so confectionery

Funny, he never asks for my money
All I can give him is honey that he can get anytime

I'd make a million trips to his lips if I was a bee

'Cause they are sweeter than any candy to me

As granulated sugar I never cheat on my sugar
'Cause I'm too sweet on my sugar
That sugar baby of mine

Sweet as a honey
Suck a roaster in it up

I'd make a million trips to his lips if I was a bee
'Cause they are sweeter than any candy to me

He's so sweet and he's my sugar daddy
Sugar, I never cheat on my sugar

'Cause I'm so sweet on my sugar
That sugar baby of mine

Overall Meaning

The song "Sugar" by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra is a love song that compares the singer's beloved to sugar. The lyrics express how sweet and valuable the singer's "sugar" is to them. The first verse highlights how special the singer's sugar is, and makes it clear that their love is one-of-a-kind. The second verse implies that the singer would do anything for their sugar, even comparing themselves to a bee going after the sweetness of a flower. The chorus repeats the idea that the singer is too sweet on their sugar to ever cheat on them.

There are a few interesting things to note about this song. Firstly, it was written by lyricist Maceo Pinkard, composer Sidney D. Mitchell, and jazz musician Fats Waller. The song was first recorded in 1927 by The Hot Seven, but the most famous version is Benny Goodman's, recorded in 1931. "Sugar" was a popular jazz standard in the 1930s and 40s, and was covered by many musicians. Another interesting fact is that the term "sugar" was often used as slang for a lover or significant other in African American communities in the early 20th century. The song's lyrics reflect this use of the word.

Line by Line Meaning

Sugar, I call my baby my sugar
My beloved is so sweet to me that I affectionately call him Sugar

I never maybe my sugar
I'm always sure of my love and devotion towards my Sugar

That's why my baby is so confectionery
My lover's sweet nature is so similar to confectionery items like sugar or candy

Funny, he never asks for my money
It's amusing that my sweetheart never asks for monetary favors from me

All I can give him is honey that he can get anytime
The only thing of value that I can offer him is my love, which he can access whenever he wants

I'd make a million trips to his lips if I was a bee
If I had the power to transform into a bee, I would joyfully visit his lips a countless number of times, due to the sweet pleasure that I obtain from kissing him

'Cause they are sweeter than any candy to me
His lips are the most delightful thing to taste, surpassing any other sweet treat that I've ever had

As granulated sugar I never cheat on my sugar
Similar to sugar, I'm always faithful to my Sugar and will never deceive him

'Cause I'm too sweet on my sugar
I'm so much in love with my sweetheart that I can't bear the thoughts of betraying him

Sweet as a honey
My love is as sweet as honey

Suck a roaster in it up
This line does not make sense and cannot be reworded to provide insightful or detailed meaning

He's so sweet and he's my sugar daddy
He's not only sweet to me, but he also takes care of me in a fatherly manner, making him my Sugar Daddy

That sugar baby of mine
My lover is so sweet to me that I consider him to be my Sugar Baby

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DANIEL HUNT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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