Mr. Charlap began playing the piano at a very young age. He studied with jazz pianist Jack Reilly and classical pianist Eleanor Hancock and informally picked up pointers from jazz/popular song pianist Dick Hyman, who was a distant cousin on his father's side. Mr. Charlap was fully thrust into the jazz world in the late '80s when he joined baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan's quintet and in 1994 was enlisted by alto saxophonist Phil Woods for his band. Mr. Charlap was the musical director of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, A Celebration of Johnny Mercer as a part of the JVC Jazz Festival in New York and later took the revue on the road.
He started his solo recording career in 1994 and has released several albums. In 1996, he began playing with his fine working trio of bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington. The group has recorded four CDs: 1997's All Through the Night on Criss Cross Records and three Blue Note Records albums: 2000's Written in the Stars (a collection of Great American Songbook standards), 2002's Stardust (celebrating the songs of Hoagy Carmichael) and 2004's Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein, for which he received a Grammy nomination. Mr. Charlap received the pianist of the year Jazz Award in 2003 from the Jazz Journalists Association and was named outstanding jazz soloist by Manhattan's Night Life Awards in 2003 and 2004. In 2004, he and his mother received the top jazz duo Bistro Award for their engagement at the Algonquin in New York.
In 2004, Mr. Charlap and his trio opened Jazz at Lincoln Center's venue Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at the organization's new performance center on Columbus Circle in the Time-Warner Building. He was also enlisted by J@LC to put together a series of concerts honoring great songwriters, including Jerome Kern, George and Ira Gershwin, Harold Alden, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and Richard Rodgers. In July 2005, Charlap succeeded Dick Hyman as Artistic Director of Jazz In July at the 92nd Street Y's Tisch Center for the Arts.
Bill's two most recent releases for Blue Note Records are Bill Charlap Plays George Gershwin - The American Soul and a cd of ballads in duo with his mother Sandy Stewart titled Love Is Here To Stay.
Who Cares?
Bill Charlap Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To fall in the sea?
Who cares what banks fail in Yonkers,
Long as you've got a kiss that conquers?
Why should I care?
Life is one long jubilee,
So long as I care for you
The lyrics to Bill Charlap's song "Who Cares" are a testament to the power of love and the importance of focusing on what truly matters in life. The first two lines question the impact of catastrophic events and financial instability, suggesting that these troubles are insignificant so long as one has the support and affection of a significant other. The song encourages listeners to overlook the peripheral distractions of the world and focus on the core relationships that provide meaning in life. The statement "Life is one long jubilee" implies that with love and companionship, one can find contentment and happiness throughout one's life.
The final two lines illustrate the reciprocal nature of love, emphasizing the importance of mutual affection and caring in a successful relationship. The overall sentiment of the song suggests that while external factors may pose challenges, the unwavering care and support of a loved one is what truly matters in life, creating a sense of joy and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
Who cares if the sky cares
Why should we be concerned if the sky falls into the sea?
To fall in the sea?
Why should we care about something that has no significant impact on our lives?
Who cares what banks fail in Yonkers,
Why should we worry about the failure of banks in a distant location like Yonkers?
Long as you've got a kiss that conquers?
As long as we have love and affection, material possessions and external factors hold no importance.
Why should I care?
What purpose would my worries serve?
Life is one long jubilee,
Life should be lived with happiness and celebration.
So long as I care for you
As long as we have love and affection.
And you care for me!
And the feeling is reciprocated by the other person.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GEORGE GERSHWIN, IRA GERSHWIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind