Bang's family moved to New York City's Bronx neighborhood while he was still an infant, and as a child he attended a special school for musicians in nearby Harlem. At that school, students were assigned instruments based on their physical size. Bang was fairly small, so he received a violin instead of either of his first choices, the saxophone or the drums. It was around this time that he acquired the nickname of "Billy Bang", derived from a popular cartoon character.
Bang studied the violin until he earned a hardship scholarship to a prep school in Massachusetts, at which point he abandoned it because the school did not have a music program. He had difficulty adjusting to life at the school, where he encountered racism and developed confusion about his identity, which he later blamed for his onset of schizophrenia. Bang felt that he had little in common with the largely privileged children at the school, who included Jackie Robinson, Jr. (son of baseball star Jackie Robinson) and Arlo Guthrie, and he struggled to reconcile the disparity between the wealth of the school and the poverty of his home in New York. He left the school after two years and attended a school in the Bronx. He did not graduate, decided not to return to school after receiving his draft papers, and at the age of 18, he was drafted into the United States Army.
Bang spent six months in basic training and another two weeks learning jungle warfare, arriving in Vietnam just in time for the Tet Offensive. Starting out as an infantryrman, he did one tour of combat duty, rising to the rank of sergeant before he mustered out.
After Bang returned from the war, his life lacked direction. The job he had held before being drafted had been filled in his absence. He pursued and then abandoned a law degree, before becoming politically active and falling in with an underground group of revolutionaries. The group recognized Bang's knowledge of weapons from his time in the Army, and they used him to procure firearms for the group during trips to Maryland and Virginia, buying from pawnshops and other small operators who did not conduct extensive background checks. During one of these trips, Bang spotted three violins hanging at the back of a pawnshop, and he impulsively purchased one.
After serving in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, he returned to New York and joined the Sun Ra Arkestra.
In 1977, Bang co-founded the String Trio of New York (with guitarist James Emery and double bassist John Lindberg).
Billy Bang has most recently explored his experience in Vietnam in two albums: Vietnam: The Aftermath (2001) and Vietnam: Reflections (2005), recorded with a band which included several other veterans of that conflict. The latter album also features two Vietnamese musicians based in the United States (voice and đàn tranh zither).
Selected discography
Solo:
* Distinction without a Difference (hat Hut, 1979)
* Commandment (No More, 1997)
As leader:
* Sweet Space (Anima, 1979)
* Rainbow Gladiator (Soul Note, 1981)
* Invitation (Soul Note, 1982)
* Bangception, Willisau 1982 (hatOLOGY, 1982)
* Outline No. 12 (Celluloid, 1983)
* The Fire from Within (Soul Note, 1984)
* Live at Carlos 1 (Soul Note, 1986)
* Valve No. 10 (Soul Note, 1991)
* A Tribute to Stuff Smith (Soul Note, 1992)
* Spirits Gathering (CIMP, 1996)
* Bang On! (Justin Time, 1997)
* Big Bang Theory (Justin Time, 1999)
* Vietnam: The Aftermath (Justin Time, 2001)
* Vietnam: Reflections (Justin Time, 2004)
Collaborations:
* Billy Bang & Charles Tyler: Live at Green Space (Anima, 1982)
* String Trio of New York: First String (Black Saint, 1979)
* String Trio of New York: Area Code 212 (Black Saint, 1980)
* String Trio of New York: Common Goal (Black Saint, 1981)
* String Trio of New York: Rebirth of a Feeling (Black Saint, 1983)
* String Trio of New York: Natural Balance (Black Saint, 1986)
* William Hooker/Billy Bang Duo: Joy (Within)! (1994-95)
* Sirone Bang Ensemble: Configuration (Silkheart, 2004)
* Billy Bang, Wayne Providence and Michael Maloy: Hip Hop Bebop (ITM, 2003)
(dates are recording, not release)
From NPR:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2011/04/12/135351553/billy-bang-jazz-violinist-and-vietnam-veteran-dies-at-63
Deep Purple
Billy Bang Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo,
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo,
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo
When the deep purple falls
Over sleepy garden walls
And the stars begin to twinkle in the night
In the mist of a memory
Breathing my name with a sigh
In the still of the night
Once again I hold you tight
Tho' you're gone your love lives on when light beams
And as long as my heart will beat
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
Here in my deep purple dreams
When the deep purple falls
Over sleepy garden walls
And the stars begin to twinkle
In the night
In the mist of a memory
You wander all back to me
Breathing my name with a sigh
In the still of the night
Once again I hold you tight
Tho' you're gone your love lives on when moonlight beams
And as long as my heart will beat
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
Here in my deep purple dreams
And as long as my heart will beat
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
Here in my deep purple dreams
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo,
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo,
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo
The lyrics of Billy Bang's song "Deep Purple" are a romantic and melancholic reflection on lost love. The singer describes how, as night falls and the stars twinkle in the sky, memories of a past love come flooding back. The color deep purple invokes a sense of dreaminess, as the singer imagines a world where they are reunited with their lover. Despite the fact that the love is gone, the singer believes that it will always live on as long as their heart beats, keeping their memories and dreams alive.
The use of the phrase "in the still of the night" is a powerful metaphor for the quiet and solitude that often accompanies heartbreak. The singer's longing to "hold you tight" and feel the warmth of their lover's embrace again is palpable. Additionally, the repeated refrain of "breathing my name with a sigh" illustrates a sense of longing and wistfulness that is at the core of the song. The simplicity of the lyrics and melody, combined with the elegant instrumentation, creates a song that is both beautiful and poignant.
Line by Line Meaning
Woo,
Expressing excitement or admiration.
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo,
Repeating the expression of excitement or admiration.
When the deep purple falls
Referring to the moment in time when the sky is darkened by the setting sun, giving a purple hue.
Over sleepy garden walls
Describing the surroundings that are peaceful and calming.
And the stars begin to twinkle in the night
The twinkling of stars in the night sky, emphasizing the beauty of the surroundings.
In the mist of a memory
Reflecting on past memories that are not entirely clear.
You wander all back to me
Thinking of someone who has left, coming back to the present moment by reminiscing the memory of them.
Breathing my name with a sigh
Feeling nostalgic and expressing emotions through breathing and releasing a sigh.
In the still of the night
Referring to the quietness of the night time where there is little activity or noise.
Once again I hold you tight
Imagining oneself with someone they miss, holding them tightly.
Tho' you're gone your love lives on when light beams
Believing that even though someone is not present, their love remains alive and well in thoughts and memories.
And as long as my heart will beat
Expressing that the person will always remember and cherish their memories and feelings for the other person.
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
Imagining a reunion with the loved one even if it is only in reminiscing.
Here in my deep purple dreams
Indicating that the memories of the moments with loved ones are significant and still alive in their dreams.
And as long as my heart will beat
Reaffirming the commitment to keep the memories of the loved one alive in their heart.
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
Reiterating the idea of being reunited with the loved one one way or another.
Here in my deep purple dreams
Repeating the idea of cherishing the memories of the loved one in their dreams.
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo,
Repeating the expression of excitement or admiration.
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo,
Repeating the expression of excitement or admiration.
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo
Repeating the expression of excitement or admiration.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PETER DE ROSE, MITCHELL PARISH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind