Eckstine was an American jazz singer and bandleader who also played trumpet, valve trombone, and guitar. He also performed briefly as Billy X. Stine. His nickname was Mr. B. Although best known as a singer, his openness to new music made him a strong influence on modern jazz, particularly bebop, as he gave employment to many of the musicians who founded the style.
After singing with the Earl Hines band from 1939 to 1943 he led his own band from 1944 to 1947. The band featured at various times a large number of rising jazz stars, including:
Saxophones: Gene Ammons, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt, Lucky Thompson, Charlie Parker, Wardell Gray, Budd Johnson, Leo Parker
Trumpets: Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Kenny Dorham, Fats Navarro
Drums: Art Blakey
Singers: Lena Horne, Sarah Vaughan
Eckstine later formed an octet, then went solo, becoming a popular ballad singer while remaining an important figure in jazz. His huge, distinctive baritone made him one of the first African American singers to have mainstream success. He was the composer of the blues classic "Jelly, Jelly" and also recorded the R&B top hit "Stormy Monday Blues" in 1942 (not to be confused with T-Bone Walker's 1947 "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just As Bad)"). Most of his success as a singer came with ballads, including "Everything I have is Yours", "Blue Moon", "Caravan," "Prisoner of Love," "You Go to My Head," and "That Old Black Magic". His last hit was "Passing Strangers", a duet with Sarah Vaughan released in 1957.
Eckstine was a style leader and noted sharp dresser. He designed and patented a high roll collar that formed a B over a Windsor-knotted tie, which became known as a Mr. B. Collar. In addition to looking cool, the collar expanded and contracted without popping open, which allowed his neck to swell while playing his horns. The collars were worn by many a hipster in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
In 1984, Eckstine recorded his final album, I Am A Singer, featuring beautiful ballads arranged and conducted by Angelo DiPippo.
One For My Baby
Billy Eckstine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So, set 'em up, Joe, I got a little story you ought to know
We're drinking, my friend, to the end of a brief episode
Make it one for my baby and one more for the road
I got the routine, so drop another nickel in the machine
I'm feeling so bad, wish you'd make the music pretty and sad
Could tell you a lot, but you've got to be true to your code
So, make it one for my baby and one more for the road
And I got a lot of things to say
And when I'm gloomy, you simply got to listen to me
Till it's all talked away
Well that's how it goes and Joe, I know your getting pretty anxious to close
So, thanks for the cheer, I hope you didn't mind my bending your ear
This torch that I found must be drowned or it soon might explode
So, make it one for my baby and one more for the road
That long, long road
The song One for My Baby by Billy Eckstine is a heart-wrenching piece about a man drowning in sorrow, drinking with the bartender, Joe, who is his only companion in the bar. The song begins at quarter to three, a time of the night that's quiet and dark, and the two men are engaged in a conversation while drinking. The singer of the song, who is never named, asks Joe to "set 'em up" and proceeds to tell him a "little story" that he wants him to hear. It is apparent that he is now bidding farewell to a loved one, and he is struggling to cope with it. The words "one for my baby" signify that he is drinking to dull the pain of his heartache, and he needs comfort and support from the bartender.
The song has strong emotional content that is displayed in the lyricism with the imagery of the man drowning in sorrows, feeling bad, and wishing for beautiful and sad music. He also talks about having a lot of things to say, hinting at the turmoil inside him that he is struggling to convey. He notes that he always has a "routine" and drops another nickel in the machine, showing that his sadness never seems to end. However, he knows that he has a "code" to abide by, hinting at some sense of duty or obligation he has towards someone, but he wishes to let his emotions out. By the end of the song, his melancholy is at its highest, and he realizes that the "torch" he carries must be "drowned" before it "explodes." The long road in the final line signifies that the man is lost in his pain, and the resolution is still far away, if ever to be found.
Line by Line Meaning
It's quarter to three, there's no one in the place except you and me
It's very late, and we're the only ones left in the bar
So, set 'em up, Joe, I got a little story you ought to know
Please pour us some more drinks, Joe. I have a story to share with you
We're drinking, my friend, to the end of a brief episode
We're having a drink together to celebrate the end of a short period of time
Make it one for my baby and one more for the road
Please bring me another drink for myself and one more to take with me on my journey
I got the routine, so drop another nickel in the machine
I know how to operate the jukebox, so please give me another coin to play more music
I'm feeling so bad, wish you'd make the music pretty and sad
I'm feeling quite down, and I would appreciate it if you played some gentle and melancholic music
Could tell you a lot, but you've got to be true to your code
I have many things to share with you, but I understand that you must keep certain secrets
So, make it one for my baby and one more for the road
Please bring me another drink for myself and one more to take with me on my journey
You'd never know it but buddy, I'm a kind of poet
You might not know this, but I have a talent for poetry
And I got a lot of things to say
I have many thoughts and emotions to express
And when I'm gloomy, you simply got to listen to me
When I'm feeling upset, I need someone to listen to me and provide comfort
Till it's all talked away
Until I've shared everything that's bothering me
Well that's how it goes and Joe, I know your getting pretty anxious to close
That's how things are sometimes, and I understand that you're ready to close the bar
So, thanks for the cheer, I hope you didn't mind my bending your ear
Thank you for being a good listener and supporting me. I hope I wasn't too much of a burden
This torch that I found must be drowned or it soon might explode
This feeling of intense emotion that I've found needs to be calmed down or else it could become overwhelming
So, make it one for my baby and one more for the road
Please bring me another drink for myself and one more to take with me on my journey
That long, long road
Referring to the metaphorical journey of life that lies ahead
Contributed by Zoe S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nick Zoohowza
on Jelly, Jelly
The “meaning” of Jelly Jelly seems to have been written by ChatGPT. Surely “jelly”, like “jelly roll” was intended in this song to refer to sex/genitalia, and not something to spread on toast.
Da'chocolate conductor nelfoster u'dig from the chocolate cle city ohio
on Kiss Of Fire
Absolutely Absolutely Absolutely Amazing Grace his voice was"GOD"gift to us class jazz lovers listeners u'dig now can you dig dat baby,baby from da'conductor nelfoster from chocolate cle city ohio chocolate rocks...