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.
What's New
Billy Eckstine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How is the world treating you
You haven't changed a bit
Handsome as ever I must admit
What's new
How did that romance come through
We haven't met since then
What's new
Probably I'm boring you
But seeing you is grand
And you were sweet to offer your hand
I understand
Adieu
Pardon my asking what's new
Of course you couldn't know
I haven't changed
I still love you so
Adieu
Pardon my asking what's new
Of course you couldn't know
I haven't changed
I still love you so
The song "What's New" by Billy Eckstine is a nostalgic ballad that speaks of the aftermath of a past romance. The song starts with Eckstine politely asking about the state of the world of the person he sings to. He admits that the person he is addressing has not changed a bit and remains attractive as he/she used to be. He then inquires about the past romance and how it turned out since they last met. Eckstine's tone reflects a sense of longing and desire to reconnect with the person he had once loved. The phrase "Gee but it's nice to see you again" speaks to the sentiment of regret for the time lost without each other. This short encounter may have sparked a nostalgic feeling in the singer, and he confesses that he may be boring the other person with his conversation, but seeing the person remains excellent for him. With gratitude, he acknowledges the warm exchange of hands.
As the song progresses, the singer tries to end the encounter gracefully, bidding farewell with the word "adieu." Although it appears he is ready to leave, he cannot resist asking again if anything exciting and new had happened in the other person's life. This question could mean that even though he wants to move on from the past, he is still hoping for the person to show some interest in him as well. He followed up this question by admitting that the other person couldn't have known that he still holds feelings for her/him. In the final line, the singer leaves the listener with a lingering sentiment of unchanging love.
Line by Line Meaning
What's new
What's happening in your life lately?
How is the world treating you
How have you been doing lately?
You haven't changed a bit
You still look the same as I remember you.
Handsome as ever I must admit
You still look very attractive to me.
How did that romance come through
How did your romantic relationship turn out?
We haven't met since then
We haven't seen each other since that time.
Gee but it's nice to see you again
I'm really happy to see you again.
Probably I'm boring you
I'm sorry if I'm being uninteresting.
But seeing you is grand
But I'm really enjoying seeing you right now.
And you were sweet to offer your hand
Thank you for offering to shake my hand, that was really kind of you.
I understand
I appreciate your kindness.
Adieu
Goodbye
Pardon my asking what's new
I'm sorry for asking this question again.
Of course you couldn't know
It's not your fault that you don't know what's new.
I haven't changed
I'm still the same person you knew before.
I still love you so
I still have strong feelings for you after all this time.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHNNY BURKE, BOB HAGGART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@julietntheanimator
I added this song to my “Songs that were used in Looney Tunes, specifically the ones written between 1920-53” playlist. (well, the Bob Crosby version anyway)