It was widely believed, for many years, that Beiderbecke's real name was Leon Bismark Beiderbecke. It is now known that this — like so many other myths about Beiderbecke — is untrue. His real name was Leon Bix Beiderbecke. Bismark was a family name, reflecting the family's German origins, but it was not given to Beiderbecke. "Bix" was a family nickname of his father and older brother, given him as a proper name.
Leon Bix Beiderbecke was born in Davenport, Iowa to a middle-class family. As a teenager he would sneak off to the banks of the Mississippi to listen to the bands play on the riverboats that would come up from the south.
Partially due to frequent absences due to illness, Beiderbecke's grades suffered. His parents felt that sending him to the exclusive Lake Forest Academy in Lake Forest, Illinois, just northwest of Chicago, would provide the attention and discipline needed to improve his schooling.
Beiderbecke's schooling there soon suffered when the only subjects he showed avid interest in were music and sports. Bix soon began going into Chicago as often as possible to catch the hot jazz bands of the day at clubs and speakeasies around Chicago, and too often didn't return in time or was found out the next day.
Beiderbecke was soon asked to leave the Academy due to his academic failings and extra-curricular activities in Chicago, and began his musical career in earnest.
Beiderbecke first recorded with his band "The Wolverine Orchestra" (usually called just The Wolverines, named for "Wolverine Blues" by Jelly Roll Morton because they played it so often) in 1924, then became a sought-after musician in Chicago, Illinois and New York City, New York. He made innovative and influential recordings with Frankie Trumbauer ("Tram") and the Jean Goldkette Orchestra. When the Goldkette Orchestra disbanded after their last recording ("In My Merry Oldsmobile"), in May 1927, Bix and Trumbauer, a 'C' Melody and alto saxophone player, briefly joined Adrian Rollini's band at the Club New Yorker, New York, before moving on to the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, the most popular and highest paid band of the day.
Beiderbecke suffered health problems from an early age, though the relentless schedule of the road and heavy drinking leading to alcoholism began to contribute to and exacerbate a decline in his health. Bix suffered from severe pain in his legs and other ill effects of prohibition era alcohol and with declining work around the New York City area, he took a turn for the worse.
Though his death certificate described the cause of death as pneumonia, and he was in seriously ill health, the circumstances immediately surrounding his death are still unclear. He died at the age of 28, in his apartment at 43-30 46th Street, Sunnyside, Queens, within the confines of the City of New York on August 6, 1931.
My Heart Stood Still
Bix Beiderbecke Lyrics
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That's all I meant to do
And then my heart stood still
My feet could step and walk
My lips could move and talk
And yet my heart stood still
I could tell you knew
That unfelt clasp of hands
Told me so well you knew
I never lived at all
Until the thrill of that moment
When my heart stood still
I took one look at you
That's all I meant to do
And then my heart stopped right there
My feet could step and walk
My lips could move and talk
And yet my heart stood still
Though not a single word was spoken
I could tell you knew
That unfelt claps of hands
Told me so well you knew
I never lived at all
Until the thrill of that moment
When my heart stood still
In Bix Beiderbecke's song "My Heart Stood Still," the singer describes a transformative moment in which they become completely enamored with someone at first sight. They explain how their body was physically capable of moving and speaking as usual, yet they felt a powerful stillness in their heart. They didn't need to say anything to the other person, as the strong sensation of their hands clapping in excitement conveyed everything they needed to know.
The singer describes feeling like they had never truly lived until that moment when they were stopped in their tracks by the intense feeling in their heart. It's a beautiful and relatable description of falling in love, and the overwhelming emotions that come with it.
The use of the phrase "heart stood still" is often used to describe a moment when everything stops and time seems to stand still, making it a powerful and poetic image. This song captures that feeling perfectly, and its simplicity and sincerity make it a timeless classic.
Line by Line Meaning
I took one look at you
The singer caught a glimpse of his love interest.
That's all I meant to do
He had no intention of doing anything more than looking.
And then my heart stood still
He was so struck by her beauty that his heart stopped beating for a moment.
My feet could step and walk
Physically, he was still able to move.
My lips could move and talk
He could still speak and communicate.
And yet my heart stood still
This emphasizes how profound his emotional reaction was.
Though not a single word was spoken
He didn't have to say anything to convey his feelings.
I could tell you knew
Without a doubt, his love interest understood the depth of his feelings.
That unfelt clasp of hands
Even though they didn't touch, there was an undeniable connection between them.
Told me so well you knew
He could sense that she felt the same way.
I never lived at all
Before this moment, he felt like he was just going through the motions of life.
Until the thrill of that moment
This moment was a turning point for him.
When my heart stood still
He was so overwhelmed with emotion that he couldn't move or speak--his heart took over completely.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LORENZ HART, RICHARD RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind