Clifford “Boots” Douglas was born in Temple, Texas, likely on September 7, 1906 or 1908. He began playing drums in his teenage years, and first played professionally in 1926 as a member of Millard McNeal’s Southern Melody Boys of San Antonio. Douglas formed his own band, called “Boots and his Buddies” (perhaps deriving their name from the comic strip Boots and her Buddies) at some point in the first half of the 1930s, and played gigs around the state of Texas, occasionally venturing into neighboring states. Boots’ Buddies began recording in 1935 for RCA Victor, with their recordings issued on the Bluebird label. They continued to record until late in 1938. With Douglas arranging, they seem to have had a tendency to “borrow” music from others and play it under their own titles. Their regional popularity rivaled that of fellow Texas swing man Don Albert, and while their phonograph records gained them some greater recognition outside of their home state, they never were never widely known outside of Texas. Though the end of the swing era saw a steady decline in the band’s popularity, Boots and his Buddies were still playing through the end of the 1940s. In 1950, Douglas finally disbanded his Buddies and relocated to Los Angeles, California, where he worked for the county, still playing on the side. According to social security records, he died in 2000, at the age of either 92 or 94.
* Territory bands were dance bands that crisscrossed specific regions of the United States from the 1920s through the 1960s. Beginning in the 1920s, the bands typically had 8 to 12 musicians. These bands typically played one-nighters, 6 or 7 nights a week at venues like VFW halls, Elks Lodges, Lions Clubs, hotel ballrooms, and the like. Francis Davis, jazz critic for The Village Voice, likened territory bands to "the Top 40 cover bands (of the 1970s and 1980s) of their day, typically relying on stock arrangements of other ensembles' hits." He said, "many historians give much credit to territory bands for popularizing modern ballroom dancing that began during the World War I era with the influence of Vernon and Irene Castle."
Territory bands helped disseminate popular music — which included swing, jazz, sweet dance music, or any combination thereof — bringing it to remote gin mills and dance halls that were otherwise ignored by national booking agents representing genuine recording stars like Ellington and Armstrong. Many developed original repertoires and signature sounds, none more storied than Walter Page's Blue Devils, the Oklahoma City-based outfit that Count Basie joined in 1926.
Anytime
Boots and his Buddies Lyrics
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Anytime you're feelin' blue
Anytime you feel downhearted
That will prove your love for me is true
Anytime you're thinkin' 'bout me
That's the time I'll be thinkin' of you
So anytime you say you want me back again
That's the time I'll come back home to you
Anytime you're thinkin' 'bout me
That's the time I'll be thinkin' of you
So anytime you say you want me back again
That's the time I'll come back home to you
The lyrics of the song "Anytime" by Boots and his Buddies speak to the staying power of true love. The words encourage a loved one to remember the singer always, through times of joy and times of sadness. The singer tells their partner that if they feel lonely or blue, if they are downhearted or missing the singer, these feelings are proof of their love. And any time the singer's partner thinks about them, the singer will be thinking about them in return, ready to return to them whenever they are asked.
The song's message is one of commitment, loyalty, and the power of love to bridge distance and time. It speaks to the deep emotional connection between two people, encouraging them to rely on each other through thick and thin. The song's upbeat melody, accompanied by the swinging jazz sound of Boots and his Buddies, adds to the sense of hope and positivity conveyed by the lyrics. Ultimately, "Anytime" is a love song that celebrates the enduring nature of true love, even in the face of separation and struggle.
Line by Line Meaning
Anytime you're feelin' lonely
Whenever you feel alone and abandoned
Anytime you're feelin' blue
Whenever you feel sad and depressed
Anytime you feel downhearted
Whenever you feel disheartened and discouraged
That will prove your love for me is true
Feeling all these emotions at any time will prove the depth of your love for me
Anytime you're thinkin' 'bout me
Whenever you have me on your mind
That's the time I'll be thinkin' of you
During that same moment, I will also be thinking about you
So anytime you say you want me back again
Whenever you express the desire for me to return to you
That's the time I'll come back home to you
I will return to you immediately upon hearing that you want me back
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Herbert Happy Lawson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind