Other cities have founded their own "pops" orchestras, but the Boston Pops remains the most famous and well-known.
History of the Pops
In 1881, Henry Lee Higginson, the founder of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, wrote of his wish to present in Boston "concerts of a lighter kind of music." The Boston Pops Orchestra was founded to present this kind of music to the public, with the first concert performed in 1885. Called the "Promenade Concerts" until 1900, these performances combined light classical music, tunes from the current hits of the musical theater, and an occasional novelty number. Allowing for some changes of taste over the course of a century, the early programs were remarkably similar to the Boston Pops programs of today.
The Boston Pops Orchestra did not adopt its own official conductor until 1930, when Arthur Fiedler began a fifty-year tenure as the Pops conductor. Fiedler's career as the conductor of the Pops brought worldwide acclaim to the orchestra. He was unhappy with the reputation of classical music as being solely for elite, aristocratic, upper-class audiences. Fiedler made efforts to bring classical music to wider audiences. He instituted a series of free concerts at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade, a riverside public park along the Charles River. Along with his insistence that the Pops Orchestra would play popular music alongside well-known classical pieces, Fiedler opened up a new niche in popular culture that encouraged popularization of classical music. Under his direction, the Boston Pops allegedly made more commercially available recordings than any other orchestra in the world, with total sales of albums, singles, tapes, and cassettes exceeding $50 million. Of the many musical pieces produced over the years, the Pops' most famous and popular work is Fiedler's production of Leroy Anderson's composition "Sleigh Ride".
Fiedler's respectful easy-listening arrangements on Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Play the Beatles, released in 1971, opened many eyes to the musical qualities of Lennon and McCartney.
Fiedler is most widely remembered in Boston for having begun the annual tradition of the Fourth of July Pops concert and fireworks display on the Esplanade, one of the best-attended Independence Day celebrations in the country with regular estimated attendance of 200,000–500,000 people. (This event is organized by Boston's Fourth of July celebration under the leadership of David Mugar.) Also during Fiedler's tenure, the Pops and local public television station WGBH developed a series of weekly televised broadcasts recorded during the Pops' regular season in Symphony Hall, Evening at Pops.
After Fiedler's death in 1979, the conductorship of the Boston Pops was taken over by Academy Award-winning composer John Williams in 1980. Williams continued the Pops' tradition of bringing classical music to a wider audiences, initiating the annual "Pops-on-the-Heights" concerts at Boston College and adding his own considerable library of well-known movie soundtracks (including the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies) to its repertoire.
Keith Lockhart assumed the post of principal Pops conductor in 1995. Lockhart continues to conduct the Boston Pops today, adding a touch of flamboyance and a flair for the dramatic to his performances. Williams remains the Laureate Conductor of the Pops and conducts a week of Pops concerts most years. Lockhart brought in numerous pop-music acts to play with the orchestra, including Rockapella, Guster, My Morning Jacket, Aimee Mann and Elvis Costello.
Satin Doll
Boston Pops Orchestra Lyrics
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Over her shoulder she digs me
Out cattin' that satin doll
Baby, shall we go out skippin'?
Careful, amigo, you're flippin'
Speaks Latin that satin doll
She's nobody's fool so I'm playing it cool as can be
Swich-e-rooney
Telephone numbers well you know
Doing my rhumbas with uno
And that's my satin doll
The lyrics of Boston Pops Orchestra's song Satin Doll are a fun representation of the jazz scene of the 1950s. The song invites the listener into a world of cigarette holders and Latin-speaking women that can't be tamed. The lyrics start with the description of a woman holding a cigarette holder and digging the singer, who she throws flirty glances over her shoulder.
The next few lines describe the woman as a satin doll and suggest that they go out skippin', but the singer's friend warns him to be careful as she's nobody's fool. The song features some playful wordplay as "Swich-e-rooney" and "rhumbas with uno," giving the lyrics a lighthearted feel. The chorus boasts about the singer's "satin doll" and marks her as his own.
The lyrics of Satin Doll, though simple, are full of fun and engaging ideas, drawing the listener into the world of jazz music in the 50s.
Line by Line Meaning
Cigarette holder which wigs me
The cigarette holder that the woman is using makes her look very attractive.
Over her shoulder she digs me
The woman is giving him attention and interest, showing that she likes him.
Out cattin' that satin doll
The woman is going out and enjoying herself, and he is interested in being a part of it.
Baby, shall we go out skippin'?
He is suggesting they go out and have some fun together.
Careful, amigo, you're flippin'
He is warning himself to not get too carried away with his feelings for her.
Speaks Latin that satin doll
The woman is sophisticated and cultured, which makes her even more appealing to him.
She's nobody's fool so I'm playing it cool as can be
The woman is smart and not easily tricked, so he is trying to be calm and collected in order to impress her.
I'll give it a whirl, but I ain't for no girl catching me
He is willing to take a chance and pursue the woman, but he doesn't want to be trapped in a relationship.
Swich-e-rooney
This line is just an interjection with no real meaning or purpose.
Telephone numbers well you know
He is able to get the phone numbers of many women, which shows his popularity and charm.
Doing my rhumbas with uno
He is dancing and having fun with just one partner.
And that's my satin doll
The woman he is interested in is the one he considers his 'satin doll', or the one who stands out among the rest.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Songtrust Ave, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Billy Strayhorn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind