Powell was perhaps the first pianist to vocalize on the piano, meaning that he transfered his vocalized improvisations directly through his hands to the instrument. This gave his music a deep connection to time, which is an artifact of the human voice. Previously, horn players were more likely to express their improvisations vocally, as the mouth and breath are directly tied to the performance of horn players.
Powell suffered from Bi-Polar Disorder, and in November 1947, Powell was admitted to Creedmoor Psychiatric Center, where he stayed for more than a year, receiving electroconvulsive therapy which caused severe memory loss. The young Jackie McLean and Sonny Rollins became friendly with Powell on his release from the hospital, and Powell recommended McLean to Miles Davis. However, Powell suffered from mental illness throughout his life, and had a reputation for his strange behaviour. In fact his problems, exacerbated by a beating from the police in 1945 for being disorderly, could all be attributed to being a manic depressive, although his illness was almost certainly a key driver of his immense creative talent. He was also an alcoholic, and even small quantities of alcohol had a profound effect on his character, making him aggressive. Powell's continued rivalry with Charlie Parker, while essential to the production of brilliant music, was also the subject of disruptive feuding and bitterness on the bandstand, as a result of Powell's troubled mental and physical condition. He spent all of 1952 (and parts of many subsequent years) in a hospital. When he was out of the hospital, he was often locked up in a hotel room and was usually denied receiving the money he earned performing.
It is generally agreed that his best recordings are those made prior to 1954, both for Blue Note Records and for Norman Granz (at Mercury Records, Norgran Records, Clef Records and later on Verve Records).
After 1953 (when Powell attempted suicide), his style became darker and slower. Many jazz critics pronounced him "washed up" during the last decade of his career. There were a few recordings which never should have been issued (Verve from January 1955 and Roulette Oct. 1964). Still, he continued to play with great intensity even without the speed that made him famous in the 1940s. His late 1950s Blue Note recordings are recommended. Bud performed regularly with drummer Kenny Clarke and bassists Oscar Pettiford or Pierre Michelot. He performed brilliantly as a sideman for Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, and Dexter Gordon on recordings in the early 1960s. As late as 1962 he recorded concerts in Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland, in which he played as brilliantly as he had played in the late 1940s. Powell moved to France in 1959, when his life was extended by several years under the care of a fan named Francis Paudras, whose book "Dance of the Infidels" is required reading for any Powell fan. Paudras' friendship produced many impromptu recordings and was the basis for the 1987 Bernard Tavenier film "Round Midnight", for which Dexter Gordon received a best actor Oscar nomination (as a fictional composite of Bud Powell and Lester Young).
Paudras and Powell returned to Birdland in the fall of 1964 to initial critical acclaim. Bud despised the drummer he had to play with and soon lost his regular engagement at Birdland. After Paudras returned to France without Powell, ESP-disk's founder became Bud's legal guardian, but let Bud self-destruct from late 1964 until his death in July, 1966. Bud's last recordings were a haunting, sparse "Round Midnight" from Carnegie Hall in March 1965 and other trio tracks from January 1966 on the mysterious "Ups 'n Downs" album.
He is survived by his daughter Celia, who has been reissuing Paudras' recordings of her father on the Pablo and Piadrum labels.
Don't Blame Me
Bud Powell Lyrics
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I've hung around you just like a fool
Falling head and heels in love like a kid out of school.
My poor heart is in an awful state now
But it's too late now to call a halt
So if I become a nuisance it's all your fault!
Don't blame me for falling in love with you
I'm under your spell but how can I help it!
Don't' blame me!
Can't you see when you do the things you do!
If I can't conceal the thrill that I'm feeling,
Don't blame; me.
Ican't help it if that doggoned moon above
Makes me need someone like you to love!
Blame your kiss as sweet as a kiss can be
And blame all your charms that melt in my arms
But don't blame me.
I like every single thing about you
Without a doubt you are like a dream
In my mind I find a picture of us as a team
Ever since the hour of our meeting
I've been repeating a silly phrase
Hoping that you'll understand me one of these days.
Don't blame me for falling in love with you
I'm under your spell but how can I help it!
Don't' blame me!
Can't you see when you do the things you do!
If I can't conceal the thrill that I'm feeling,
Don't blame; me.
Ican't help it if that doggoned moon above
Makes me need someone like you to love!
Blame your kiss as sweet as a kiss can be
And blame all your charms that melt in my arms
But don't blame me.
The lyrics of "Don't Blame Me" by Bud Powell depict the subject's infatuation and love towards another person. The song tells the story of a person who's been in love with someone since the night they met. The person is helpless in their love, saying that they are "under your spell but how can I help it?" Though their love is unrequited, they cannot help but feel the thrill that comes with being in love as they sing, "If I can't conceal the thrill that I'm feeling, don't blame me."
The subject finds themselves in an "awful state" and admits that they have become a "nuisance," but takes no responsibility for their actions, instead saying, "So if I become a nuisance it's all your fault!" The song captures the essence of unrequited love, the feeling of being completely powerless to the emotions that have taken over.
Overall, the lyrics convey a powerful message that even when one finds themselves helpless to their emotions, they should not be blamed for falling in love. The song reminds us that love can take hold at any time, and that it is not always something that we can control.
Line by Line Meaning
Ever since the lucky night I found you
Since I met you by chance, my life has been different
I've hung around you just like a fool
I've been constantly present around you, acting senselessly lovestruck
Falling head and heels in love like a kid out of school.
I've been falling deeply and passionately in love with you like an inexperienced, naive student.
My poor heart is in an awful state now
My heart is in a terrible, pitiful condition right now
But it's too late now to call a halt
I can't stop my feelings now, No use calling it off
So if I become a nuisance it's all your fault!
If I become a bother or irritation, it's all because of you and your effect on me!
Don't blame me for falling in love with you
It's not my fault that I fell in love with you.
I'm under your spell but how can I help it!
I'm in awe of you, It's not my choice
Don't' blame me!
It's not my mistake
Can't you see when you do the things you do!
When you do things, don't you notice?
If I can't conceal the thrill that I'm feeling,
If I can't hide the excitement I am experiencing
Don't blame; me.
Don't hold me responsible
Ican't help it if that doggoned moon above
I can't do anything about the effects of that moon up there
Makes me need someone like you to love!
This moon makes me want you so much!
Blame your kiss as sweet as a kiss can be
It's your charming kiss that's responsible
And blame all your charms that melt in my arms
Blame all your attractions that sweep me off my feet
But don't blame me.
It's not my fault.
I like every single thing about you
I am smitten by every single attribute you possess
Without a doubt you are like a dream
Undoubtedly, to me you are like a dream
In my mind I find a picture of us as a team
In my mind, I picture us working together in harmony
Ever since the hour of our meeting
Since the moment I met you
I've been repeating a silly phrase
I have been repeatedly using a nonsensical expression
Hoping that you'll understand me one of these days.
Hoping that you will comprehend my feelings one day.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOROTHY FIELDS, JIMMY MC HUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind