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.
Get Happy
Bud Powell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ya better chase all your cares away
Sing Hallelujah, come on get happy
Get ready for the judgment day
The sun is shining, come on get happy
The Lord is waiting to take your hand
Shout Hallelujah, come on get happy
We're heading 'cross the river
Gonna wash our sins in the tide
It's all so peaceful
On the other side
Forget your troubles and just get happy
Ya better chase all your cares away
Sing Hallelujah, c'mon get happy
Get ready for the judgment day
The sun is shining, come on get happy
The Lord is waiting to take your hand
Shout Hallelujah, come on get happy
We're going to the Promised Land
We're heading 'cross the river
Wash our sins away in the tide
It's all so peaceful
On the other side
We're heading 'cross the river
Wash our sins away in the tide
It's all so peaceful
On the other side
Forget your troubles and just get happy
Ya better chase your cares away!
Sing Hallelujah, come on get happy
Get ready for the judgment day
The lyrics of "Get Happy" by Bud Powell are a call to action for listeners to put aside all their troubles and embrace happiness. The song's upbeat melody and lyrics are a nod to the gospel tradition, and the message of hope suggests that those who do will be rewarded for their efforts.
The first verse encourages the listener to pack up their troubles and chase all their cares away, while the next builds on this idea by exhorting them to sing Hallelujah and get ready for the judgment day. The chorus repeats this message, stating that the sun is shining and the Lord is waiting to take the listener by the hand across the river to the Promised Land. This idea of crossing the river is likely a reference to an earlier spiritual tradition that spoke of the river Jordan as a metaphor for crossing over from this life into the next.
The final verse repeats the themes explored earlier in the song, suggesting that washing away sins in the tide can bring peace and that forgetting one's troubles is the key to experiencing happiness. The repetition of this message throughout the song reinforces the idea that listeners should take action to chase away their problems and embrace a more positive outlook on life. In summary, "Get Happy" by Bud Powell is a call to listeners to embrace happiness by overcoming their troubles, finding inner peace, and preparing for a brighter future.
Line by Line Meaning
Pack up your troubles and just get happy
Leave all your worries behind and strive to be joyful
Ya better chase all your cares away
You should work hard to eliminate all sources of anxiety from your life
Sing Hallelujah, come on get happy
Proclaim your happiness loudly and confidently
Get ready for the judgment day
Prepare to be judged for your actions
The sun is shining, come on get happy
The world is a beautiful place and you should appreciate it
The Lord is waiting to take your hand
God is always there to guide you through life's challenges
We're going to the Promised Land
We will be rewarded for our good deeds in the afterlife
We're heading 'cross the river
We are on a journey towards something greater
Gonna wash our sins in the tide
We will attempt to cleanse our souls of wrongdoing
It's all so peaceful on the other side
Life will be better once we overcome our struggles
Forget your troubles and just get happy
Focus on positive things and ignore negativity
Ya better chase all your cares away
You should actively work to rid yourself of sources of stress
Get ready for the judgment day
Be prepared for the consequences of your actions
Sing Hallelujah, come on get happy
Celebrate your joy and share it with others
The sun is shining, come on get happy
Appreciate the beauty of the world around you
The Lord is waiting to take your hand
God is always there for you
Shout Hallelujah, come on get happy
Express your happiness loudly and confidently
We're going to the Promised Land
Our efforts will be rewarded in the afterlife
We're heading 'cross the river
We are on a journey to something better
Wash our sins away in the tide
We will cleanse ourselves of wrongdoing
It's all so peaceful on the other side
Once we overcome our struggles, life will be better
We're heading 'cross the river
Our journey towards greatness continues
Wash our sins away in the tide
We will strive to be free of wrongdoing
It's all so peaceful on the other side
Life will become more peaceful once we overcome obstacles
Forget your troubles and just get happy
Focus on positivity and happiness
Ya better chase your cares away!
You should actively work to get rid of sources of stress
Sing Hallelujah, come on get happy
Share your joy with the world
Get ready for the judgment day
Be prepared to face the consequences of your actions
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@edwardcollins675
I was introduced to Bud's music by Navy shipmates on the USS America in 1965. He quickly became my favorite among many great Bebop pianists.
@petit-cul-de-sac
I was living the Paris in 1959 and was one of the Happy Few Jazz Fans to see and listen and cheer Bud Powell at the BLUE NOTE rue d'Artois. Thanks for sharing this fantastic life performance.
@amymalysa8649
Now THAT would be a story
@henrysoco1802
happy to listen every jazz pianist around for they have their own singnature... cheers and prayers to all those who rest in peace and thank you for sharing your talent.
@loveyouall66
THE GENIUS. REST IN PEACE MR.POWELL.
@mypockets1
Absolutely AMAZIN
@livelounge106
Fantastic!!
@The0ceanwave
Incredible!
@jazzlars7122
This is real Bebop!
@fittalk
Ahhhhh.... Great !