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.
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Bud Powell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lives a life that isn't necessarily sunny
Likewise the man who works for fame
There's no guarantee that time won't erase his name
The fact is, the only work that really brings enjoyment
Is the kind that is for girl and boy meant
Fall in love and you won't regret it
Holding hands at midnight
'Neath a starry sky
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you try
Strolling with the one girl
Sighing sigh after sigh
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you try
Just imagine someone
Waiting at the cottage door
Where two hearts become one
Who could ask for anything more?
Loving one who loves you
And then taking that vow
It's nice work if you can get it
And if you get it, won't you tell me how?"
Just imagine someone
Waiting at the cottage door
Where two hearts become one
Who could ask for anything more?
Loving one who loves you
And then taking that vow
Nice work if you can get it
And if you get it, won't you tell me how?"
Bud Powell's "Nice Work If You Can Get It," originally written by George and Ira Gershwin for the 1937 film A Damsel in Distress, is a timeless jazz tune that speaks about the pursuit of happiness and love. The opening lines of the song remind us that the sole purpose of life cannot be just to make money, as it can often lead to an unsatisfactory existence. Busy bees that work only for money may amass wealth, but that doesn't necessarily translate to absolute contentment. Fame is another factor that drives people out of their comfort zones to strive for it. Still, as the verse suggests, name and fame cannot guarantee identity's endurance through the test of time.
The chorus brings home the message of how the ultimate aim of life should be to search for love and work that can put one in pursuit of it. The lyrics "The fact is, the only work that really brings enjoyment; Is the kind that is for girl and boy meant; Fall in love, and you won't regret it; That's the best work of all if you can get it" emphasize how the gaiety of being in love is the best thing one can strive for in life. Powell emphasizes this by picturing the romantic rendezvous with "holding hands at midnight 'neath a starry sky" and the pleasure of "strolling with the one girl sighing sigh after sigh."
It is significant to note that these two lines' imagery is a stark contrast to the previously mentioned grind of the money-making machine. The second half of the chorus speaks about the fruits of labor of being in love begetting an expectation of marriage and living happily ever after. The lines "Just imagine someone waiting at the cottage door; Where two hearts become one; Who could ask for anything more?" echo this idea. The song embodies the idea of fulfilling one's life and finding a purpose by living a joyful experience of love.
Facts about "Nice Work If You Can Get It:"
Line by Line Meaning
The man who only lives for making money
A person who is solely focused on making money as their life purpose.
Lives a life that isn't necessarily sunny
This way of living may not always bring happiness and success.
Likewise the man who works for fame
Similarly, a person who only works for fame may not always achieve it, and it may not bring them true satisfaction or fulfillment.
There's no guarantee that time won't erase his name
Even if someone becomes famous, there is no guarantee that their legacy will endure throughout time.
The fact is, the only work that really brings enjoyment
The truth is that the only work that can truly bring joy is the kind meant for love and companionship.
Is the kind that is for girl and boy meant
This type of work is meant for romantic love between two people.
Fall in love and you won't regret it
If you fall in love, you'll never regret it because it's the best feeling in the world.
That's the best work of all, if you can get it
The best kind of work possible is the love and bond between two people, if you are lucky enough to find it.
Holding hands at midnight
Experiencing the small moments of affection and love brings the greatest joy.
'Neath a starry sky
Nature's beauty compliments the feeling of affection between two people.
Strolling with the one girl
Walking leisurely with your romantic partner while having meaningful conversations is a simple yet joyful experience.
Sighing sigh after sigh
The contentment and comfort found in being in love can be expressed through sighs of happiness.
Just imagine someone
Picture yourself with someone who loves you and whom you love.
Waiting at the cottage door
Visualize your partner waiting for you, with whom you plan to share the rest of your life.
Where two hearts become one
The joining together of two hearts and minds to become one happy and fulfilled entity.
Who could ask for anything more?
Who wouldn't want this kind of love and happiness in their life? It's the most valuable thing to have.
Loving one who loves you
When love is mutual, it elevates the happiness of both people involved in it.
And then taking that vow
Making the vow to love and cherish someone forever is a beautiful and powerful gesture.
And if you get it, won't you tell me how?
If you do find that kind of love, please share with me how you accomplished it because it's the ultimate goal for everyone.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind