Collette took up the alto saxophone at age 12 and led his first group, which included Britt Woodman on trombone and Charles Mingus on bass. At 17 he started playing professionally. After serving as a U.S. Navy band leader, he played with the Stars of Swing (featuring Woodman, Mingus and Lucky Thompson). Along with saxophonist Dexter Gordon, bassist Charles Mingus and drummer Chico Hamilton, he helped keep bebop alive in Los Angeles' historic Central Avenue neighborhood. In the early 1950s he worked as a studio musician and performed on Groucho Marx's television program, You Bet Your Life.
In 1955, he became a founding member of Chico Hamilton's quintet. The unusually instrumented quintet also featured guitarist Jim Hall and cellist (and pianist) Fred Katz, and performed chamber jazz. A year later, Collette recorded Man of Many Parts, his first album as a bandleader.
Unlike other influential West Coast players Collette stayed in Los Angeles, recorded with his quintet, and became a noteworthy educator. His students included such renowned musicians as Eric Dolphy, Charles Lloyd, Frank Morgan, Sonny Criss, and James Newton.
In 1996, the Library of Congress commissioned Collette to write and perform a special big band concert to highlight his long career. Although a stroke in 1998 had rendered him unable to continue performing, Collette remained active in jazz education, responsible for founding numerous programs for children in the Los Angeles area. Together with Steven Isoardi he wrote an autobiography titled Jazz Generations: A Life in American Music and Society (Bayou 2000).
Collette was a pioneer civil rights activist, working to desegregate the musicians' union of Los Angeles. Gerald Wilson, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and saxophonist Benny Carter were some of his early supporters. He also helped organize a concert and rally protesting government repression of the African American singer, actor, and political activist Paul Robeson.
He died in Los Angeles on September 19, 2010.
Ruby
Buddy Collette Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not always what you seem
And though my heart may break when I awake
Let it be so
I only know, Ruby, it's you
They say, Ruby you're like a song
You don't know right from wrong
But from the start, who stole my heart?
Ruby, it's you
I hear your voice and I must come to you
I have no choice what else can I do?
They say, Ruby you're like a flame
Into my life you came
And though I should beware
Still I don't care you thrill me so
Buddy Collette’s song “Ruby” is a beautiful love song that encapsulates the complexity of love and relationships. The lyrics describe the enigmatic and elusive qualities of the metaphorical “Ruby”, who is both a dream and a song. The persona singing the song acknowledges that Ruby is not always what she seems, and though his heart may break when he awakes, he accepts her for who she is. He knows that she is the one.
The second verse describes Ruby as someone who is difficult to read. She doesn’t always know what is right and wrong, and the persona can sense the hurt in her eyes. Despite this, she has stolen his heart from the start, and he cannot resist her charms. He hears her voice and feels compelled to come to her, unable to resist her pull.
In the final verse, Ruby is compared to a flame who has come into the persona’s life. Despite warnings to be cautious, he cannot help but be drawn to her because she thrills him. The song ends with the persona accepting that he is powerless to resist Ruby's pull and that she is the one he wants.
Line by Line Meaning
They say, Ruby you're like a dream
People claim that you, Ruby, have an ethereal quality that is often too good to be true.
Not always what you seem
You are not always as you appear to be.
And though my heart may break when I awake
Even if my heart is shattered after realizing you are not real.
Let it be so
It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.
I only know, Ruby, it's you
You are the one who has captured my heart, Ruby.
They say, Ruby you're like a song
People compare your unpredictable behavior to a song that does not follow any rules of melody or rhythm.
You don't know right from wrong
You lack a sense of moral compass.
And in your eyes I see heart aches for me
I sense that you are troubled and in despair because of me.
But from the start, who stole my heart?
I was bewitched by you from the very beginning, Ruby.
Ruby, it's you
Only you, my love, can make my heart sing and dance.
I hear your voice and I must come to you
I am under your spell and cannot resist your call, Ruby.
I have no choice what else can I do?
I am powerless and surrender to your enchantment.
They say, Ruby you're like a flame
People describe you as a dangerous yet irresistible force of nature.
Into my life you came
You entered my life and set my heart ablaze, Ruby.
And though I should beware
I know that I should be careful and cautious around you but I cannot resist your allure.
Still I don't care you thrill me so
I am willing to take the risk because the excitement and exhilaration you bring is worth it, my dear Ruby.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HEINZ ROEMHELD, MITCHELL PARISH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind