From 1966 until his death, he led a successful big band in an era when the popularity of big bands had waned from their peak in the 1930s and 40s. He received no formal drum instruction and went so far as to claim that instruction would only degrade his natural talent. He also never admitted to practicing. He claimed to play the drums only during performances and was not known to read music. His most popular performance was a big band arrangement of the Leonard Bernstein classic West Side Story. In the early 1970s he commented upon how odious he found the emerging Mormon boy band, The Osmonds, especially Donny Osmond. Later he would sometimes be seen performing wearing a Donny Osmond badge on his lapel. One of his most seen television performances was in a 1981 episode [1] of The Muppet Show, where he engaged Muppet drummer "Animal" in a drum battle. Beginning in 1962, he was also a frequent guest on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. It has been reported that Rich gave Carson a drumset sponsored by Matthew Scott Herning Co, as Carson was a practicing drummer in his spare time.
Although Rich was usually a helpful and friendly man, he was also known to have a short temper. In many instances, he took advantage of the high respect he commanded. While he threatened many times to fire members of his band, he seldom actually did so and for the most part, he lauded his band members during television and print interviews. Rich's quick temper, mercurial attitude, and imposing personality are attested to in secret recordings members of his band made of some of his tantrums on tour buses and backstage.
On these recordings, one can hear Buddy Rich firing a member of his band for wearing a beard.
Buddy Rich remained active until the end of his life, appearing with his Big Band on Michael Parkinson's British talk show Parkinson only a few weeks prior to his death. In the episode, Parkinson kidded Rich about his Donny Osmond kick, by claiming that Rich was the president of Osmonds fan club. Reportedly, prior to heart surgery, when asked by a nurse if he was allergic to anything he replied, "Yes ... country music!" He is interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
Since Rich's death, a number of memorial concerts have been held. In 1994, the Rich tribute album Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich was released. Produced by Rush drummer/lyricist Neil Peart, the album features performances of Rich live staples by a number of famous rock and jazz drummers, all accompanied by the Buddy Rich Big Band. A second volume was issued in 1997.
Willow Weep For Me
Buddy Rich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Willow weep for me
Bend your branches green along the stream that runs to sea
Listen to my plea
Listen willow and weep for me
Yes, gone my lovers dream
Lovely summer dream
Sad as I can be
Hear me willow and weep for me
[Chorus:]
Oh, whisper to the wind and say that love's a sin
Leave my heart a-breaking, and making a moan
Murmur to the night to hide her starry light
So none will find me sighing, crying all alone
Oh, willow weep tree
Weeping sympathy
Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me
When the shadows fall, bend over willow and weep for me
[Chorus]
Yes, willow weep tree
Weeping sympathy
Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me
When the shadows fall, bend over willow and weep for me
Yes
The song "Willow Weep For Me" is a melancholic ballad that speaks of lost love and heartbreak through the metaphor of a willow tree. The singer pleads with the willow tree to weep for them and to offer solace in their sorrow. The willow tree is seen as a symbol of comfort and empathy, bending its branches down to cover the singer when the shadows fall. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of loneliness and despair, as the singer is left alone to cry and mourn the loss of their lover's dream.
The opening lines, "Yes, willow weep for me, willow weep for me, bend your branches green along the stream that runs to sea," set the tone for the song. The willow tree is seen as a sympathetic figure, listening to the singer's plea for comfort. The second verse reflects on the singer's lost love, describing it as a "lovely summer dream" that has left them weeping. The chorus adds to the sense of the singer's loneliness, as they ask the wind to whisper that "love's a sin" and to hide their crying from the world.
In the final verse, the singer turns again to the willow tree, asking it to bend over and cover them when the shadows fall. The final line, "Yes," emphasizes the sense of finality and resignation that pervades the song. Overall, "Willow Weep For Me" is a powerful and moving portrayal of heartbreak and the need for connection in times of sorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes, willow weep for me
The singer is asking the willow tree to cry for him.
Willow weep for me
The singer repeats his request to the willow tree.
Bend your branches green along the stream that runs to sea
The singer is asking the willow tree to bend its branches towards the stream that flows into the sea.
Listen to my plea
The singer is asking the willow tree to listen to his plea for help.
Listen willow and weep for me
The singer again requests the willow tree to cry for him after listening to his plea.
Yes, gone my lover's dream
The singer has lost the dream he shared with his lover.
Lovely summer dream
The singer refers to the dream as something beautiful and memorable.
Gone and left me here to weep my tears into the stream
The singer is left alone and heartbroken and cries his sadness into the stream.
Sad as I can be
The singer is explaining the depth of his sadness.
Hear me willow and weep for me
The singer is again asking the willow tree to cry for him after hearing his sadness.
Oh, whisper to the wind and say that love's a sin
The singer is asking the wind to spread the message that love causes pain.
Leave my heart a-breaking, and making a moan
The singer's heart is painfully breaking and he cannot help but moan in agony.
Murmur to the night to hide her starry light
The singer is asking the wind to ask the night to hide its stars so no one can see him crying.
So none will find me sighing, crying all alone
The singer wants to be alone with his sorrow and doesn't want anyone to see him crying and feeling sad.
Oh, willow weep tree
The singer again addresses the willow tree by its full name.
Weeping sympathy
The singer describes the tree as having sympathy towards him and cries with him.
Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me
The singer asks the tree to cover him with its branches as a comforting gesture.
When the shadows fall, bend over willow and weep for me
The singer wants the willow tree to cry for him again when darkness falls.
Yes
The singer agrees or confirms his previous statement.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Ann Ronell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind