He was born to Jewish parents in Brooklyn, New York on September 30, 1917. It was his father who initially realized Buddy's talent for rhythm, when Buddy could keep a steady beat with spoons at the age of one. He began playing drums in vaudeville when he was 18 months old, billed as "Traps the Drum Wonder". At the peak of Rich's childhood career, he was the second-highest paid child entertainer in the world. At 11 he was performing as a bandleader. He received no formal drum instruction and, in fact, denounced all instruction, believing it would actually degrade his gift for music. He also never admitted engaging in practicing drums, stating that all the practice he needed he derived from his performances. Though he was considered among the most original and creative drummers with few peers, he has been quoted as expressing great admiration for and drawing influence from the playing of Chick Webb, Gene Krupa, and Jo Jones, among a few others.
For most of the period from 1966 until his death, he led a successful big band in an era when the popularity of big bands had waned from its peak in the 1930s and 40s. His most popular performance was a big band arrangement of the Leonard Bernstein classic West Side Story. Buddy Rich died April 2, 1987 at the age of 69. Reportedly, prior to heart surgery, when asked by a nurse if he was allergic to anything he replied, "Yes ... country music!"
The Beat Goes On
Buddy Rich Big Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
La de da de de, la de da de da
Charleston was once the rage, uh huh
History has banned that stage, uh huh
The miniskirt's the current thing, uh huh
Tennybopper is our newborn king, uh huh
Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain
La de da de de, la de da de da
The grocery store's the supermart, uh huh
Little girls still break their hearts, uh huh
And men still keep on marching off to war
Electrically they keep their baseball score
And the beat goes on, the beat goes on
Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain
La de da de de, la de da de da
Buddy Rich's song The Beat Goes On is a commentary on the societal changes that were occurring during his time. The opening lines of the song "Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain, La de da de de, la de da de da" emphasize the importance of rhythm in human society. The song then goes on to highlight how fashion and societal norms have changed over time. The first verse focuses on the Charleston dance, which was a popular dance in the 1920s but has since been banned due to its suggestive nature. The second verse focuses on the mini-skirt, which was a controversial piece of clothing in the 1960s because of its short length. The chorus "And the beat goes on, the beat goes on, drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain, La de da de de, la de da de da" emphasizes the constants in life, despite these changes in fashion and societal norms.
Line by Line Meaning
Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain
The constant drumming creates an ingrained pattern in our minds
Charleston was once the rage, uh huh
At one time, the dance style known as the Charleston was very popular
History has banned that stage, uh huh
Over time, the Charleston has fallen out of favor and is no longer commonly performed
The miniskirt's the current thing, uh huh
Currently, fashion trends favor the miniskirt style
Tennybopper is our newborn king, uh huh
The younger generation sets the trends and shapes the cultural landscape
And the beat goes on, the beat goes on
Despite these changes, the universal rhythm of music continues
The grocery store's the supermart, uh huh
The modern supermarket has replaced the traditional corner store
Little girls still break their hearts, uh huh
Young girls still experience heartbreak despite societal changes
And men still keep on marching off to war
Despite the passage of time, war and conflict still persist
Electrically they keep their baseball score
Even the way we engage in leisure activities has been impacted by technology
La de da de de, la de da de da
This refrain is a playful and nonsensical expression of the continuity of rhythm
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Sonny Bono
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Atsbehanegga
The beat goes on, the beat goes on
Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain
La de da de de, la de da de da
Charleston was once the rage, uh huh
History has turned the page, uh huh
The mini skirts, the current thing, uh huh
Teenybopper is our newborn king, uh huh
And the beat goes on, the beat goes on
Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain
La de da de de, la de da de da
The grocery store's the super mart, uh huh
Little girls still break their hearts, uh huh
And men still keep on marching off to war
Electrically they keep a baseball score
And the beat goes on, the beat goes on
Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain
La de da de de, la de da de da
Grandmas sit in chairs and reminisce
Boys keep chasing girls to get a kiss
The cars keep going faster all the time
Bums still cry, "Hey buddy, have you got a dime?"
And the beat goes on, the beat goes on
Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain
La de da de de, la de da de da
And the beat goes on, yes, the beat goes on
And the beat goes on, and the beat goes on
The beat goes on, and the beat goes on
@evievanhouten3194
This song has changed my life. For real.❤
Heeeeeyyyy and Ayyyyyyyye. Plus plus.
@4meincognito
Every time I listen to this, I become more aware that big band music will never die.
@leahdavis1832
Heard this song once at a rave, now it randomly pops in & out of my Brian every so often. Just saw it in a reel today & finally found the artists/ title. God bless technology for better or for worse.
@DrVonNostrand
A rave? 😂 Please tell me it was the 90s
@justacup8676
The daughter inherited her father's musical ear. So sweet!
@manonfrederic6292
Merci radio FIP de m'avoir fait découvrir cette merveille
@Akashsahadotin
the drumming is just amazing.
@cakebox_
I heard Qypthone's "Scooter" before this one and I kept anticipating a chorus similar to that one but it never came lol. This is great too, though! I recommend listening to qypthone's mix!
@user-rv6lx7dj4z
最高にクールな曲だよ！
@akhassan2781
Got this album in Jr high...