And yet Charlie Barnet was only significant in jazz for about a decade (1939-1949). Although his family wanted him to be a lawyer, he was a professional musician by the time he was 16 and ironically in his career made more money than he would have in business. Barnet arrived in New York in 1932 and started leading bands on records the following year, but his career was quite erratic until 1939. Many of Barnet's early records are worthy but some are quite commercial as he attempted to find a niche. Best is a sideman appearance on a 1934 Red Norvo date that also includes Artie Shaw and Teddy Wilson.
In 1939, with the hit recording of "Cherokee" and a very successful run at the Famous Door in New York, Charlie Barnet soon became a household name. In addition to the fine trumpeter Bobby Burnet (who soloed on many of Barnet's Bluebird records), such sidemen as guitarist Bus Etri; drummer Cliff Leeman; singers Lena Horne, Francis Wayne, and Kay Starr; pianist Dodo Marmarosa; clarinetist Buddy DeFranco; guitarist Barney Kessel; and even trumpeter Roy Eldridge spent time with Barnet's bands. Although at the height of his popularity during 1939-1942 (when his orchestra could often play a close imitation of Ellington's), Barnet's recordings for Decca during 1942-1946 were also of great interest with "Skyliner" being a best-seller.
By 1947 Barnet was starting to look toward bop. Clark Terry was his star trumpeter that year, and in 1949 his screaming trumpet section included Maynard Ferguson, Doc Severinsen, Rolf Ericson, and Ray Wetzel. Barnet, however, soon lost interest and near the end of 1949 he broke up his band. Semi-retired throughout the remainder of his life, Charlie Barnet occasionally led swing-oriented big bands during short tours and appearances, making his last recording in 1966.
Stardust
Charlie Barnet Lyrics
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Steals across the meadows of my heart
High up in the sky the little stars climb
Always reminding me that we're apart
You wander down the lane and far away
Leaving me a song that will not die
Love is now the stardust of yesterday
The music of the years gone by.
Sometimes I wonder, how I spend
The lonely nights
Dreaming of a song
The melody
Haunts my reverie
And I am once again with you
When our love was new
And each kiss an inspiration
But that was long ago
And now my consolation is in the stardust of a song
Besides the garden wall, when stars are bright
You are in my arms
The nightingale
Tells his fairytale
Of paradise, where roses grew
Though I dream in vain
In my heart it will remain
My stardust melody
The memory of love's refrain.
Charlie Christian's "Stardust" is a romantic ballad that expresses a strong sense of nostalgia and longing for the past. The song talks about the beauty of twilight time, and how it triggers memories of a love that is no longer present. The purple dusk that spreads across the meadows is symbolic of the emptiness and longing that the person is feeling. The stars that climb up the sky serve as a constant reminder of the distance that separates the lovers. The lyrics convey a sense of helplessness, as the singer is left to reminisce about the love that has long faded away. The song then goes on to describe how the melody of a song that the lover left behind still lingers and provides some degree of comfort to the person. The melody of the song haunts the person and takes them back to the times when their love was new, and every kiss was an inspiration. The person wishes to be with their lover once again, but they know that it is only in the stardust of a song that their love remains.
Overall, the song is a beautifully written and emotive ballad that speaks to the pain of lost love. The lyrics are rich in their imagery and symbolism, capturing the sense of longing and nostalgia that many of us experience when we think back on past relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
And now the purple dusk of twilight time
The sun has set and darkness is creeping in
Steals across the meadows of my heart
A feeling of sadness and loneliness is overwhelming me
High up in the sky the little stars climb
Stars are shining bright in the sky
Always reminding me that we're apart
The sight of the stars reminds me that I am separated from my loved one
You wander down the lane and far away
You have left me and gone far away
Leaving me a song that will not die
The memory of our love is still alive in me, like a song that never fades away
Love is now the stardust of yesterday
Our love has turned to memories that linger on
The music of the years gone by.
The memories of our love are like sweet music from the past
Sometimes I wonder, how I spend
At times I ponder on how I pass
The lonely nights
The nights when I am alone
Dreaming of a song
I daydream of a tune
The melody
The notes of the music
Haunts my reverie
The melody stays in my thoughts and dreams
And I am once again with you
The tune takes me back to the time when we were together
When our love was new
When our relationship was fresh and budding
And each kiss an inspiration
Each kiss was a spark of motivation
But that was long ago
That time is way behind us
And now my consolation is in the stardust of a song
My comfort now lies in the memories of our love, which are like stardust of a song
Besides the garden wall, when stars are bright
On the other side of the garden wall, when the stars are shining bright
You are in my arms
I am holding you close
The nightingale
The bird that sings at night
Tells his fairytale
It sings a magical story
Of paradise, where roses grew
It sings of a beautiful garden where roses bloomed
Though I dream in vain
Although I dream to be with you in vain
In my heart it will remain
The memory of our love will remain in my heart
My stardust melody
The memories of our love are like stardust that I hold dear
The memory of love's refrain.
The memories of our love are like a recurring musical phrase
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER GENTRY, JOHN HUTCHINSON DEAN, MATTHEW EVERITT, SIMON IAN WHITE, STUART BLACK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind