Parker is commonly considered the greatest bebop jazz musician. In terms of influence and impact, his contribution to jazz was so great that Charles Mingus commented that if Bird were alive today, he would think he was living in a hall of mirrors. Bird's talent is compared almost without argument to such legendary musicians as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, and his reputation and legend as one of the best saxophonists is such that some critics say he was unsurpassed.
A founding figure of bebop, Parker's innovative approach to melody, rhythm and harmony have exerted an incalculable influence on jazz.. Several of Parker's songs have become standards of the repertoire, and innumerable musicians have studied Parker's music and absorbed elements of his style.
Parker became an icon for the Beat generation, and was a pivotal figure in the evolving conception of the jazz musician as an uncompromising artist and intellectual, rather than just a popular entertainer. At various times, Parker fused jazz with other musical styles, from classical (seeking to study with Edgard Varese and Stefan Wolpe) to Latin music (recordings with Machito), blazing paths followed later by others.
Parker was known for often showing up to performances without an instrument and borrowing someone else's at the last moment. At more than one venue he played on a plastic Grafton saxophone; later, saxophonist Ornette Coleman used this brand of plastic sax in his early career. On one particular occasion before a concert in Toronto, Canada, he had sold his saxophone to buy drugs, and at the last minute, he, Dizzy Gillespie and other members of Charlie's entourage went running around Toronto trying to find a saxophone. After scouring all the downtown pawnshops open at the time, they were only able to find a Grafton, which Parker proceeded to use at the concert that night. This concert is documented on the album Jazz at Massey Hall. The album is considered one of the greatest live recordings in Jazz history.
Parker's battles with alcoholism and heroin addiction ranged from his teenage years until his death from pneumonia and a bleeding ulcer at thirty-four. The toll that the drug had taken on his relatively young body was quite profound - a doctor examining Parker's body estimated him to be around sixty years old.
During his lifetime, tribute was paid to Parker when a new nightclub in New York was named Birdland in his honour in 1949.Three years later, George Shearing wrote "Lullaby of Birdland", which was named for both Parker and the nightclub.
Other phenomena also occurred in the United States after the death of Parker, particularly the use of the term "Bird lives" in graffiti throughout New York hours after his death, and later as the title of a contemporary art piece of the same name, created by sculptor Robert Graham in 1999. Despite its widespread use, Ted Joans is usually credited with its inception.
Don't Blame Me
Charlie Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've hung around you just like a fool
Falling head and heels in love like a kid out of school.
My poor heart is in an awful state now
But it's too late now to call a halt
So if I become a nuisance it's all your fault!
Don't blame me for falling in love with you
I'm under your spell but how can I help it!
Don't' blame me!
Can't you see when you do the things you do!
If I can't conceal the thrill that I'm feeling,
Don't blame; me.
Ican't help it if that doggoned moon above
Makes me need someone like you to love!
Blame your kiss as sweet as a kiss can be
And blame all your charms that melt in my arms
But don't blame me.
I like every single thing about you
Without a doubt you are like a dream
In my mind I find a picture of us as a team
Ever since the hour of our meeting
I've been repeating a silly phrase
Hoping that you'll understand me one of these days.
Don't blame me for falling in love with you
I'm under your spell but how can I help it!
Don't' blame me!
Can't you see when you do the things you do!
If I can't conceal the thrill that I'm feeling,
Don't blame; me.
Ican't help it if that doggoned moon above
Makes me need someone like you to love!
Blame your kiss as sweet as a kiss can be
And blame all your charms that melt in my arms
But don't blame me.
The lyrics of Charlie Parker's song "Don't Blame Me" tell the story of a person who has fallen completely in love with someone. The singer admits to being a fool and falling head over heels in love like a kid out of school. He explains that he cannot help the way he feels and cannot conceal the thrill that he is experiencing. The singer knows that his heart is in an awful state, but he also knows that it is too late to call a halt.
The story conveyed in this song is not uncommon, but the way that the lyrics are written tells a compelling story about the singer's predicament. The repetition of the phrase "Don't blame me" adds to the sense of inevitability and shows that the singer is accepting that he is in love and there is no way to change that. The dogged persistence with which the singer portrays his feelings adds a sense of desperation to the song, making it all the more poignant.
Line by Line Meaning
Ever since the lucky night I found you
From the moment I met you, I've been hooked on you.
I've hung around you just like a fool
I've been so infatuated with you that I've lost all sense of reason.
Falling head and heels in love like a kid out of school.
I've fallen deeply and foolishly in love with you like a young, naive student.
My poor heart is in an awful state now
My heart is broken now because I'm so enamored with you.
But it's too late now to call a halt
I can't stop myself from feeling what I feel.
So if I become a nuisance it's all your fault!
You're the one to blame if I become a pest because you've cast a spell on me.
Don't blame me for falling in love with you
My love for you is not my fault, but yours for being so irresistible.
I'm under your spell but how can I help it!
I'm mesmerized by you, and I can't do anything about it.
Can't you see when you do the things you do!
Your actions are what's causing my attraction for you.
If I can't conceal the thrill that I'm feeling,
I can't help but to show my excitement when I'm around you.
Don't blame; me.
Don't put the blame on me for your enchanting qualities.
I can't help it if that doggone moon above
I can't control the way I feel when the moon is shining above us.
Makes me need someone like you to love!
The moon is the reason why I'm drawn to someone like you.
Blame your kiss as sweet as a kiss can be
Your sweet, alluring kiss is the reason why I'm so smitten with you.
And blame all your charms that melt in my arms
Your irresistible personality and alluring qualities are what's causing me to smolder with desire.
But don't blame me.
Stop placing the responsibility on me for falling in love with you; it's entirely on you.
I like every single thing about you
I'm fond of every little thing about you, from your looks to your personality.
Without a doubt you are like a dream
You're like a dream come true to me because of your captivating presence.
In my mind I find a picture of us as a team
I can't help but picture us as a successful duo because of how compatible we are.
Ever since the hour of our meeting
From the moment we met, I've been intrigued by you.
I've been repeating a silly phrase
I keep telling myself a silly phrase in hopes that you'll notice me and reciprocate my feelings.
Hoping that you'll understand me one of these days.
I'm hopeful that you'll realize how much I care about you one of these days.
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Sentric Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DOROTHY FIELDS, JIMMY MC HUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thomasleary2814
I blame you Bird. I blame you for being the most amazing maestro of any musical instrument in the history of creation.
@swingmanic
The first "Bird" track I heard and after this, I was hooked!! - I'm 65 years old now and still have the very same vinyl album I heard it on when I was 15.
@olebirgerpedersen
I have loved this Interpretation since I was 16 and still I love it 66 years after.
@moonriverdiver
Charlie Parker always incredible but his ballads are sublime and evoke a unique mood that I don't want scrambled by his (also great) up-tempo numbers and it so happens that this collection helpfully collects what are also my own favorites so thanks for that.
@stormyfeather9035
Bird is just fantastic, magic,amazing,wonderful,probably the best sax player in the world.
@MrBongoagogo
That tone pure gold
@giorgigvelesiani9180
timeless.
@Delfidash
love
@gemini2757
Charlie... โค๏ธ๐ผ
@raefblack7906
niceโค