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.
East of the Sun & West of the Moon
Charlie Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll build a dream house of love dear
Close to the sun in the day
Near to the moon at night
We'll live in a lovely way dear
Sharing our love in the pale moonlight
Just you and I,
Love will not die,
We'll keep it that way
Up among the stars
We'll find a harmony of life to a lovely tune
East of the sun and west of the moon dear
East of the sun and west of the moon
The lyrics of Charlie Parker's "East of the Sun" express a desire to build a dream house of love in a place that is both close to the sun and near to the moon. The imagery of being "east of the sun and west of the moon" suggests a place that is beyond the limits of the known world, suggesting an idealized, romanticized destination for the lovers. The lyrics convey a sense of euphoria and enchantment as the couple imagines living in a state of perfect harmony and sharing their love in the pale moonlight. The song presents a utopian vision of love as something that transcends time and space, and that can exist in a realm beyond the mundane world.
The idea of finding a harmony of life to a lovely tune suggests a musical metaphor for love and relationships. The line "Love will not die, we'll keep it that way" reinforces the idea that love is something that can be preserved and sustained over time. The song is a tribute to the power of love to transport us to another realm, a place where we can find serenity and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
East of the sun and west of the moon
We are creating a dream-like space, unbound by time or earthly directions
We'll build a dream house of love dear
Our love is our foundation, and we will create a beautiful life within it
Close to the sun in the day
Our love will shine bright and strong, like the sun's rays
Near to the moon at night
Our love will also be tranquil and serene, like the moon's glow
We'll live in a lovely way dear
Together, we will create and experience all the beauty that life has to offer
Sharing our love in the pale moonlight
We will share our love with each other and with the world around us
Just you and I,
Our love is a bond between two people, and nothing else matters
Forever and a day
Our love is eternal, and will endure through all time
Love will not die,
Our love is more enduring than anything else, even death
We'll keep it that way
We will work to maintain our love and keep it strong
Up among the stars
Our love is so strong that it can reach even beyond the physical world
We'll find a harmony of life to a lovely tune
In our love, we will find a balance between all aspects of life, and it will be beautiful
East of the sun and west of the moon dear
Our love is beyond earthly directions and limitations, and is something truly magic
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Brooks Bowman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nealluczkiewicz6846
Simply outstanding. Lyrical, joyful, Parker finally got to play with some big orchestrass
Behind him, a dream fulfilled. The liner notes of this alblum - Charlei Parker with strings - are well worth reading.
@Transterra55
When the colors, calligraphy, and illustration of the album cover are as cool as the music on the album, it is a guaranteed hit.
@garysnyder1875
At 2:40! Wooooo.