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.
I Can
Charlie Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm sorry we're apart
I can't pretend
I just can't fool my heart
Though I make mine
My friends all seem to realize
Their smiles, that look in my eye
I can't pretend
For in the end
My tears give me away
Without you dear
I live a lie
I can't defend
I love you
And I can't pretend
These lyrics from Charlie Parker's song "I Can't" express the pain and longing of a person who cannot pretend that they are happy without their loved one. The singer admits that although they have tried to make the best of the situation and put on a brave face, they cannot deceive their heart. They find it impossible to be truly happy without the person they love and this is evident in the tears they shed. The lyrics are emotive and poignant, with the singer confessing that they are living a lie without their lover, and that they cannot help loving them.
The repeated use of the phrase "I can't pretend" in the lyrics emphasizes the singer's inability to hide their true emotions. This repetition creates a sense of sorrow and desperation, as if the singer is pleading for their lover to come back to them. The use of the word "gayer" also adds to the emotional impact of the song, as it suggests that the singer is struggling not just with sadness, but with a sense of isolation and loneliness.
Overall, this song captures the raw emotion of a heartbroken individual who cannot pretend that they are ok without their loved one. The lyrics evoke a sense of vulnerability, honesty, and desperation that is sure to resonate with listeners who have experienced similar struggles in their own relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't pretend
I am unable to mask my true feelings
I'm sorry we're apart
I am unhappy that we are not together
I just can't fool my heart
I cannot deceive my own emotions
Though I make mine
Even though I try to adopt a positive attitude
My friends all seem to realize
The people close to me can see through my facade
Their smiles, that look in my eye
The expressions on their faces give them away
I simply can't be gayer
I cannot force myself to be any happier
For in the end
Ultimately
My tears give me away
My crying reveals my true emotions
Without you dear
In your absence
I live a lie
I am living a dishonest life as my true feelings are hidden
I can't defend
I cannot rationalize or justify
I love you
I have deep affection and care for you
And I can't pretend
I cannot keep pretending otherwise
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: W EDWARD BREUDER, PAUL RUSINCKY, CHARLES TOBIAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ziruini5071
I love the expressions the bassist and the drummer have in the picture. This music makes people smile
@jimmuldoon150
That's Oscar Peterson (piano) and Ray Brown (bass)
@karvakeisari9359
Don't you recognize great Oscar Peterson?! :/
@ziruini5071
I guess I didn’t. Sorry
@beefheart1410
Glorious when I was 21; still glorious now I'm 51!
@dtopham100
and will still be when you are 71!
@olebirgerpedersen
And even when you are 81.
@monktrane325
my goodness I adore this man
@michaelsammin9055
Charlie Parker. I don't know why I even bother to listen to anyone else.
@deadboss1193
Michael Sammin so true. Even all the greats seem to fade under him.