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.
In The Still Of The Night
Charlie Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Interesting Facts ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As I gaze out of my window
At the moon in it's flight
My thoughts all stray, stray to you
In the still of the night
While the world lies in slumber
Oh the times without number
Do you love me
Just like I love you
Are you my life to be
That dream come true
Or will this dream of mine
Will it fade way out of sight
Just like that moon growing dim
Way out on the rim of the hill
In the still of the night
The lyrics to Charlie Watts's song In The Still Of The Night paint the picture of someone who is alone and contemplative in the middle of the night. He's gazing out of his window at the moon and his thoughts all stray to someone he loves. The world around him is slumbering, but he cannot sleep. He wonders if this person he loves feels the same way about him. He questions whether they could be his "dream come true," or if it's just a hopeless fantasy.
The comparison to the moon growing dim on the rim of a hill in the still of the night highlights the sense of fading hope and dwindling possibility. The nighttime is a time of reflection, introspection and vulnerability, and the lyrics reflect those emotions beautifully. It's a quiet, melancholic ballad that speaks to the heart, deeply resonating with anyone who has felt these emotions before.
Interesting facts about the song:
Interesting Facts
Note: This section uses generative AI, which can be inaccurate.
Line by Line Meaning
In the still of the night
In the quiet, peaceful night
As I gaze out of my window
As I look out of my window
At the moon in its flight
Watching the moon moving through the sky
My thoughts all stray, stray to you
My thoughts wander to you
While the world lies in slumber
While everyone is asleep
Oh the times without number
So many times before
When I say to you
When I ask you
Do you love me
Do you have feelings for me
Just like I love you
As intensely as I do
Are you my life to be
Are we meant to be together
That dream come true
The one dream I've always had
Or will this dream of mine
Is my dream going to be a reality
Will it fade way out of sight
Or is it going to disappear like the moon
Just like that moon growing dim
Like the moon that's becoming less visible
Way out on the rim of the hill
On the outer edge of the horizon
In the still of the night
In the peaceful nighttime
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
lester56
The way Bird storms in on his solo is just incredible!One of my long-time favourite Parker solos...
DeadliftArnie
This is probably my all time favorite jazz solo. I first heard it in around 1960 and never forgot that sound. Brilliant.
CaseInPoint
@DeadliftArnie this ranks almost at the top of my all-time list. Second only to John Coltrane's short, expressive solo on Stella By Starlight recorded with Miles' Quintet.
CaseInPoint
Check out my post.
Compassion Please
IMO this recording is the single best saxophone improvisation on a standard. Bird even throws in a little “Pop Goes the Weasel.”
CaseInPoint
Listen for Parker's riff of "Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush" 😊 near the end. I purchased the 78 rpm disc as a teenager in the mid 1950s. I am still in awe of Bird's improvisational genius!
Scott Douglas Laxier
This song floors me every time. A simpler, wonderful time.
sam soul
a masterpiece
cluny
I'm glad you like this. When I get to this disc in the Complete box, this song with the breakdowns getting to what was released is just painful. Mitch Miller is working hard to frame and shine up something that doesn't need the packaging.
John Holloway
bird takes a standard and turns it on it head . pure creation. man it flowed so effort lesslee bird is the man