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.
The Nearness of You
Charlie Parker Lyrics
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That thrills and delights me, oh no
Its just the nearness of you
It isn't your sweet conversation
That brings this sensation, oh no
Its just the nearness of you
All my wildest dreams come true
I need no soft lights to enchant me
If you'll only grant me the right
To hold you ever so tight
And to feel in the night the nearness of you
In Charlie Parker's "The Nearness of You," the singer speaks of a feeling of electrifying closeness with their lover. They describe how it is not physical attributes or even their partner's personality that brings them joy, but simply being near them. When they are holding each other, they feel their wildest dreams coming true, and do not require any external factors to feel enchanted.
These lyrics are likely describing a deep and meaningful relationship, where the mere presence of a person can bring immense joy and fulfillment. The singer is content simply to hold their lover close and feel their warmth and energy, without needing outside validation or stimulation.
Overall, "The Nearness of You" is a powerful ode to the beauty of intimacy and connection, and a reminder of how important it can be to cherish those moments of closeness in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Its not the pale moon that excites me
The pale moon doesn't excite me, it's not what I desire.
That thrills and delights me, oh no
I don't seek something that would thrill or delight me.
Its just the nearness of you
It's just being near you that excites me and brings me joy.
It isn't your sweet conversation
Your sweet conversation isn't what creates this feeling.
That brings this sensation, oh no
This feeling is not coming from just your sweet conversation.
Its just the nearness of you
It's just being close to you that brings this sensation.
When you're in my arms and I feel you so close to me
When you are in my arms and I feel you so close to me, my greatest desires come true.
All my wildest dreams come true
All of my deepest and most longed-for desires are fulfilled in that moment.
I need no soft lights to enchant me
I do not require any special lighting or setting to create a romantic mood.
If you'll only grant me the right
If you only allow me the opportunity.
To hold you ever so tight
To embrace you closely and tightly.
And to feel in the night the nearness of you
And to experience the feeling of being near you, especially in the night.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind