The purpose of the band was to stir pro-Nazi sympathy, draw attention to World War II Allied losses, and carry Adolf Hitler's messages in an entertaining form. The songs stressed how badly the war was going for the target audience, and how it was only going to be a matter of time before they would be beaten.
Led by German accented front man Karl Schwedler ("Charlie"), conducted by Lutz Templin, and paced by drummer Fritz "Freddie" Brocksieper, the band included Kurt Abraham on reeds and Willy Berking on trombone. The group formed in 1940, making over 90 recordings between March 1941 and February 1943. Arrangements were by Templin, Willy Berking, and Franz Mück, with lyrics written by the Propagandaministerium. Schwedler was allowed permission to travel to neutral and occupied countries to collect jazz and dance music, which helped the band and propaganda ministry to craft more recordings.
Popular American swing songs - and popular British tunes/songs - were initially performed true to the original, until about the second or third verse which were replaced by pro-German lyrics and monologues. For example, in the tune You're Driving Me Crazy, Schwedler croons about the confusion of new love, and in the third verse continues: Here is Winston Churchill's latest tear-jerker: Yes, the Germans are driving me crazy / I thought I had brains / But they shot down my planes..." Later, the entire lyric would be modified, clearly based on the original. The band even recorded some "cover versions" of the originals, unaltered.
Indeed, anecdotal accounts indicate that Winston Churchill enjoyed the broadcasts, finding the lyrics hilarious.
Many of the members of Charlie and his Orchestra went on to successful careers in music after the war.
Honey
Charlie and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When it rains it's gonna pour
When you're high yeah you're gonna soar
When you're down you get real low
Since i've done it my way I feel fine
Clap your hands if you're feelin' better
The sun came up and it's warmer weather
I used to cry it's kind of funny
Got a girl stayn' at my place
Pretty smile with a pretty face
She was saved by amazing grace
With a suntan golden brown
Since i've done it my way I feel fine
Clap your hands if you're feelin' better
The sun came up and it's warmer weather
I used to cry it's kind of funny
And the girl I'm with is sweet as honey
Hey!
Clap your hands if you're feelin' better
The sun came up and it's warmer weather
Well I used to cry it's kind of funny
And the girl I'm with is sweet as honey
And the girl I'm with is sweet as honey
And the girl I'm with is sweet as honey
And the girl I'm with is sweet as honey
And the girl I'm with is sweet as honey
These lyrics from the song "Honey" by Charlie and His Orchestra convey a sense of optimism and positivity. The first paragraph suggests that in life, there are ups and downs, indicated by the reference to rain pouring and getting low when feeling down. However, it also acknowledges that when someone is high or feeling good, they will soar. The singer states that since they have started doing things their own way, they feel fine, implying a sense of personal empowerment and contentment.
The second paragraph introduces the presence of a girl in the singer's life. She is described as having a pretty smile and face and being saved by "amazing grace." This implies that she may have had a difficult past or faced challenges, but has ultimately found redemption or salvation. The reference to her "suntan golden brown" suggests a warm and radiant presence, perhaps indicating the positive impact she has had on the singer's life.
The repeated chorus emphasizes the shift in the singer's emotions and well-being. They invite the listeners to join them in celebrating their improved state of mind by clapping their hands. The mention of the sun coming up and warmer weather represents a metaphorical shift from darkness and sadness to brightness and joy. The singer reflects on how they used to cry, but now they find it funny, indicating a move towards a more lighthearted and optimistic perspective.
The repeated line "And the girl I'm with is sweet as honey" reinforces the presence and significance of the girl in the singer's life. It suggests that she brings sweetness, happiness, and contentment. The use of the analogy of honey evokes a sense of delight and natural beauty. Overall, these lyrics convey a message of personal growth, finding happiness, and the transformative power of positive relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
One thing that I know for sure
I have a strong conviction about one specific thing
When it rains it's gonna pour
When a difficult situation arises, it tends to escalate quickly
When you're high yeah you're gonna soar
When you are feeling great, you will experience an incredible sense of freedom and achievement
When you're down you get real low
When you are feeling sad or depressed, you go to a very low emotional state
Since i've done it my way I feel fine
Ever since I started following my own path, I have been content and satisfied
Clap your hands if you're feelin' better
If you are feeling improvements in your well-being, show your happiness by applauding
The sun came up and it's warmer weather
With the arrival of a new day, the temperature has increased and the atmosphere has become more pleasant
I used to cry it's kind of funny
In the past, I used to shed tears in a situation that now seems amusing or ironic
And the girl I'm with is sweet as honey
The woman I am currently in a relationship with is incredibly kind and pleasant
Got a girl stayn' at my place
I have a woman staying with me at my home
Pretty smile with a pretty face
She has an attractive appearance, highlighted by her beautiful smile
She was saved by amazing grace
She has experienced a miraculous salvation or redemption through divine intervention
With a suntan golden brown
Her skin has acquired a lovely, golden brown tone through exposure to the sun
Hey!
An exclamation used to grab someone's attention or show excitement
And the girl I'm with is sweet as honey
The woman I am currently in a relationship with is incredibly kind and pleasant
And the girl I'm with is sweet as honey
The woman I am currently in a relationship with is incredibly kind and pleasant
And the girl I'm with is sweet as honey
The woman I am currently in a relationship with is incredibly kind and pleasant
And the girl I'm with is sweet as honey
The woman I am currently in a relationship with is incredibly kind and pleasant
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Morris Montgomery lll
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@yvesfrancoisritmo
Desert island recording for me. I know it's sweet - so what - it's incredible!! Vic on vocals, JC trombone. Yes, I need this on 78. Anything by Luis Russell from 1929 to 1934 is fair game to desert island.
I could listen to this a hundred times - JC is beyond incredible here. The trumpet break is good as well (Allen - or maybe one of the other trumpets?)
@jazzwatch64
Dig that alto and bowing on Pop's bass.....J.C vocal and his trombone real good......3 stars......
@danielweinstein5252
It cannot be J.C. singing, as his trombone overlaps with the start of the vocal. I see no reason to doubt that this was Vic Dickenson's recording debut, albeit as a vocalist. J.C. and Vic crossed paths many times from the Wes Helvey days in the mid-1920's onward.
@itoral
Tom Lord credits Dickenson as well, citing the CD 'Vic Dickenson: Nice Work: 1930-1961' on Retrospective RTR4294 currently reviewed at MusicWeb International.
@JCJasion
I recall seeing the name "Nesbit" on the composer credits for this song in the Red Hot Jazz Archive. Could have that been John Nesbitt who had also arranged for the McKinney's Cotton Pickers along with Don Redman. Nesbitt was killed in a car crash late in 1930. At any rate, the recording has a "McKinney's feel" to it. I could picture McKinney's banjoist Dave Wilborn doing the vocal. I did have the luck to meet Mr. Wilborn at the gig of the New McKinney's Cotton Pickers during the Newport Jazz Festival in New York City in June of 1974.
@bibi1944
yes, and lucky you
@mattz8234
Does anyone know the text of this song? I've desperate to find it. Thanks in advance.
@bibi1944
Matt Zelas the singer...is it the wrong text?
@mattz8234
I wrote down the lyrics as I could not find them anywhere on the net.
I hope they are correct.
Honey that reminds me, of days gone by
Lots of days behind me, make me almost cry
I’m blue, so blue baby, thinking of you
Hoping, that you’re, thinking of me too
Crying all the day for, your love in vain
Hoping for the day when, again we’ll be the same
So, hear me moan, hurry home, hurry by my side
Honey that reminds me, of you.
@j.w.2391
Not "hurry by my side"...but Cuddle by....I love this ballad myself.