B… Read Full Bio ↴Chris Barber (born 17th April 1930) is an English jazz trombonist.
Barber was born in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, and educated at St Paul's School in London. He is best known as a trombonist playing in the trad style with his Dixieland jazz band.
In 1953-1954 he was in a band called Ken Colyer's Jazzmen with Ken Colyer, Lonnie Donegan, , Jim Bray, Ron Bowden and Monty Sunshine. It was during this period that the band used to play Skiffle during their breaks and Lonnie Donegan sang the "Midnight Special" and "In the evening, when de sun go down" which turned out to be big sellers at the time.
At the end of a year there was a bustup and Ken Colyer stormed out to start up his own band and Chris Barber took over the band and renamed it. From an earlier conversation I had with Lonnie Donegan, I was led to believe the bust up concerned Ken Colyer and him.
When The Saints Go Marching In
Chris Barber Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Remembering that spring day, that lonely night.
Let's look up as we walk, count the blurry stars
Remembering that summer day, that lonely night.
Happiness is above the clouds,
Happiness is above the skies.
Let's look up as we walk, so that the tears don't spill
Remembering that autumn day, that lonely night.
Sadness is in the shadow of the clouds,
Sadness is in the shadow of the moon.
Let's walk with our head held up so that the tears don't spill,
Crying as we walk, that lonely night.
The lyrics of Chris Barber's song "Sukiyaki" (which is not the original title of the song, nor does it have anything to do with the Japanese dish) speak to the importance of keeping your head up and looking towards what is above in order to avoid being consumed by sadness and tears. The repetitive nature of the lyrics, with each verse starting with "Let's look up as we walk" suggests a mantra to hold onto when life is hard. The references to different seasons and times of day further emphasize the cyclical nature of life, with its highs and lows. The lines "Happiness is above the clouds, Happiness is above the skies" could be interpreted as a reminder to seek out joy and hope on a larger scale, beyond our immediate struggles.
The song was originally written and recorded in 1961 by Kyu Sakamoto, a Japanese singer and actor, under the title "Ue o Muite Arukou". It became a massive hit in Japan and around the world, with multiple cover versions and translations into different languages. The song's popularity in the United States was somewhat surprising, as it was one of the few non-English language songs to reach the top of the charts. In fact, it was the first and only song with lyrics in Japanese to make it to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Interestingly, the original Japanese lyrics are quite different from the English ones sung by Chris Barber. While the melody and the basic sentiment of the song remain the same, the verses speak to different themes. The Japanese lyrics are about trying to hide one's tears from others, feeling strong in the face of hardship, and looking up at the sky for guidance. The title "Ue o Muite Arukou" literally translates to "I'll walk looking up", which fits perfectly with the repeated refrain in both versions.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's look up as we walk, so that the tears don't spill
We must always keep a positive outlook in life, so that we don't dwell on sadness
Remembering that spring day, that lonely night.
Reflecting on the past can bring both happiness and sadness
Let's look up as we walk, count the blurry stars
We should always take time to appreciate the beauty in life
Remembering that summer day, that lonely night.
Memories are powerful and can evoke strong emotions
Happiness is above the clouds,
True happiness can be found in optimism and positivity
Happiness is above the skies.
The never-ending skies inspire our imagination to reach for happiness
Crying as we walk, that lonely night.
Sometimes we need to release our emotions to move on from sadness
Remembering that autumn day, that lonely night.
The changing of seasons can also represent the changes in life and emotions
Sadness is in the shadow of the clouds,
Sadness can linger in our minds, just like clouds casting shadows
Sadness is in the shadow of the moon.
The phases of the moon can represent the cyclical nature of emotions
Let's walk with our head held up so that the tears don't spill,
We must be resilient and keep moving forward, even through difficult times
Crying as we walk, that lonely night.
Even in our darkest moments, it is important to keep moving forward
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILL (USA) BLACK, PD TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jacktolkien5685
Love this version! R.I.P. Chris barber! Your memories will live on
@1510Ronald
R.I.P. Chris, you are now in heaven to play this peace on the judgement day - I will be there
@denisespencer6550
When did he die?
@keithtanner2806
I have this original record. Just the most outstanding band of the time. Chris is still touring, amazingly, but so many of this band are now gone. I met them fleetingly a couple of times and was privileged to be invited to the unveiling of the memorial plaque at Ottilie’s birthplace in Comber NI, later I attended her tribute concert at the nearby La Mon Hotel. Ottilie is buried in the Paterson family grave in Movilla Abbey cemetery. Such a stunning voice from an impossible frame.
@lanc3man
Wonderful interplay between Chris and Pat at 3.04 to 3.18 - Marvellous !
@percyeggbowelman4050
Once again Chris Barber is at the top of his game!
@1510Ronald
best version ever
@60sken
I too wish it would come back. In the 60s we would go regularly to trad jazz at Cadnam. The place swung everyone was happy. This sound makes you happy. Ottille is brilliant ,I’m happy now,thanks for posting
@bobbeck2743
Monty Sunshine the best clarinetist of all time.
@andysolution62
absolut....