He won the Down Beat critics' poll for the 'New Star of the Year' in 1954; he was inducted into the Down Beat 'Jazz Hall of Fame' in 1972 in the critics' poll. Sandoval described him as "one of what we call the mandatory trumpet players" who was "one of the greatest trumpet players of all time".
Wilmington, Delaware, (where Brownie was born and is buried), hosts an annual jazz fest in his honor. Sponsored by the cities arts commission known as Citifest, the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival is a FREE week long event held mostly in outdoor venues at various locations in Wilmington. The festival usually occurs the 3rd week in June of each year.
Noteable websites are:
The Clifford Brown Jazz Festival: http://www.cliffordbrownjazzfest.com
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifford_Brown and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifford_Brown_Jazz_Festival
Brownie, the unofficial memorial website: http://cliffordbrown.net
April In Paris
Clifford Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I dream each night
You say you love me and hold me tight
But when I awake and youre out of sight
Oh, darn that dream
Darn your lips and darn your eyes
They lift me high above the moonlit sky
Oh, darn that dream
Darn that one track mind of mine
It cant understand that you dont care
Just to change the mood Im in
Id welcome a nice old nightmare
Darn that dream
And bless it too
Without that dream I never have you
But it haunts me and it wont come true
Oh, darn that dream
The song "April in Paris" by Clifford Brown is a classic jazz tune that has been covered countless times by many iconic musicians. However, the lyrics of the song "Darn that Dream" are the star of the show. These lyrics speak of a dream that the singer has each night where they are with the person they love. In the dream, the person holds them tight and makes them feel as though they are on top of the world. However, when the singer wakes up, they are alone and the dream fades away. The lyrics delve deeper into the emotions of love, longing, and the pain of unrequited love.
The lyrics personify the dream as almost a character, as it torments the singer by giving them what they want and then snatching it away each morning. The singer acknowledges that without the dream they would never have the person they long for, but they cannot help but feel frustrated by it. They express their desire to break free from the spell of the dream as it is a reminder of what they cannot have.
Overall, the lyrics of "Darn that Dream" are relatable to anyone who has ever been in love or experienced heartbreak. The dream serves as a symbol of hope and a reminder of what is out of reach, yet also a source of pain for the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
Darn that dream
Disapproval of a recurring fantasy
I dream each night
The dream is constant and persistent
You say you love me and hold me tight
The dream involves love and affection
But when I awake and youre out of sight
Reality sets in and the dream fades away
Oh, darn that dream
The dream is a source of frustration
Darn your lips and darn your eyes
Blaming someone or something for the dream
They lift me high above the moonlit sky
The dream is euphoric and surreal
Then I tumble out of paradise
The dream is shattered when reality hits
Oh, darn that dream
The frustration continues
Darn that one track mind of mine
Self-blame for the recurring dream
It cant understand that you dont care
The dreamer struggles to accept reality
Just to change the mood Im in
The dreamer desires a shift in emotional state
Id welcome a nice old nightmare
The dreamer is willing to try anything to escape the recurring dream
Darn that dream
The frustration persists
And bless it too
A paradoxical relationship with the dream
Without that dream I never have you
The dream is the only time the dreamer can be with their loved one
But it haunts me and it wont come true
Reality is the barrier preventing the dream from becoming reality
Oh, darn that dream
The song ends with the same frustration it began with
Lyrics © SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC. , Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: E. Y. HARBURG, VERNON DUKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kevin Wilmore
A recurring sublime melody that brings me to tears. Especially when I've had a few. Then here comes Clifford.
njcrossroads
5:00 Listen how she sings "reprise...I never knew the charm of Spring" all in one beautifully controlled breath. Amazing!
Sally Bowles
To be honest Doris Day does the same, and others too, so maybe in the original version it said to do it like this. Of course this version is number one
Henry Tozer
This is the version that made me fall in love with this song... I've just recorded it myself and released it on my own YouTube Channel here... I come nowhere close to Sarah (or the greats of the time), but I'm doing my bit to try to bring this beautiful music - a time when music had grace and sincerity - to new generations. I'd love you to listen and let me know what you think.
Michael
One of the gems of music, Sarah.... the amtosphere on this piece is pure art
Thomas Lombardo
One of the many gems she recorded with Clifford Brown. . Glorious from beginning to end.
Donald Penegar
One of the best. Vocalist of all time Beautiful track Love sassy
.
Donald Fedosiuk
Amazing how the beginning of Clifford's solo so eerily replicates the sound of a human voice!
Jack Gedzelman
An enormously talented performer. Her singing was all soul and simply unforgetable
Jack
I'm here because of Ishiguro's book. I'm so glad i checked this song. So beautiful