Clifford Brown (October 30, 1930 – June 26, 1956), aka "Brownie," was an Am… Read Full Bio ↴Clifford Brown (October 30, 1930 – June 26, 1956), aka "Brownie," was an American jazz trumpeter. He died aged 25 in a car accident, leaving behind only four years' worth of recordings. Nonetheless, he had a considerable influence on later jazz trumpet players, including Donald Byrd, Lee Morgan, Booker Little, and Freddie Hubbard, among others. He was also a composer of note: two of his compositions, "Joy Spring" and "Daahoud", have become jazz standards.

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

Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
Clifford Brown Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

He's my guy, I don't care what he does
'Cause he's my guy, I guess he always was,
He's careless about me, I don't think he tries
But once in a while he'll hug me and smile
Then I can see me in his eyes

Oh he's my guy, I know he'll always be
And I will try to keep him loving me

However he wants me, I'm his until I die

For nobody knows, better than I
That he's my guy

Overall Meaning

In Clifford Brown's song Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man, the lyrics express a deep and unconditional love for someone who may not reciprocate the same level of affection. The singer declares that "he's my guy" and she doesn't care what he does or how he treats her because she knows that he belongs to her. Despite his careless attitude towards her, the singer admits that once in a while he will embrace her and smile and in that moment, she can see herself reflected in his eyes. The lyrics convey a sense of contentment and acceptance towards the relationship, regardless of how uneven the love may be.

The song's theme is one that is still relevant in relationships today - the idea of loving someone who doesn't necessarily love you back in the same way. The lyrics capture the complexity of such relationships and how the one-sided love can still feel fulfilling and meaningful to the person who loves deeply. Overall, the song is a beautiful depiction of the intricacies of love and is a tribute to the enduring power of the emotion.

Line by Line Meaning

He's my guy, I don't care what he does
I have chosen him as my partner and I accept him with all his flaws and actions.

'Cause he's my guy, I guess he always was,
I have always had a special connection with him and it seems like we were meant to be together.

He's careless about me, I don't think he tries
He may not always show it or put in effort, but I know that he feels something for me.

But once in a while he'll hug me and smile
Although rare, his displays of affection towards me mean the world to me.

Then I can see me in his eyes
I can sense the love and admiration he has for me when I look into his eyes.

Oh he's my guy, I know he'll always be
I have complete trust in him and our relationship, and I know that he will always be there for me.

And I will try to keep him loving me
I understand that relationships require effort and I am willing to put in the work to maintain our love for each other.

However he wants me, I'm his until I die
I am committed to him and am willing to fulfill his needs and desires in order to keep our love strong and lasting.

For nobody knows, better than I
I have a deep understanding and connection with him that no one else can comprehend or interfere with.

That he's my guy
He is my partner, my love, and my forever until the end of time.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jerome Kern, Oscar Ii Hammerstein

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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