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
Don't Explain
Clifford Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know you raise Cain
I'm glad you're back
Don't explain
Quiet, don't explain
You mixed with some dame
Skip that lipstick
You know that I love you and what love endures
All my thoughts are of you
For I'm so completely yours
Cry to hear folks chatter, and I know you cheat
But right and wrong don't matter when you're with me sleep
Hush now, don't explain
You're my joy and pain
My life's yours love
Don't explain
The lyrics to Clifford Brown's song Don't Explain are about forgiveness and unconditional love. The song is addressing a partner who has done wrong and is trying to explain their actions. However, the singer already knows the truth and is telling their partner not to explain, as they are just glad that they are back. The singer acknowledges that their partner has been with someone else, but it does not matter because they are completely devoted to them. The singer is willing to overlook any wrongdoing because they love their partner deeply and unconditionally. Overall, the message of the song is one of forgiveness and the power of love to conquer all.
The song Don't Explain was released in 1955 on the album Clifford Brown And Max Roach. The song was written by jazz vocalist Billie Holiday and her longtime collaborator, Arthur Herzog Jr. After writing the song, Holiday recorded it in 1946 and it became a hit. Brown's instrumental version is a tribute to the iconic jazz singer, who wrote the song in response to her husband's infidelity.
Line by Line Meaning
Hush now don't explain
Be quiet, there's no need to defend yourself
I know you raise Cain
I know you like to create trouble and stir things up
I'm glad you're back
I am happy to have you back with me
Don't explain
There's nothing you need to say or justify
Quiet, don't explain
Be calm and remain silent, no need to explain
You mixed with some dame
You were with another woman
Skip that lipstick
I don't need to hear your excuses
Don't explain
No need to defend yourself or offer excuses
You know that I love you and what love endures
I love you no matter what happens
All my thoughts are of you
I think about you constantly
For I'm so completely yours
My love for you is all-encompassing
Cry to hear folks chatter, and I know you cheat
It hurts me to hear people talk badly about you because I know you have been unfaithful
But right and wrong don't matter when you're with me sleep
As long as we are together, nothing else matters
You're my joy and pain
You bring me both happiness and heartache
My life's yours love
I am devoted to you
Don't explain
There's nothing you need to say to justify my love for you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Arthur Jr. Herzog, Billie Holiday
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Astro MW
J.I.D’s song is amazing, yet this song in itself is just as amazing.
JazzTube
Review 1/2
Digital Mastering was first carried out on the original master tapes of the "We Remember Clifford Original Collection" which were then reissued as 30cm LPs, meeting with high critical praise on account of the astonishingly clear, sparkling sound of Max Roach's cymbals and Clifford Brown's trumpet. These records have become highly valued by fans of Compact Discs, who are ever searching for better and more beautiful sound quality.
"Helen Merrill" has been issued several times hitherto, but there is no doubt that the best sound is available on the present Compact Disc.
It is indeed a happy event when a jazz record produced in 1954 can come back to life with improved sound in the form of a Compact Disc.
Helen Merrill began singing professionally from the age of fifteen, and is thus a veteran with a singing career stretching over forty years. However the recording for which she is most celebrated is undoubtedly "Helen Merrill" an album recorded when she was twenty-five years old. The record thus has the sparkle of youth, with a hint of seductiveness, but, as well as this, it is a superb example of jazz singing, as such not only being Merrill's own most famous work, being counted amongst the best examples of jazz vocalise ever produced.
It must not be overlooked however that the success of the album was made possible also thanks to the superb arrangements of the then twenty-one year old Quincy Jones and the accompaniment provided by Clifford Brown and the other first-rate musicians.
All the conditions were thus favourable for the production of a true masterpiece. As well as being the album which launched Merrill's career, it would, had it been a work of literature, no doubt have been awarded one of the major annual literary prizes.
It was this record which made Helen Merrill into a star, and, especially in Japan, created a large body of Helen Merrill fans, her renderings of "You'd be So Nice to Come Home to" and "Falling in Love with Love" as included on the album becoming almost synonymous with her name.
Helen Merrill lived in Japan for five years between 1967 and 1972 in connection with her husband's work, and thus became a Japanophile with some ability in the Japanese language. Meeting her three years ago by chance in a New York club, she began the conversation in Japanese by joking that she couldn't speak English. She has visited Japan to give concerts on several occasions over the recent years, and her popularity in Japan remains at a very high level.
She seems to have become rejuvenated recently, and her voice now projects beautifully. It almost makes one think that she might have fallen in love once again, since women seem truly to sparkle when they are in love.
The present session was planned by Bob Shad, who was working at the time as the producer for EmArcy, as Helen's first album on the EmArcy label. The planning was carried out with the greatest care, engagement being offered to the top young trumpeter, Clifford Brown, and arrangements being commissioned from the young arranger, Quincy Jones, who was a colleague of Brown in the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, with which he had travelled to Europe, there to record with the orchestra for French Vogue.
The plan succeeded brilliantly, and the album not only launched Helen's career, but met everywhere with the highest critical acclaim.
Helen Merrill possesses a slightly husky but at the same time fine and delicate voice. She was born on 21 July 1930. Her parents were of Yugoslav origin and the sensitive and finely wrought expressive powers which she brings to bear in her work might well be related to her European background and account for the responsive chord which she strikes with Japanese listeners. She has a calm and reserved personality, almost to the extent that she seems Japanese in character. Ever since her first visit to Japan, she has always received a warm welcome in this country.
JazzTube
Review 2/2
The pieces recorded on the album are as follows:
—Don't Explain
—Born to be Blue
—You'd be so Nice to Come Home to
—'s Wonderful
Helen Merrill: Vocals
Clifford Brown: Trumpet
Danny Bank: Baritone sax, bass clarinet, flute
Jimmy Jones: Piano
Barry Galbraith: Guitar
Milt Hinton: Bass
Osie Johnson: Drums
Quincy Jones: Arranger conductor
Recorded in New York on 22 December 1954.
—Yesterdays
—Falling in Love with Love
—What's New
Hinton and Jones are absent in the above pieces, the ensemble being completed by Oscar Pettiford (bass, cello) and Bobby Donaldson (drums). Bank is absent in "What's New" Recorded in New York on 24 December 1954.
1. Don't Explain
This is a sad love song composed by Billy Holliday, in collaboration with Arthur Herzog, supposedly after her husband had returned home after a bout of unfaithfulness. Brownie's melancholy trumpet solo emphasises the sadness of the song. The feelings expressed here might well be diffrent from those actually experienced by Billy, but that hardly matters since everybody's experience of love is different.
2. You'd be so Nice to Come Home to
This song became well-known in Japan almost entirely thanks to Helen Merrill. The lyrics and melody were composed in 1943 by Cole Porter for the film "Something to Shout About" The piece is in medium tempo, and features a superb arrangement by Quincy Jones. The touch of sadness in Helen's voice, Brownie's solo—all the elements combine to create a perfect rendering of the song.
3. What's New
This song was written by Bob Haggart who used to play the bass with Bob Crosby and His Bob Cats, and the lyrics were the work of Jonny Burke. It is a beautiful romantic ballad, and the delicate European manner in which Helen treats the rhythm is quite superb. Brownie's solo also feasts the ears.
4. Falling in Love with Love
Composed in 1938 by Richard Rogers, with lyrics by Laurence Hart. This is also one of Helen's most well-known numbers. The lyrics run to the effect that everybody when young plays the fool by falling in love with love, but real love is then allowed to escape by. The spotlight is given to Pettiford's cello, Jones's piano, and Brownie's trumpet.
5. Yesterdays
A song composed by Jerome Kern for "Roberta" and with lyrics by Otto Harback. The piece features stylish singing and playing. Especially impressive is Helen's dreamy ballad singing style.
6. Born to be Blue
This is one of the most well-known songs of the singer
Mel Torme, written in collaboration with Robert Wells.
7 s' Wonderful
This is one of Helen's favourite songs, and she sang it at the reception which was given when she came to Japan for the first time. The piece is sung in a fast tempo with a swinging rhythm. The song was composed by George Gershwin. Despite the fact that she had only just started upon her career, her individual singing style is already in full evidence, indicating that she is a singer of no mean ability. Also well worth a listen are Jones's piano, Galbraith's guitar, and Brownie's trumpet.
--Yozo lwanami
Casual_DropoutYT
J.i.d with the fire sample🔥
rjb 112
NIce. Thanks for making this You Tube video.
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