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
I'll Remember April
Clifford Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll sigh goodbye to all we ever had
Alone where we have walked together
I'll remember April and be glad
I'll be content you loved me once in April
Your lips were warm and love and spring were new
I'm not afraid of autumn and her sorrow
The fire will dwindle into glowing ashes
For flames live such a little while
I won't forget but I won't be lonely
I'll remember April and smile
The lyrics to Clifford Brown's song I'll Remember April capture the bittersweet feeling of reminiscing on a past love while simultaneously acknowledging that time has moved on. The first verse sets the scene of a beautiful day turning into evening, which can be interpreted as a metaphor for the passing of time. The line "We'll sigh goodbye to all we ever had" suggests that the relationship has ended, and the two lovers must go their separate ways. However, even in the midst of this sadness, there is still a sense of gratitude for the memories they shared. The second verse reflects on the specific details of their romance, particularly the warmth and newness of springtime love. Despite the passage of time, the singer claims they are "not afraid of autumn and her sorrow," likely because they will always have the memory of their love to hold onto. The final verse brings the imagery full circle, with the fire of their passion dwindling but not completely snuffed out. The singer acknowledges that they won't forget the love they shared, but they are also able to move on without being consumed by loneliness.
Overall, the lyrics to I'll Remember April convey a feeling of wistful nostalgia mixed with a sense of acceptance and moving forward. It is a poignant reminder that while relationships may end, the memories we create can continue to shape us for years to come.
Line by Line Meaning
This lovely day will lengthen into evening
The day we are currently experiencing will eventually come to an end.
We'll sigh goodbye to all we ever had
We will let go of past memories and possessions.
Alone where we have walked together
We will be alone in places where we had previously shared memories together.
I'll remember April and be glad
Despite the changes and losses, I will hold onto the memories of April with happiness.
I'll be content you loved me once in April
I will find peace in the fact that you loved me during the time of April.
Your lips were warm and love and spring were new
During April, we were experiencing the warmth of love and the freshness of spring.
I'm not afraid of autumn and her sorrow
I am not afraid of the upcoming changes and sadness that autumn may bring.
For I'll remember April and you
I will hold onto the memories of April and you, even during the upcoming changes.
The fire will dwindle into glowing ashes
The intensity of our passion and love will eventually fade into a simple memory.
For flames live such a little while
The passion we once had will only last for a short time.
I won't forget but I won't be lonely
I will never forget the time we shared, but I won't be lonely because I will hold onto the memories.
I'll remember April and smile
I will reflect on the happy memories of April and smile.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DON RAYE, GENE DE PAUL, PATRICIA JOHNSTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Luis Zuluaga
There’s a wonderful balance between all the musicians in this performance.
PabluchoViision
This is like watching Aaron, Mays, Clemente, Mantle, and Robinson play ball........!!! What a thrilling time machine. Scorching energy here, with ideas, joy, and passion. Brownie was and is one of the giants of the game!!
Craig Kimpel
The nice thing about Jazz, is that stars never mind and have never minded sharing the lime light. All contribute their own specialness, yet sound amazing together as well.
drummerschild
sheesh. astonishing trumpet solo. his rhythm and time always gets me. god bless clifford brown
Dealva Davis
Fantastic ❤ i love singing it too. Musicians love it also when a singer calls that tune!
Nikosi9
What I've always liked about Clifford's playing is the way his playing "dances" above the music...
Johny P
It's that impeccable timing along with that machine gun tonguing of every note, and fingers that most find impossible to keep up with :)
Michael Hughes
That's a good way to describe his playing.
icecreamforcrowhurst
Angels are dancing in heaven to that sweet sound
murp h
Wow. What a treasure he was and is