As a pianist, he had a distinctive and influential style (the song title "Splanky" is an onomatopoetic reference to the sound of his playing), equally at home in the barrelhouse and the concert hall. Willie "The Lion" Smith, James P. Johnson, and Fats Waller were among his influences.
As a bandleader, he created an organization (built upon the remains of Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra) that was a favorite both of dancers and of vocalists such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and, of course, Billie Holiday. Equally important, it kept many musicians employed through lean years. Many jazz musicians of note built their chops and earned their bread and butter in Basie's organization.
In addition to Basie, the swinging "All American Rhythm Section" of his orchestra included greats such as Walter Page (bass), Jo Jones (drums), and Freddie Green (guitar). It was the greatest, most swinging rhythm sections in the history of jazz. Chief among its vocalists were, first, Jimmy Rushing and, later, Joe Williams. Over the years it boasted sidemen and soloists like Herschel Evans (tenor sax), Lester Young (tenor sax), Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (tenor sax), Buddy Tate (tenor sax), Illinois Jacquet (tenor sax), Earle Warren (alto sax), Jack Washington (alto & baritone sax), Harry "Sweets" Edison (trumpet), Buck Clayton (trumpet), Thad Jones (trumpet), Snooky Young (trumpet), Benny Morton (trombone), Benny Powell (trombone), and Dicky Wells (trombone).
Basie also collaborated with artists such as Zoot Sims and Oscar Peterson, and recorded with ensembles large and small, including the Count Basie Trio, the Count Basie Sextet, and the Kansas City Seven. Notable arrangers included Eddie Durham (who helped shape the Basie Orchestra's sound) and Neal Hefti.
Didn't You?
Count Basie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The usual laughs, not often but loud
And in the world that I knew
I didn't know about you.
Chasing after the ring on the merry-go-round
Just taking my fun where it could be found
And yet what else could I do
I didn't know about you.
I had the loneliest yesterday;
Ev'ry day
In your arms I know for once in my life;
I'm living
Had a good time ev'ry time I went out
Romance was the thing I kidded about
How could I know about love
I didn't know about you.
The lyrics of Count Basie's song "Didn't You?" talk about a person's journey of self-discovery and realization of love. The first stanza refers to the singer going around with their own crowd and having superficial fun. They were happy with their life and didn't know about love or what they were missing out on. The singer was only interested in having fun and didn't give much thought about love.
However, the chorus of the song changes the tone completely. The singer now talks about the realization of love that they experience after meeting their lover. They now feel complete and have discovered what they were missing all along. The second stanza talks about how the singer's previous relationships were only based on fun and they never took love seriously. They realize now that they didn't know anything about love and were only kidding themselves.
The lyrics of "Didn't You?" beautifully describe how love can transform a person's life and give them a new perspective. The singer's journey from superficial fun to discovering love mirrors many people's journeys of self-discovery.
Line by Line Meaning
I went around with my own little crowd
I had my own group of friends and we did everything together
The usual laughs, not often but loud
We would laugh a lot, but not always on a regular basis
And in the world that I knew
In my familiar surroundings and experiences
I didn't know about you
I wasn't aware of your existence or your impact on my life
Chasing after the ring on the merry-go-round
I was seeking thrills and excitement, always looking for something new
Just taking my fun where it could be found
I was enjoying life in the moment, wherever it took me
And yet what else could I do
I didn't have any other options or ideas of how to live my life
I didn't know about you
Again, I was unaware of how you could change my perspective on what matters in life
Darling, now I know
My viewpoint has changed and now I understand
I had the loneliest yesterday;
My life used to be empty and lonely
Ev'ry day
This was a consistent issue in my life
In your arms I know for once in my life;
I feel safe and loved for the first time in my life
I'm living
Before I was just existing, but now I am truly living and loving life
Had a good time every time I went out
I would have fun whenever I left the house
Romance was the thing I kidded about
I would joke about love and relationships because I didn't take them seriously
How could I know about love
I wasn't aware of what true love really meant or felt like
I didn't know about you
You were the missing piece that completed my understanding and experience of love
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOB RUSSELL, DUKE ELLINGTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
arny jock
This is great Thanks for posting