William "Count" Basie (August 21, 1904– April 26, 1984) was a jazz pianist,… Read Full Bio ↴William "Count" Basie (August 21, 1904– April 26, 1984) was a jazz pianist, organist, composer, and bandleader.

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.

Drifting
Count Basie Lyrics

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Well I'm drifting and drifting,
Like a ship out on the sea.
Well I'm drifting and drifting,
Like a ship out on the sea.
Well I ain't got nobody
In this world to care for me.

If my baby would only take me back again

If my baby would only take me back again.
Well you know I ain't good for nothin' baby

Well I haven't got no friends.

I give you all of my money,
Tell me what more can I do.
I give you all my money,
Tell me what more can I do.
Well you just a good little girl
But you just won't be true.

Bye-bye baby, baby bye-bye bye-bye,

It's gonna be too late baby
I'll be so far away.

Overall Meaning

The song "Drifting" can be interpreted as a lament of a man who is drifting through life, feeling lost and alone. He compares his life to that of a ship out at sea, aimlessly drifting without a sense of direction or purpose. He expresses feelings of loneliness and emptiness, as if he has no one in the world to care for him. The repetition of the phrase "well I'm drifting and drifting" emphasizes his state of aimlessness and uncertainty. He longs for his lover to take him back, but he also acknowledges that he may not be good for anything, highlighting a sense of inadequacy and lack of self-worth. He bemoans his lack of friends and seems to want someone to give him a sense of belonging.

The singer seems to have given a lot to his lover, even giving her all of his money, yet she has not been faithful to him. This sense of betrayal adds to his feelings of emptiness and detachment. He seems to be resigned to the fact that she will not change and ultimately says goodbye to her in a final act of letting go, recognizing that it may be too late for them to start anew.

DriftingCount Basie Lyrics

Drifting
Count Basie Lyrics