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.

Hallelujah I Love You So
Count Basie Lyrics

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Let me tell you 'bout a girl I know
She is my baby and she lives next door
Every mornin' 'fore the sun comes up
She brings me coffee in my favorite cup
That's why I know, yes, I know
Hallelujah, I just love her so

When I'm in trouble and I have no friend

I know she'll go with me until the end
Everybody asks me how I know
I smile at them and say, "She told me so"
That's why I know, oh, I know
Hallelujah, I just love her so

Now, if I call her on the telephone
And tell her that I'm all alone
By the time I count from one to four
I hear her (knock, knock, knock, knock) on my door

In the evening when the sun goes down
When there is nobody else around
She kisses me and she holds me tight
And tells me, "Daddy, everything's all right"
That's why I know, yes, I know
Hallelujah, I just love her so

Now, if I call her on the telephone
And tell her that I'm all alone
By the time I count from one to four
I hear her (knock, knock, knock, knock) on my door

In the evening when the sun goes down
When there is nobody else around
She kisses me and she holds me tight
And tells me, "Daddy, everything's all right"
That's why I know, yes, I know
Hallelujah, I just love her so
Oh, hallelujah
Don't you know, I just love her so?

She's my little woman, waitin' all this time
Babe, I'm a little fool for you, little girl

Overall Meaning

The song Hallelujah I Love You So by Count Basie is a tribute to a woman he loves. He sings about her qualities and how she always supports him, is there when he is in trouble, and makes him feel loved. The song begins with him introducing the girl that he is in love with, telling us that she is his baby and lives next door. He shares how she brings him coffee every morning before the sun comes up. The singer expresses his love for this woman and acknowledges the fact that he knows they have a strong connection which is why he proclaims "Hallelujah, I just love her so."

The second verse starts with the singer in trouble, but he knows that his woman is always there for him, and it doesn't matter how bad things are, because she'll never leave his side. When asked how he knows, he just smiles and tells them that she told him so. The chorus comes in again with the same sentiment that he knows that he loves her and that she is always there for him. He continues to illustrate her love for him in the next verse by singing of how she appears at his door in record time when he calls and tells her that he's alone.

The song ends with the lead repeating the same phrase "That's why I know, yes, I know Hallelujah, I just love her so" emphasizing that he is insistent and confident about their love. The lyrics underscore the singer's sentiment of deep appreciation and affection for the woman he loves.

Hallelujah I Love You SoCount Basie Lyrics

Hallelujah I Love You So
Count Basie Lyrics