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.
I Didn
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.
Count Basie’s “Lover Come Back to Me” is a song about the anguish of lost love. The song begins with the singer admitting that they let go of someone they loved and how they wanted to forget them and move forward. However, the memories of their time together still linger in their mind, particularly the magic of the night they met. The song then continues with the singer expressing their loneliness and heartache, singing about how every road they walk along, they walk along with the memory of their lost love.
The lyrics convey a sense of longing and sadness, with the singer pleading for their lover to come back to them. The repetition of the phrase “Lover, come back to me” accentuates this longing and adds to the emotional resonance of the song.
Overall, “Lover Come Back to Me” is a poignant portrayal of the pain of lost love and the yearning for a second chance at happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
You went away, I let you
You left and I allowed it to happen
We broke the ties that bind
We severed our connection
I wanted to forget you
I desired to erase you from my mind
And leave the past behind
And move on from what happened between us
Still the magic if the night I met you
Yet, the enchantment from the evening we first met
Seems to stay forever in my mind
Seems to persist in my memory indefinitely
The sky was blue and high above
The sky had a blue hue and was positioned overhead
The moon was new and so was love
The moon was in its initial phase and so was our love
This eager heart of mine was singing
My yearning heart was crooning
Lover, where can you be?
My love, where could you possibly be?
You came at last, love had its day
Finally, you arrived and our love was successful
That day is past, you've gone away
However, that moment has elapsed, and you have departed
This aching heart of mine is singing
My pained heart is vocalizing
Lover, come back to me
Beloved, return to me
When I remember every little thing
As I reminisce about every small detail
You used to do, I'm so lonely
You performed many actions, and now, I feel extremely lonely
Every road I walk along
On every path I traverse
I walk along with you
I walk alongside you in my thoughts
No wonder I am lonely
It's not surprising that I am lonely
The sky is blue, the night is cold
The sky is tinted blue, and the night is chilly
The moon is new but love is old
The moon is in its initial phase, but our love has endured for quite some time
And while I'm waiting here
Meanwhile, as I sit here anticipating
This heart of mine is singing
My heart is vocalizing
Lover, come back to me
Beloved, return to me
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