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.

I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plans
Count Basie Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I guess I'll have to change my plan
I should have realized there'd be another man
I overlooked that point completely
Until the big affair began

Before I knew where I was at
I found myself upon the shelf and that was that
I tried to reach the moon but when I got there

All that I could get was the air

My feet are back upon the ground
I lost the one girl I'd found
Before I knew where I was at
I found myself upon the shelf and that was that

I tried to reach the moon but when I got there
All that I could get was the air
My feet are back upon the ground

I lost the one girl
The one girl I'd found

Overall Meaning

In Count Basie's song "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plans," the lyrics reveal a heartbroken lover who has been left behind for another man. The main character acknowledges that he didn't realize there was someone else until "the big affair began." His attempts to win her back and reach for the moon are in vain, and he finds himself back on the ground without his love interest. The line "I found myself upon the shelf and that was that" suggests a sense of defeat that is felt by the main character.

The lyrics also convey a realization that the main character may have been too confident in their relationship and didn't see the potential for someone else to come into the picture. The mention of "overlooking that point completely" implies the main character may have taken their partner for granted.

Overall, the song conveys a deep sense of sadness and loss that comes with the end of a relationship. Despite the heartbreak, the main character accepts that he must move on and change his plans for the future.

I Guess I'll Have to Change My PlansCount Basie Lyrics

I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plans
Count Basie Lyrics