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 Surrender Dear
Count Basie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sworn enemy of love
Kept my lips from saying
Things I was thinking of.
But now my pride you've humbled,
I've cast it to the winds,
Broken, beaten, sick at heart
My confession begins.
We've played the game of stay away
But it cost more that I can pay.
Without you I can't make my way,
I surrender, dear.
I may seem proud, I may act gay,
It's just a pose, I'm not that way,
'Cause deep down in my heart I say
I surrender, dear.
Little mean things we were doing
Must have been part of the game,
Lending a spice to the wooing,
But I don't care who's to blame.
When stars appear and shadows fall,
Why then you'll hear My poor heart call,
To you my love, my life, my all
I surrender, dear.
We've played the game of stay away
But it cost more that I can pay.
Without you I can't make my way,
I surrender, dear.
I may seem proud, I may act gay,
It's just a pose, I'm not that way,
'Cause deep down in my heart I say
I surrender, dear.
Little mean things we were doing
Must have been part of the game,
Lending a spice to the wooing,
But I don't care who's to blame.
When stars appear And shadows fall,
Why then you'll hear My poor heart call,
To you my love, my life, my all
The lyrics of Count Basie's "I Surrender Dear" express the emotional turmoil of a person who was formerly proud, but now has been brought low by their love for someone else. The song portrays the singer as having been a "splendid liar" who was hesitant to express their true feelings to their partner due to their pride. However, their pride has been shattered, and they are now willing to confess their love.
The singer then sings about how they and their partner had been playing a game of "stay away," presumably out of fear or confusion. However, the stakes of the game have grown too high, and the singer can no longer afford to continue playing without the other person's love. The song ends with a plea to forgive past infractions and accept their love as they surrender themselves to their beloved.
The lyrics are simple yet powerful, highlighting the universal experience of vulnerability in love. The song has been covered by many famous musicians, including Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, and remains a timeless classic.
Line by Line Meaning
Pride, sad, splendid liar,
My pride is a sad but impressive deceiver,
Sworn enemy of love
It is an enemy of love that I have chosen to keep,
Kept my lips from saying
It prevented me from speaking my true feelings,
Things I was thinking of.
Thoughts that were running through my mind.
But now my pride you've humbled,
My pride has now been defeated by you,
I've cast it to the winds,
I have thrown it away,
Broken, beaten, sick at heart
My heart is broken, defeated and ill,
My confession begins.
I am now confessing my true feelings.
We've played the game of stay away
We have gone back and forth with trying to stay apart,
But it cost more than I can pay.
The price of staying away is too high for me to bear,
Without you I can't make my way,
I can't move on without you,
I surrender, dear.
I am giving up my fight and surrendering to you.
I may seem proud, I may act gay,
I may come across as proud and happy,
It's just a pose, I'm not that way,
But it's all an act. I'm not really like that.
'Cause deep down in my heart I say
Because my true feelings lie deep in my heart,
Little mean things we were doing
The petty, hurtful actions we took,
Must have been part of the game,
It was likely all part of the game we were playing,
Lending a spice to the wooing,
Adding some excitement to our courtship,
But I don't care who's to blame.
But I don't care whose fault it was.
When stars appear And shadows fall,
When the stars come out and darkness falls,
Why then you'll hear My poor heart call,
That's when you'll hear my heart cry out,
To you my love, my life, my all
To you, who are my love, my life, and everything else,
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Integrity Music
Written by: GORDON CLIFFORD, HARRY BARRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind