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.

Jelly Jelly
Count Basie Lyrics

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Hello baby, I had to call you on the phone
Hello baby, I had to call you on the phone
`Cause I feel so lonesome
And daddy wants his baby home

It's a down-right rotten,
Low down dirty shame
It's a down right rotten

low down dirty shame
The way that you're treatin' poor me
I know I'm not to blame

Jelly jelly jelly
Jelly stays on my mind
Jelly jelly jelly
Jelly stays on my mind

Jelly roll killed my pappy,
And wrung my mama stone blind.

Overall Meaning

The opening lyrics of Count Basie & Billy Eckstine's song "Jelly Jelly" express a sense of loneliness and longing. The singer, likely a man, is calling his lover on the phone, hoping to connect with her and bring her home. The tone of the lyrics is mournful, with the repetition of the phrase "Hello baby" emphasizing the depth of the singer's desire for connection. The second set of lyrics reveals the cause of the singer's distress. He feels that he is being mistreated, and that the way he is being treated is unfair. However, he also acknowledges that he is not entirely blameless - this is a complex situation with no easy answers.

Then comes the chorus, which introduces the song's titular subject: jelly. The phrase "jelly stays on my mind" benefits from being repeated twice within the chorus, emphasizing the persistent influence that this substance has on the singer's thoughts. However, the last set of lyrics reveals a sinister side to the song's focus on jelly. The singer seems to be blaming jelly for the death of his father and the blindness of his mother. This is presumably a reference to the drug culture of the time, with jelly being a code word for a type of opium. With these closing lyrics, "Jelly Jelly" takes on a darker, more ominous tone, indicating that the drug culture of the time had devastating impacts on families and communities.

Jelly JellyCount Basie Lyrics

Jelly Jelly
Count Basie Lyrics