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.
Lady Be Good
Count Basie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's terribly sad but true,
All dressed up, no place to go
Each evening I'm awfully blue.
I must win some handsome guy
Can't go on like this,
I could blossom out I know,
Oh, sweet and lovely lady, be good
Oh, lady, be good to me
I am so awfully misunderstood
So lady, be good to me
Oh, please have some pity
I'm all-alone in this big city
I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,
So lady be good to me.
Oh, please have some pity
I'm all alone in this big city
I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,
So lady be good to me.
Oh lady be good to me.
The lyrics to Count Basie and His Small Bands' Oh Lady Be Good expresses the feelings of loneliness and longing for companionship. The singer begins by sharing their sad reality of being dressed up but having nowhere to go, leading them to feel blue every night. They continue by expressing their desire to find a handsome guy because they cannot go on feeling this way. The singer then acknowledges that they could blossom if they found someone like the addressee of the song. They plead with the lady to be good to them because they are misunderstood and alone in the big city. The song's protagonist craves the company of someone, and they hope that the lady they are addressing can offer them some comfort.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen to my tale of woe
Please hear my story of sadness
It's terribly sad but true
It's really unfortunate, but it's a fact
All dressed up, no place to go
I'm ready to go out, but I have nowhere to go
Each evening I'm awfully blue
Every night I feel sad and lonely
I must win some handsome guy
I need to find a good-looking man
Can't go on like this
I can't continue feeling this way
I could blossom out I know
I could improve if I had the right person
With somebody just like you. So
Someone just like you would be perfect. Therefore,
Oh, sweet and lovely lady, be good
Oh, kind and beautiful woman, treat me well
Oh, lady, be good to me
Please be good to me
I am so awfully misunderstood
People don't understand me
So lady, be good to me
Therefore, please be good to me
Oh, please have some pity
Oh, please feel sorry for me
I'm all alone in this big city
I'm by myself in a huge town
I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood
I'm like a lost child trying to navigate this world
So lady be good to me
Please be kind to me
Oh lady be good to me
Oh, please be kind to me
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE GERSHWIN, IRA GERSHWIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JohnDodds36
One of the great tenor solos in jazz history!
@davidrumpler5528
John Dodds one of the great solos period...on any instrument :-)
@Rickriquinho
No doubt about that!
@Frankie-O
Sonny Rollins is the greatest tenor saxophonist in jazz history.
@gregoryphillips760
It just never gets old!! This solo is energetic, aggressive, seductive, pensive and poetic all at once! He could combine simple ideas with complex ones in any order he chose, yet a listener can follow along and even sing it!
Perhaps the most amazing aspect is that Prez developed his transcendental style during the early Jazz era, his only influence was Frank Trumbauer.
@thendrjazz
Trumbauer had developed some of his tone and vibrato by slowing down Rudy Wiedoeft records
@ericrumsey7180
As Michael Segell says in his book (The Devil’s Horn: The story of the saxophone), Lester Young changed tenor sax playing forever, starting with this cut...
“In 1936, on his first recording with Count Basie’s small band, Lester’s sound and solo on ‘Lady be good’ is unlike anything else then on record,” says Dan [Morgenstern]. “It’s smooth, all the ragged edges have been shaved off… Prez was the first one to have that smooth sound on the tenor.”
@danielrivera9788
The Devil's Horn lives on! Find & Search "The Golden Groove" on Spotify/iTunes !
Or subscribe to Saxophonist Composer's Channel "Daniel Rivera Jazz"
@normlove4460
Lester Young was a once in 10 lifetime phenomen.He saw things on his horn that were futuristic.His expression then is now part of jazz theory
@karch139
The music he created from 1:42 to 1:52 is among the best in jazz history. Prez changed the tenor. So brilliant, but such a sad life, not totally his own fault either.