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.
They Can't Take That Away from Me
Count Basie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way you sip your tea
The memory of all that
No, no they can't take that away from me
The way your smile just beams
The way you sing off key
The way you haunt my dreams
We may never, never meet again
On the bumpy road to love
Still I'll always, always keep the memory of
The way you hold your knife
The way we danced till three
The way you changed my life
No, no they can't take that away from me
No, they can't take that away from me
We may never, never meet again
On that bumpy road to love
Still I'll always, always keep the memory of
The way you hold your knife
The way we danced till three
The way you change my life
No, no they can't take that away from me
No, they can't take that away from me
"They Can't Take That Away from Me" is a timeless classic by Count Basie & His Orchestra. The song is about love that lasts forever, even if the lovers are not together anymore. The song is about being able to hold on to memories and how they can never be taken away, no matter what life brings. The way the person wears their hat, sips their tea, smiles, sings off-key, haunts the dreams, holds a knife, dances till three, and changes life are all things that the singer remembers fondly and cannot be forgotten.
The first two lines of the song focus on simple, ordinary things that the singer remembers about their lover. The way they wear their hat is likely a reference to how a person presents themselves to the world, and the way they drink their tea is a reference to a quiet and intimate moment shared between the two. The next few lines describe more personal qualities of the lover: their smile, their singing, even their flaws (like singing off-key). The final verses show how the singer has been changed by the lover, and how even though they may never meet again, these memories will always be with them.
Overall, "They Can't Take That Away from Me" is a touching tribute to memories that stay with us even when people we love are no longer in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
The way you wear your hat
I am enchanted by the way you wear your hat
The way you sip your tea
The way you delicately sip your tea is a charming sight to behold
The memory of all that
I will always cherish the memories of those moments
No, no they can't take that away from me
I am confident that no one can take away those precious memories
The way your smile just beams
Your smile radiates happiness to those around you
The way you sing off key
Your singing may not be perfect, but it is uniquely beautiful to me
The way you haunt my dreams
You have a hold on me, even in my dreams
We may never, never meet again
It's possible that we may never cross paths again
On the bumpy road to love
Our journey towards love has not been smooth sailing
Still I'll always, always keep the memory of
Despite it all, I will always hold onto the memories of us
The way you hold your knife
The way you hold your knife while you eat is a sweet reminder of you
The way we danced till three
Our dance together lasted till the wee hours of the morning, and it was magical
The way you changed my life
You have impacted my life in a profound and meaningful way
No, they can't take that away from me
I am certain that no one can take away the lasting impact you have had on my life
Lyrics © RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind