Brubeck's style ranged from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills. Much of his music employed unusual time signatures, a fact jokingly referred to by his greatest hits album 'Time Signatures: A Career Retrospective'. Upon his death, a number of commentators noted his crossover appeal to mainstream pop audiences, something putting him in the company of other jazz legends such as Louis Armstrong and Herbie Hancock among others.
Blues
Dave Brubeck Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the Mississippi
We'll take a boat to the land of dreams
Steam down the river, down to New Orleans
The band's there to meet us
Old friends there to greet us
Where all the proud and elite folks meet
Basin Street is the street
Where the best folks always meet
In New Orleans, land of dreams
You'll never know how nice it seems,
Or just how much it really means
Glad to be, oh yes-sirree
Where welcome's free and dear to me
Where I can lose, lose my Basin Street Blues
Basin Street, oh Basin Street
Is the street, mama
New Orleans, land of dreams
The first stanza of the song Basin Street Blues invites the listener on a musical journey down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, the land of dreams. The tone is upbeat and joyful, with a feeling of new adventure in the air. The second stanza depicts the warm welcome the singer receives from old friends and the elite folks of the city, in a place they call “heaven on earth”, referring to Basin Street. The same enthusiasm and excitement continues, with the singer proclaiming that Basin Street is where the “best folks always meet”. The overall message of the song is that Basin Street is a magical and welcoming place, where one can forget their sorrows and let their hair down.
Line by Line Meaning
Won't you come along with me
Would you be willing to join me?
To the Mississippi
To the river named Mississippi
We'll take a boat to the land of dreams
We'll board a ship that will take us to a place we've always dreamed of
Steam down the river, down to New Orleans
We'll travel by steamer ship all the way to the city of New Orleans
The band's there to meet us
Upon arrival, there will be a group of talented musicians ready to greet us
Old friends there to greet us
We'll also find our long-time known companions to welcome us warmly
Where all the proud and elite folks meet
The destination, Basin Street is a place where only the most respected and high-class residents gather
Heaven on earth, they call it Basin Street
The locals of Basin Street believe it's the closest thing to heaven on earth
Basin Street is the street
Basin Street is the name of the street
Where the best folks always meet
The most excellent people always congregate here
You'll never know how nice it seems,
It's unmatched niceties will daze you,
Or just how much it really means
You won't comprehend the depths of its worth to local residents.
Glad to be, oh yes-sirree
I'm delighted to be there
Where welcome's free and dear to me
Where hospitality comes at no cost and means so much to me
Where I can lose, lose my Basin Street Blues
The place where I can escape from my melancholy and enjoy the life around me
Basin Street, oh Basin Street
The street, Basin Street
Is the street, mama
Is the street, my love/affectionate term of endearment
New Orleans, land of dreams
New Orleans, the place where people go to fulfill their dreams
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Spencer Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jason Bannan
My drummer Dad loved Joe Morello, so I grew up on the Brubeck Quartet and Joe's incredible solos. Sticks, brushes, hands, he did it all. His fills are amazing and what he does with a simple kit is incredible. The best.
Rudolph Guarnacci
Sometimes the simplest things are the most dramatic.
Timothy Ray
Joe Morello, as much as he is respected, is probably one of the most underappreciated drummers of all time. He has every bit of the chops as Buddy Rich, and arguably more, but in my opinion, Morello is a tastier and more interesting player. The guy was a genius. Pure genius.
One final thought... listen to some John Bonham solos with Led Zeppelin where Bonzo put down his sticks and played with his hands. Bonham was greatly influenced by Morello and Louie Bellson. If you listen to some early 1960's Bellson solos, especially with his double bass set up, you can hear licks that Bonham took inspiration from.
jimflys2
You know if all Joe did was take off his shirt, he probably would have made millions! A fantastic player for sure who influenced everyone in one way or another.
Spark _
Very worthy interesting note ! Thanks for the info.!I knew that about he was influenced by Joe Morello..
But did not know also by Bellson...awesome taste!
Blue Rocker
Way tastier!
Jon Nelson
I agree. The best ever. Always interesting to listen to and exciting as hell.
Me me
Joe would kick Buddys ass on the drums then after do Buddys taxes. Dude would have gained more recognition if he didnt dress like Dilbert. Lol
Mike Graziano
I love how he keeps steady time with the high hat while speeding up & slowing down the tempo on the snare & bass at the same time!
gary moore
I am so glad that someone had the foresight to record this music. In 1961 I was a wet nose kid that didn't know s..t from shinola. I get to listen and watch these jazz greats and it takes my breath away. What giants they were!