Jean "Django" Reinhardt (23 January 1910 - 16 May 1953) was a Belgian guita… Read Full Bio ↴Jean "Django" Reinhardt (23 January 1910 - 16 May 1953) was a Belgian guitarist and composer credited with popularizing Gypsy jazz, as well as conceptualizing the style together with several other Gypsy musicians. Reinhardt's nickname purportedly means "I Awake" in the Romani language, however it may also simply have been a diminutive, or local Walloon version, of "Jean". He severely injured two of the digits on his left hand as a youth, and changed his guitar playing style to adapt to his handicap. Together with violinist Stéphane Grappelli, he founded the Quintette du Hot Club de France, regarded as one of the most innovative recording groups in the history of jazz music.
Born in Liberchies, Pont-à-Celles, Belgium into a family of Manouche Gypsies, Jean Reinhardt learned to play several instruments such as the banjo, violin and guitar from an early age; he spent most of his youth in Gypsy encampments close to Paris. His family made a living from crafting furniture, but included several amateur musicians who inspired Reinhardt. Eventually, Reinhardt was given a banjo-guitar, at which point he stopped playing the violin. During this period, he was inspired by two older Gypsy musicians, Gusti Mahla and Jean Castro. Able to make a living from his music from his teen years onwards playing in bal-musette halls in Paris, Reinhardt received little formal education until his adult life; he was taught the rudiments of literacy by fellow band member Stéphane Grappelli.
At the age of eighteen, Reinhardt was injured in a fire that ravaged the caravan he shared with Florine "Bella" Mayer, his first wife. They were very poor, and to supplement their income Bella made imitation flowers out of celluloid and paper; consequently, their home was full of this highly inflammable material. Returning from a performance late one night, Django apparently knocked over a candle on his way to bed. While his family and neighbors were quick to pull him to safety, he received first- and second-degree burns over half his body. His right leg was paralyzed and the third and fourth fingers of his left hand were badly burnt. Doctors believed that he would never play guitar again and intended to amputate one of his legs. Reinhardt refused to have the surgery and left the hospital after a short time; he was able to walk within a year with the aid of a cane.
His brother Joseph Reinhardt, an accomplished guitarist himself, bought Django a new guitar. With painful rehabilitation and practice, Reinhardt relearned his craft in a completely new way, even as his third and fourth fingers remained partially paralyzed. Hence, he played all of his guitar solos with only two fingers, and managed to use the two injured digits only for chord work. After regaining his ability to play, Reinhardt resumed his career playing Parisian cafes. According to one story, during his period of recovery, Reinhardt was introduced to the aesthetics of American jazz when he purchased a 78rpm disc of "Dallas Blues" by Louis Armstrong at an Orléans flea market.
In 1934, Reinhardt and Parisian violinist Stéphane Grappelli were approached by hot club chief Pierre Nourry with the idea of forming a forming a new hot club group. Thus, the Quintette du Hot Club de France was formed, with Reinhardt's brother Joseph and Roger Chaput on guitar, and Louis Vola on double bass. Occasionally, Chaput was replaced by Reinhardt's best friend and fellow Gypsy Pierre "Baro" Ferret. As the group had no true percussion section, percussion was instead provided by the group's guitarists; the Quintette du Hot Club de France thus became one of the few well-known jazz ensembles composed only of string instruments.
Jean Sablon was the first singer to record with the Quintette, resulting in more than thirty collaborations from 1933 onwards. Vocalist Freddy Taylor participated on a few songs, such as "Georgia on My Mind" and "Nagasaki". A long line of recordings for Decca, HMV and Ultraphone ensured long-lasting international success for the Quintette.
As a composer, Reinhardt wrote several influential, highly original tunes recorded by the Quintette, ranging from the dulcet ballads "Daphne", "Nuages", and "Manoir de mes rêves", to mad swingers such as "Minor Swing" and the ode to his record label of the 1930s, "Stomping at Decca". With the passing of time, many of his songs became jazz standards in their own right.
Reinhardt also experimented with recordings outside the "comfort zone" of the Quintette; in March 1933 Reinhardt recorded two takes each of "Parce que je vous aime" and "Si, j'aime Suzy", vocal numbers with lots of guitar fills and great guitar support, using three guitarists along with an accordion lead, violin, and bass. In August of the following year, recordings were also made with more than one guitar (Joseph Reinhardt, Roger Chaput, and Django), including the first recording by the Quintette. In both years, it should be noted, the great majority of recordings featured a wide variety of horns, often in multiples, piano, etc.
Throughout his career, Reinhardt played and recorded with many American jazz legends such as Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins, Rex Stewart (who later stayed in Paris), and a led a jam-session and radio performance with Louis Armstrong. Later in his career, he performed with Dizzy Gillespie in France.
The outbreak of war in 1939 broke up the Quintette, with Grappelli remaining in London where the group was playing and Reinhardt returning to France. During the war years he led a big band, another quintet with clarinettist Hubert Rostaing in place of Grappelli, and after the liberation of Paris, recorded with such visiting American jazz artists as Mel Powell, Peanuts Hucko, and Ray McKinley. In 1946, Reinhardt took up the electric guitar and toured America as a soloist with the Duke Ellington Band, but his appearances were poorly received.
Some of his recordings on electric guitar late in his life are bop escapades where his playing sounds frantic and jagged, a world apart from the jubilant swing of old. However, starting in January 1946, Reinhardt and Grappelli held several sporadic reunions where the bop influences were more subtly integrated into the old swing format of the glory days of the Quintette. In the 1950s, Reinhardt became more reclusive, remaining in Europe, playing and recording sporadically until his death from a stroke on 16 May 1953 in Fontainebleau, France.
Born in Liberchies, Pont-à-Celles, Belgium into a family of Manouche Gypsies, Jean Reinhardt learned to play several instruments such as the banjo, violin and guitar from an early age; he spent most of his youth in Gypsy encampments close to Paris. His family made a living from crafting furniture, but included several amateur musicians who inspired Reinhardt. Eventually, Reinhardt was given a banjo-guitar, at which point he stopped playing the violin. During this period, he was inspired by two older Gypsy musicians, Gusti Mahla and Jean Castro. Able to make a living from his music from his teen years onwards playing in bal-musette halls in Paris, Reinhardt received little formal education until his adult life; he was taught the rudiments of literacy by fellow band member Stéphane Grappelli.
At the age of eighteen, Reinhardt was injured in a fire that ravaged the caravan he shared with Florine "Bella" Mayer, his first wife. They were very poor, and to supplement their income Bella made imitation flowers out of celluloid and paper; consequently, their home was full of this highly inflammable material. Returning from a performance late one night, Django apparently knocked over a candle on his way to bed. While his family and neighbors were quick to pull him to safety, he received first- and second-degree burns over half his body. His right leg was paralyzed and the third and fourth fingers of his left hand were badly burnt. Doctors believed that he would never play guitar again and intended to amputate one of his legs. Reinhardt refused to have the surgery and left the hospital after a short time; he was able to walk within a year with the aid of a cane.
His brother Joseph Reinhardt, an accomplished guitarist himself, bought Django a new guitar. With painful rehabilitation and practice, Reinhardt relearned his craft in a completely new way, even as his third and fourth fingers remained partially paralyzed. Hence, he played all of his guitar solos with only two fingers, and managed to use the two injured digits only for chord work. After regaining his ability to play, Reinhardt resumed his career playing Parisian cafes. According to one story, during his period of recovery, Reinhardt was introduced to the aesthetics of American jazz when he purchased a 78rpm disc of "Dallas Blues" by Louis Armstrong at an Orléans flea market.
In 1934, Reinhardt and Parisian violinist Stéphane Grappelli were approached by hot club chief Pierre Nourry with the idea of forming a forming a new hot club group. Thus, the Quintette du Hot Club de France was formed, with Reinhardt's brother Joseph and Roger Chaput on guitar, and Louis Vola on double bass. Occasionally, Chaput was replaced by Reinhardt's best friend and fellow Gypsy Pierre "Baro" Ferret. As the group had no true percussion section, percussion was instead provided by the group's guitarists; the Quintette du Hot Club de France thus became one of the few well-known jazz ensembles composed only of string instruments.
Jean Sablon was the first singer to record with the Quintette, resulting in more than thirty collaborations from 1933 onwards. Vocalist Freddy Taylor participated on a few songs, such as "Georgia on My Mind" and "Nagasaki". A long line of recordings for Decca, HMV and Ultraphone ensured long-lasting international success for the Quintette.
As a composer, Reinhardt wrote several influential, highly original tunes recorded by the Quintette, ranging from the dulcet ballads "Daphne", "Nuages", and "Manoir de mes rêves", to mad swingers such as "Minor Swing" and the ode to his record label of the 1930s, "Stomping at Decca". With the passing of time, many of his songs became jazz standards in their own right.
Reinhardt also experimented with recordings outside the "comfort zone" of the Quintette; in March 1933 Reinhardt recorded two takes each of "Parce que je vous aime" and "Si, j'aime Suzy", vocal numbers with lots of guitar fills and great guitar support, using three guitarists along with an accordion lead, violin, and bass. In August of the following year, recordings were also made with more than one guitar (Joseph Reinhardt, Roger Chaput, and Django), including the first recording by the Quintette. In both years, it should be noted, the great majority of recordings featured a wide variety of horns, often in multiples, piano, etc.
Throughout his career, Reinhardt played and recorded with many American jazz legends such as Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins, Rex Stewart (who later stayed in Paris), and a led a jam-session and radio performance with Louis Armstrong. Later in his career, he performed with Dizzy Gillespie in France.
The outbreak of war in 1939 broke up the Quintette, with Grappelli remaining in London where the group was playing and Reinhardt returning to France. During the war years he led a big band, another quintet with clarinettist Hubert Rostaing in place of Grappelli, and after the liberation of Paris, recorded with such visiting American jazz artists as Mel Powell, Peanuts Hucko, and Ray McKinley. In 1946, Reinhardt took up the electric guitar and toured America as a soloist with the Duke Ellington Band, but his appearances were poorly received.
Some of his recordings on electric guitar late in his life are bop escapades where his playing sounds frantic and jagged, a world apart from the jubilant swing of old. However, starting in January 1946, Reinhardt and Grappelli held several sporadic reunions where the bop influences were more subtly integrated into the old swing format of the glory days of the Quintette. In the 1950s, Reinhardt became more reclusive, remaining in Europe, playing and recording sporadically until his death from a stroke on 16 May 1953 in Fontainebleau, France.
Bei mir bist du schön
Django Reinhardt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of all the boys I′ve known, and I've known some
Until I first met you, I was lonesome
And when you came in sight, dear, my heart grew light
And this old world seemed new to me
You′re really swell, I have to admit you
Deserve expressions that really fit you
And so I've racked my brain, hoping to explain
All the things that you do to me
Until I first met you, I was lonesome
And when you came in sight, dear, my heart grew light
And this old world seemed new to me
You′re really swell, I have to admit you
Deserve expressions that really fit you
And so I've racked my brain, hoping to explain
The first verse of Django Reinhardt's song "Bei mir bist du schön" is about the overwhelming feeling of joy that the singer experienced upon meeting someone they were deeply attracted to. The singer expresses that they have known many boys in the past, but none have made them feel the way the person they are currently addressing does. They were previously alone, but upon seeing this person, their heart became light and the world seemed new. This could suggest that the singer may have been going through a difficult time or heartache before meeting this person.
In the second verse, the singer continues to express their admiration for the person they are addressing. They believe this person to be really swell and deserving of expressions that truly capture their greatness. The singer has tried to come up with ways to explain how this person makes them feel, which could suggest that the singer is struggling to verbalize their feelings.
Overall, the song is a tribute to the transformative power of love and how meeting the right person can completely change one's perspective and outlook on life.
Line by Line Meaning
Of all the boys I've known, and I've known some
I have met several boys in my life
Until I first met you, I was lonesome
I was feeling lonely before I met you
And when you came in sight, dear, my heart grew light
I felt happy when I saw you
And this old world seemed new to me
You made the world feel new and exciting to me
You're really swell, I have to admit you
I must admit that you are amazing
Deserve expressions that really fit you
You deserve to be described in the best way possible
And so I've racked my brain, hoping to explain
I have tried hard to find the right words to describe you
All the things that you do to me
I am trying to express how much you mean to me
Writer(s): Sammy Cahn, Saul Chaplin, Jacob Jacobs, Sholom Sholem Secunda
Contributed by Chloe N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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@noelaniyuen7597
Adorable!
The main part of the song is as follows (my computer doesn't do accents):
Bei mir biest du schon
Cela signifie que vous etes pour moi plus que la vie
Bei mir bist du shon
Cheri je suis a vous pour toujours
J'aurais voulu pourtant vous dire tout en francais
Mais j'ai le coeur battant et c'est en vain que j'essaie
Si vous comprennez bei mir bist du shon
Alors dites-moi que vous m'aimez
@TheGussaci
Depuis qu’un soir dans un coin de France,
J’ai vu dans l’ombre vos yeux immenses,
Mon cœur est plein de folle espérance
Et je pense à vous le jour et la nuit
Mais notre langue n’est pas la même
Et pour vous dire que je vous aime
Je ne sais pas de plus beau poème
Que cette phrase de mon pays!
{Refrain:}
Bei mir bist du schön
Cela signifie :
Vous êtes pour moi plus que la vie
Bei mir bist du schön
Veut dire en amour :
Vous êtes plus belle que le jour.
Je dirais : Bella, bella, si j’ étais d’Italie,
Mais rien ne dit assez combien vous êtes jolie
Si vous comprenez :
Bei mir bist du schön
Alors dites-moi vous m’aimez!
Ce chant si doux là-bas me rappelle
Mes nuits de rêve calmes et belles,
Où j’évoquais fervent et fidèle,
Sans vous connaître vos yeux caressants.
Vous habitiez dans un grand village,
Et chaque soir tremblant davantage,
Je vous tenais déjà ce langage,
Qui finissait en vous embrassant...
@loanne7653
magnifique interprétation
@PGZ13
Piękna piosenka.
@janlesnianski2337
Pochodzi z 1932 roku. Ja mam ponad 100 jej wersji roznych wykonawcow.
@ursularissmann-telle4000
I am stuck with this version. enchanting!
@noelaniyuen7597
Adorable!
The main part of the song is as follows (my computer doesn't do accents):
Bei mir biest du schon
Cela signifie que vous etes pour moi plus que la vie
Bei mir bist du shon
Cheri je suis a vous pour toujours
J'aurais voulu pourtant vous dire tout en francais
Mais j'ai le coeur battant et c'est en vain que j'essaie
Si vous comprennez bei mir bist du shon
Alors dites-moi que vous m'aimez
@TheGussaci
Depuis qu’un soir dans un coin de France,
J’ai vu dans l’ombre vos yeux immenses,
Mon cœur est plein de folle espérance
Et je pense à vous le jour et la nuit
Mais notre langue n’est pas la même
Et pour vous dire que je vous aime
Je ne sais pas de plus beau poème
Que cette phrase de mon pays!
{Refrain:}
Bei mir bist du schön
Cela signifie :
Vous êtes pour moi plus que la vie
Bei mir bist du schön
Veut dire en amour :
Vous êtes plus belle que le jour.
Je dirais : Bella, bella, si j’ étais d’Italie,
Mais rien ne dit assez combien vous êtes jolie
Si vous comprenez :
Bei mir bist du schön
Alors dites-moi vous m’aimez!
Ce chant si doux là-bas me rappelle
Mes nuits de rêve calmes et belles,
Où j’évoquais fervent et fidèle,
Sans vous connaître vos yeux caressants.
Vous habitiez dans un grand village,
Et chaque soir tremblant davantage,
Je vous tenais déjà ce langage,
Qui finissait en vous embrassant...
@99deanderson
Sung and played with gusto!
@DStump-lc8wq
Wonderful! Can anyone post the French lyrics?
@gustavedupras8624
see Google= Léo Marjane “Bei mir bist du schön” (1938/ in French)
@LucMoustache1
Merci beaucoup