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.
Nagasaki
Django Reinhardt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There′s nothing but that at night
Back in nagasaki
Where the fellers chew tobaccy
And the women wicky-wacky
Woo.
The way they can entertain
Back in nagasaki
Where the fellers chew tobaccy
And the women wicky wacky
Woo.
In fujiama
You get a mama
Then your troubles increase.
In a pagoda
She orders soda
Hey milkshake milkshake guarantees
They kissy and huggy nice
By jingo! i'ts worth the price.
Back in nagasaki
Where the fellers chew tobaccy
And the women wicky-wacky
Woo.
And all the kissy and huggy nice
By jingo! i′ts worth the price.
Back in nagasaki
Where the fellers chew tobaccy
And the women wicky-wacky
Woo.
The lyrics of Django Reinhardt's song "Nagasaki" paint a playful and lighthearted picture of the city of Nagasaki in Japan. The song captures the vibrant atmosphere and the unique customs and traditions of the city. The opening lines, "Hot ginger and dynamite, there's nothing but that at night" suggest a lively and exciting nightlife in Nagasaki.
The lyrics go on to mention the locals chewing tobacco and the women with their playful and flirtatious behavior, described as "wicky-wacky woo." The song highlights the entertaining nature of Nagasaki, where the ability to entertain and have a good time is emphasized, even to the point that it would "hurry a hurricane."
The second verse mentions Fujiama, possibly referring to Mount Fuji, where finding a companion or a partner can lead to increased troubles. The song mentions a mama, which could be a term for a woman or a mistress, and the expectation of ordering soda and milkshakes. This section seems to depict a playful and flirtatious relationship.
The lyrics continue with the mention of kissing and hugging, reflecting the affectionate and joyful nature of the people in Nagasaki. The repetition of "kissy and huggy nice, by jingo! it's worth the price" highlights the value and enjoyment of these displays of affection.
Overall, "Nagasaki" is a light-hearted and catchy tune that celebrates the vibrant atmosphere and joyful customs found in the city of Nagasaki, particularly highlighting the entertaining nature of its people.
Line by Line Meaning
Hot ginger and dynamite
A lively and explosive atmosphere.
There's nothing but that at night
The energy and excitement are constant throughout the night.
Back in Nagasaki
Referring to a place where these experiences are common.
Where the fellers chew tobaccy
A place where men enjoy their tobacco.
And the women wicky-wacky Woo
The women have a playful and flirtatious nature.
The way they can entertain
Their ability to entertain is impressive.
Would hurry a hurricane
Their entertaining skills can even surpass the speed of a hurricane.
In Fujiama, you get a mama
In a specific location named Fujiama, you can find a motherly figure.
Then your troubles increase
However, this situation may also lead to more difficulties.
In a pagoda, she orders soda
In a pagoda, this woman orders a refreshing drink.
Hey milkshake milkshake guarantees
Even a milkshake can bring a sense of assurance or satisfaction.
They kissy and huggy nice
They express affection through kisses and hugs.
By jingo! it's worth the price
The experience they offer is valuable and worthwhile.
And all the kissy and huggy nice
The affectionate gestures continue to be enjoyable.
By jingo! it's worth the price
The value of the experience remains high.
Back in Nagasaki
Returning to the previously mentioned place of excitement.
Where the fellers chew tobaccy
Where men indulge in their tobacco habit.
And the women wicky-wacky Woo
And the women continue to be playful and flirtatious.
Contributed by Amelia C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
demayvid
Astounding! Everyone on this cut are some of the best talent I've ever heard, and perhaps that walked the planet. Perfect execution, pitch, and tone. Blazing swing speed. A testament to the fact that regardless of what some would view a handicapped hand, Django gave the guitar players of the world something that most will never live up to. He didn't let an outside condition hold him back from expressing what he had inside.
Bisquick Griswald
If you think these guys are good, you should check out other jazz musicians
Cheri
@Bisquick Griswald
There are so many.❤
David Walker
When Django plays those ridiculously fast early solos .that leave guitarists scratching their heads. He plays them so cleanly and effortlessly you get the feeling he's not firing on all cylinders and if he wanted to he could step up a gear
Mono Ped
think about what he might have done had he the use of all of his fingers
R0b1zzle137
Im convinced Django is the greatest guitarist that ever lived, even that's an understatement.
BloggerMusicMan
It always seems like to me that whatever he does, Django Reinhardt can do no wrong. One of my favourite musicians ever.
drlisa nash
Despite growing up with an awesome guitar player, I'd never heard of Django Reinhardt until two months ago, when I lost the fourth finger of my left hand. If he could play guitar like that with his fingers, surely I can do great body work with mine...Thanks for the posthumous inspiration, Django!!
Margerine Sun
Another great thing about gypsy jazz songs is that even the rhythm bit sounds great. I'm not good enough to play the leads as they should be, but I play the chords very well, and a song like nuages still sounds amazing even without the fancy leads. I'm glad I discovered gypsy jazz thanks to my guitar teacher.
B C
Kudos to you for keeping your mind open! I'm a full blown metalhead but I love this too!!!!