Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II (born December 9, 1932 – February … Read Full Bio ↴Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II (born December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) was an American jazz, rhythm and blues trumpeter. Born in Detroit, Michigan. He performed with Lionel Hampton before finishing high school. After playing in a military band during a term in the United States Air Force, he obtained a bachelor's degree in music from Wayne State University and a master's degree from Manhattan School of Music. While still at the Manhattan School he joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, replacing Clifford Brown. After leaving the Jazz Messengers in 1956 he performed with a wide variety of highly regarded jazz musicians.

In the 1970s, he moved away from his previous hard-bop jazz base and began to record jazz fusion and rhythm and blues. Teaming up with the Mizell Brothers, he produced Black Byrd, which was enormously successful and became Blue Note Records' highest-ever selling album. The follow-up albums, Places and Spaces, Stepping Into Tomorrow, and Street Lady, were also big sellers, and have subsequently provided a rich source of samples for hip-hop artists such as Us3.

He has taught music at Rutgers University, the Hampton Institute, New York University, Howard University, and Oberlin College. In 1974 he created The Blackbyrds, a fusion group consisting of his best students. They scored several major hits, including "Walking In Rhythm" and "Blackbyrds Theme".

Caricatures
Donald Byrd Lyrics

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we 've got to love to love each other
we 've got to live like sister and brother

have you seen people coming out like you a saint
actin' like an angel but you really aint
why not try the new way
what they can give
love your brothers and sisters

give them a chance to live

smiling grimlin
alway usin some just like they are
think thatyou are wise one
everyone else is fool

got to conver to people
change the way of thinkin
give them chance to be free

here you go brothers and sisters
great big helping hand
show the m how to spread it
over this one full lane
give them a chance to live

we love each other

always using someone like they were a two
change you r way of thinking

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Caricatures" by Donald Byrd advocates for unity and love amongst people. It calls for people to live like siblings, loving and valuing each other equally. The song highlights the societal issues such as hypocrisy, discrimination, and narrow-mindedness. The opening lines urge individuals to approach each other with love and respect, instead of only thinking about benefiting themselves. The verse brings attention to individuals who pretend to hold a high moral ground while they are far from saint-like themselves. The singer challenges everyone to embrace a new way of thinking, to love one another, and to give others a chance to thrive.

The chorus of the song emphasizes the importance of helping individuals who are struggling, those who are victims of hatred, discrimination and oppression. It calls for people to affirm and support one another rather than using others for their gain or thinking themselves superior to others.

Finally, the song concludes by calling on everyone to change their way of thinking, to spread love and to always help another individual. It encourages individuals to embrace a different mindset towards others, seeing them as brothers and sisters. Through "Caricatures," Donald Byrd seeks to create a world of love, unity, and mutual respect.

Line by Line Meaning

we 've got to love to love each other
It is necessary for us to have love for one another.

we 've got to live like sister and brother
We need to live in harmony with each other as if we were siblings.

have you seen people coming out like you a saint
Have you noticed people pretending to be virtuous while they are not.

actin' like an angel but you really aint
They may portray themselves as angels, but in truth, they are not.

why not try the new way
Why not try living differently.

what they can give
What can they do to help.

love your brothers and sisters
Show love to those around you.

give them a chance to live
Allow everyone the opportunity to live and thrive.

smiling grimlin
A person who smiles only to hide their mischievous intentions.

alway usin some just like they are
They continually use others like objects.

think thatyou are wise one
They believe they are the only ones that possess knowledge and wisdom.