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".
You And The Music
Donald Byrd Lyrics
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Melodies of a thousand violins
When you touch me baby,
My horn starts to play
To the beat of a soulful serenade.
Ooh, maestro, my heart sings along
Keeping time with each stroke of your baton.
Perfect rhythm, sweet harmony
Makes me want to dance
Makes me want romance
Puts me in a trance.
Baby, I hear music
You, you and music!
The lyrics to Donald Byrd's song "You and the Music" describe the intense emotional and physical response that the singer has to the presence of their lover. The simile "When you speak, a symphony begins" connotes the idea that the sound of the lover's voice is so beautiful and captivating that it evokes the image of a grand composition being played out in the listener's mind. The lover's touch is so powerful that it makes the singer's "horn" (possibly referring to the singer's singing voice or a personal instrument) respond in kind, as if they were performing together as part of the same musical ensemble.
The reference to a "soulful serenade" further emphasizes the passionate, emotional nature of the relationship between the two characters. This is supported by the comparison to a "maestro," as the singer essentially becomes a willing participant in their lover's musical direction, "keeping time" and singing along with each other. The final refrain, "Baby, I hear music / You, you and music!," solidifies the idea that the singer's entire existence is defined by their partner and the passion that they share together.
Line by Line Meaning
When you speak, a symphony begins
Your voice cultivates a beautiful sound that resembles an orchestrated piece.
Melodies of a thousand violins
Your voice is so sweet that it sounds like a music composed of a thousand violins.
When you touch me baby,
Just a little touch from you is all it takes.
My horn starts to play
Your gentle touch on me makes me start giving good performance, like a horn that gives good sound.
To the beat of a soulful serenade.
The rhythm of our love feels like an emotional serenade.
Ooh, maestro, my heart sings along
It's like you're conducting a musical masterpiece and my heart is your number one fan.
Keeping time with each stroke of your baton.
My heart beats in tune with every little movement you make.
Perfect rhythm, sweet harmony
Everything between us feels like it's in perfect harmony.
Makes me want to dance
Every moment feels like a dance that never ends.
Makes me want romance
It's a timeless romance that never fades.
Puts me in a trance.
It's a love that I am so enraptured by, and I'm just lost in it.
Baby, I hear music
Everything about us is so beautiful it's like I can hear music that is just meant for us.
You, you and music!
You are the music that defines us.
Contributed by Gabriella N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.