Earl Bostic (April 25, 1913 – October 28, 1965) was an American jazz and rh… Read Full Bio ↴Earl Bostic (April 25, 1913 – October 28, 1965) was an American jazz and rhythm and blues alto saxophonist.

Bostic was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He turned professional at age 18 when he joined Terrence Holder's band. He made his first recording with Lionel Hampton in 1942 where he played along with Red Allen, J.C. Higginbotham, Sid Catlett, Teddy Wilson and Hampton. Before that he performed with Fate Marable on New Orleans riverboats. Bostic graduated from Xavier University in New Orleans. He worked with territory bands as well as Arnett Cobb, Hot Lips Page, Rex Stewart, Don Byas, Charlie Christian, Thelonious Monk and other jazz luminaries. He formed his own band in 1945, and turned to rhythm and blues in the late 1940s. His biggest hits were "Temptation," "Sleep," "Flamingo," "You Go to My Head" and "Cherokee." At various times his band included Jaki Byard, John Coltrane, Benny Golson, Blue Mitchell, Stanley Turrentine, Tommy Turrentine, Keter Betts, Sir Charles Thompson, Teddy Edwards, Tony Scott, Benny Carter and other musicians who rose to prominence in jazz. Bostic held his musicians to a high standard and demanded that they read music faultlessly. He was influenced by the great Sidney Bechet. John Coltrane in turn was influenced by Earl Bostic. James Moody said that Bostic was the chief influence on John Coltrane. Moody mentioned that "Bostic knew his instrument inside out, back to front and upside down."

His virtuosity is documented in records such as Up There In Orbit, Earl's Imagination, Apollo Theater Jump, All On, Artistry by Bostic, Telestar Drive, Liza, Lady Be Good and Tiger Rag. Bostic was a master of the blues and he used this skill in a variety of musical settings. Although Bostic recorded many commercial albums, some notable jazz based exceptions on the King label include Bostic Rocks Hits of the Swing Age, Jazz As I Feel It and A New Sound.

Bostic's King album titled Jazz As I Feel It featured Shelly Manne on drums, Joe Pass on guitar and Groove Holmes on organ. Bostic recorded the King Album "A New Sound" about one month later again, featuring Holmes and Pass. These recordings allowed Bostic to stretch out beyond the 3 minute limit imposed by the 45 RPM format. Bostic was pleased with the sessions which highlight his total mastery of the blues but they also foreshadowed musical advances that were later evident in the work of John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy.

He wrote arrangements for Paul Whiteman, Louis Prima, Lionel Hampton, Gene Krupa, Artie Shaw, Jack Teagarden and Alvino Rey.

Bostic's signature hit, "Flamingo" was recorded in 1951 and remains a favorite among followers of Carolina Beach Music in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Their style of Beach Music is heavily influenced by Rhythm-and-Blues music from the 40's, 50's and 60's. Bostic recorded for Cincinnati-based King Records, a small label that was well known for releasing "R and B" and Bluegrass records. In fact, the biggest star on the King label was "the Godfather of Soul", James Brown. Bostic was also popular among R&B and jazz followers in the United Kingdom, thanks to his records that were released on the Parlophone label.

Bostic died from a heart attack in Rochester, New York, while performing with his band in 1965. His widow, Hildegarde, was still living in San Francisco as of the mid-1990s.

Time Is on My Hands
Earl Bostic Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When the day fades away into twilight
The moon is my light of love
In the night, I am quite a romancer
I find an answer above
To being me consolation, you're my inspiration
This is my imagination.

Time on my hands, you in my arms

Nothing but love in view, then you fall
Once and for all, I'll see my dreams come true
Moments to spare for someone you care for
Our love affair for two

With time on my hands and you in my arms
And love in my heart all for you.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Earl Bostic's song "Time On My Hands" depict a romantic evening where the singer is finding solace in the tranquility of the night. The fading day and the emergence of twilight provide a perfect backdrop for the moon to shine as a symbol of love. The singer claims to be quite a romancer in the night, finding his answers of solace and inspiration above. The song goes on to say that the singer has time on his hands, held warmly by his lover, and nothing but love in view. The song depicts the singer's dreams coming true with moments to spare for someone he cares for, further illustrating the significance of the love affair.

The song is noteworthy for its imaginative lyrics that paint a vivid picture of a romantic evening. The lyrics are poetic and emotive with a focus on love, inspiration, and imagination. The song was written in 1931, the same year it was first recorded by jazz bandleader and pianist Isham Jones. Since then, several versions of this song have been recorded by different artists, with Earl Bostic's version being the most successful.

Line by Line Meaning

When the day fades away into twilight
As the sun sets and day turns to night

The moon is my light of love
The moonlight serves as a symbol of love to me

In the night, I am quite a romancer
I embrace my romantic side at night

I find an answer above
I look to a higher power for guidance and answers

To being me consolation, you're my inspiration
You bring me comfort and inspire me to be better

This is my imagination
This is my fantasy or my dream world

Time on my hands, you in my arms
With nothing but time and your embrace, I have all that I need

Nothing but love in view, then you fall
When all I see is love, I become enamored with you

Once and for all, I'll see my dreams come true
I will finally achieve my lifelong dreams

Moments to spare for someone you care for
It's important to make time for those you love

Our love affair for two
Our relationship is between just the two of us