In 1928 (on his 25th birthday) Hines began leading his own big band. For over 10 years his was "The Band" in Al Capone's Grand Terrace Cafe — Hines was Capone's "Mr Piano Man". Hines recorded for Victor in 1929, then after a gap for Brunswick from 1932-1934, Decca from 1934-1935, then after another gap, Vocalion from 1937-1938 and Bluebird from 1939-1942 (nearly all among the best Black Jazz of the era). From the Grand Terrace, The Earl Hines Orchestra (or "Organization" as he more happily referred to it) broadcast on "open mikes", sometimes five nights a week and over many years, coast to coast across America — Chicago being well placed to deal with the U.S. live-broadcasting time-zone problem. Hines's band became the most broadcast band in America. Sometimes Nat "King" Cole was Hines's relief pianist (though Cliff Smalls was his favorite) and it was here with Hines that Charlie Parker got his first professional job...until he was fired for his time-keeping — by which Hines meant Parker's inability to show up on time despite Parker resorting to sleeping under the Grand Terrace stage in his attempts to do so. Hines led his big band until 1947, taking time out to front the Duke Ellington orchestra in 1944 while Duke was ill...but the big-band era was over. (Thirty years later, Hines's 20 solo "transformative versions" of his "Earl Hines Plays Duke Ellington" recorded in the 1970s were described by Ben Ratliff in the "New York Times" as "as good an example of the jazz process as anything out there".)
At the start of 1949 Hines rejoined Armstrong in the latter's "All Stars" "small band", where Hines stayed through 1951. He then led his own small combo around the States and Europe. At the start of the jazz-lean 1960s he settled in Oakland, California, opened a tobacconist's, and came close to giving up the profession. Then, in 1964 Hines was "suddenly rediscovered" following a series of concerts in New York. He was the 1965 "Critics' Choice" for Down Beat Magazine's "Hall of Fame". From then till he died he recorded endlessly both solo and with jazz notables like Cat Anderson, Buck Clayton, Roy Eldridge, Ella Fitzgerald, Paul Gonsalves, Sonny Greer, Lionel Hampton, Coleman Hawkins, Johnny Hodges, Budd Johnson, Jimmy Rushing, Stuff Smith, Sarah Vaughan, Joe Venuti and Ben Webster. Possibly more surprising were Elvin Jones, Peggy Lee, Charles Mingus, Dinah Washington — and Ry Cooder. But his most acclaimed recordings of this period were his dazzling and endlessly inventive solo performances, which could show him at his very best, "a whole orchestra by himself".[12] Solo tributes to Louis Armstrong, Hoagy Carmichael, Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, and George Gershwin were all put on record in the 1970s. Hines also toured Europe again regularly at this time, and added Asia, Australia and the Soviet Union to his list of State Department–funded destinations. At the top of his form, Hines also displayed his endearing quirks (not to say grunts) in these performances. Sometimes he sang as he played, especially his own "They Never Believed I Could Do It - Neither Did I". In 1975 he made an hour-long "solo" film for British TV out-of-hours in a Washington nightclub: the "New York Herald Tribune" described it as "The greatest jazz-film ever made". He played solo in The White House and played solo for the Pope — and played (and sang) his last job a few days before he died in Oakland, quite likely somewhat older than he had always maintained.
Royal Garden Blues
Earl Hines Lyrics
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You'll start in dog-walkin' no matter where.
There's jazz-copation blues modulation,
Just like a Haitian you'll rip and tear.
Most everybody likes the blues
Here's why I'm ravin', here's why I'm ravin'
If it's blues you are cravin' just come on down.
Soon you'll be sayin', "Hon jazz me 'round"
Because your feet they can't refuse.
What's that familiar strain that true blue note refrain
It's drivin' me insane,
Can't keep still, tho' it's against my will;
I'm on my P's and Q's I just can't refuse.
There goes that melody, it sounds so good to me,
And I am up a tree,
It's a shame, you don't know the name;
It's a brand new blues,
The Royal Garden Blues.
Everybody grab somebody And start jazzing 'round
Hon don't you hear that trombone moan?
Just listen to that saxophone.
Gee, hear that clarinet and flute,
Cornet jazzin' with a mute,
Makes me just throw myself away,
When I hear 'em play.
That weepin' melancholy strain,
Say, but it's soothing to the brain;
Just wanna get right up and dance,
Don't care I'll take most any chance;
No other blues I'd care to choose,
But Royal Garden Blues.
The lyrics of Earl Hines's "Royal Garden Blues" describe the irresistible pull of jazz music and the power of the blues. The singer suggests that once you start listening to the music, you won't be able to resist dancing ("you'll start in dog-walkin' no matter where"), and that the combination of jazz rhythms, blues chords, and Caribbean influences will make you "rip and tear." The singer proclaims that "most everybody likes the blues," and invites listeners to come down to where the band is playing and join in the fun. He can't resist the "familiar strain" of the blues melody and the "true blue note refrain" that makes him "just throw myself away" when he hears the band playing. He suggests that the music is so infectious that if you don't start tapping your feet, you must be on your "P's and Q's" (that is, being very polite).
The "Royal Garden Blues" is ultimately a tribute to the power of jazz music to unite people and inspire joy and dancing. The singer celebrates the sound of the band playing together, with the trombone, saxophone, clarinet, flute, and cornet all creating a "weepin' melancholy strain" that he finds soothing and exhilarating. The song's exuberant lyrics celebrate the essential role that jazz has played in American culture, and the irresistible appeal of its unique combination of rhythms, melodies, and improvisation.
Line by Line Meaning
No use of talkin' no use of talkin' You'll start in dog-walkin' no matter where.
Don't waste your time talking because when you hear the music, you'll start dancing no matter where you are.
There's jazz-copation blues modulation, Just like a Haitian you'll rip and tear.
The music has a rhythm and blues that will make you want to dance just like the way Haitians dance.
Most everybody likes the blues
Almost everyone loves the blues music.
Here's why I'm ravin', here's why I'm ravin' If it's blues you are cravin' just come on down.
I'm excited because I know that if you're looking for blues music, you should come here.
You'll hear 'em playin', you'll hear 'em playin' Soon you'll be sayin', "Hon jazz me 'round" Because your feet they can't refuse.
Once you hear the music, you'll want someone to dance with you because your feet will start moving uncontrollably.
What's that familiar strain that true blue note refrain It's drivin' me insane, Can't keep still, tho' it's against my will; I'm on my P's and Q's I just can't refuse.
I can't resist the familiar melody and blues notes of this song, and I'm struggling to stay still because my body wants to dance.
There goes that melody, it sounds so good to me, And I am up a tree, It's a shame, you don't know the name; It's a brand new blues, The Royal Garden Blues.
I love that melody of this brand new blues song, but it's unfortunate that you don't know what it's called. It's called the Royal Garden Blues.
Everybody grab somebody And start jazzing 'round
Everyone should get a partner and start dancing to the jazz music.
Hon don't you hear that trombone moan? Just listen to that saxophone. Gee, hear that clarinet and flute, Cornet jazzin' with a mute, Makes me just throw myself away, When I hear 'em play.
The sound of the trombone, saxophone, clarinet, flute, and cornet playing jazz music is so good that it compels me to dance uncontrollably.
That weepin' melancholy strain, Say, but it's soothing to the brain; Just wanna get right up and dance, Don't care I'll take most any chance; No other blues I'd care to choose, But Royal Garden Blues.
Even though the melancholic melody soothes my brain, I still want to dance to the Royal Garden Blues because no other blues can compare.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: CLARENCE WILLIAMS, SPENCER WILLIAMS, TED LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind