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.
St Louis Blues
Earl Hines Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hate to see that evening sun go down
Cause my baby, he's gone left this town
Feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
If I'm feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
I'll pack my truck and make my give-a-way
Pulls that man around by her, if it wasn't for her and her
That man I love would have gone nowhere, nowhere
I got the St. Louis blues, blues as I can be
That man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me
I love my baby like a school boy loves his pie
Like a Kentucky colonel loves his mint 'n rye
I love my man till the day I die
The lyrics to Earl Hines's song St Louis Blues are reflective of the feelings of a man who has lost his lover, his baby, and is feeling lost and blue. The first two lines of the song clearly express his feelings of despair at seeing the evening sun go down, which symbolizes the end of the day and the darkness and loneliness that he feels creeping in. The next two lines paint a vivid picture of his emotional state, feeling like tomorrow will be just as bad as today, and the only thing he can do is pack up and leave town.
The song's chorus focuses on the St. Louis woman with her diamond ring, who has pulled the man around and made him leave, even though he loves her. This woman seems to have a power over the man that he cannot resist, even though she is not good for him. The man is deep in the blues, feeling as low as he possibly can. He compares his lover's heart to a rock in the sea, showing that her heart is cold, and unfeeling.
Overall, this classic jazz standard is about lost love and the power that a woman can hold over a man's heart. The man is in so much pain that he doesn't know what to do, and the St. Louis woman who has made him leave, seems to hold a power over him that he cannot resist.
Line by Line Meaning
I hate to see that evening sun go down
I feel unhappy when the sun sets in the evening
Cause my baby, he's gone left this town
My lover has left this town and I'm sad about it
Feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
If my emotions tomorrow are the same as today
I'll pack my truck and make my give-a-way
I'll leave town and start fresh
St. Louis woman with her diamond ring
A woman from St. Louis who wears a diamond ring
Pulls that man around by her, if it wasn't for her and her
If she didn't have the power and influence she does
That man I love would have gone nowhere, nowhere
My lover wouldn't be successful without her help
I got the St. Louis blues, blues as I can be
I'm feeling very sad and depressed
That man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea
My lover is very cold and unfeeling
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me
If he loved me, he wouldn't have left me
I love my baby like a school boy loves his pie
I love my lover very much, like a child loves his favorite dessert
Like a Kentucky colonel loves his mint 'n rye
I love my lover like someone who really loves their favorite drink
I love my man till the day I die
I will love my lover forever
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, HANDY BROTHERS MUSIC CO.,INC.
Written by: William Christopher Handy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gregbattles4742
BLACK MUSIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PHENOMENON in America and around the world same goes for 2021
@micheled2069
Extraordinary !
@gynack
I was lucky enough to see Earl Hines playing solo in a jazz club in Hampstead, London c.1965. He didn't need bass and drums. A privilege really being able to listen to people like that performing live.
@carlachristina8665
I was born in the 80's, shortly after Earl Hines died. However, my grandfather introduced me to him , this song boogie woogey on st Louis blues in particular when I was 5 and began playing it shortly after, the version my grandad taught me. It has been a part of my life long as I can remember. He still has the illest left hand I've ever heard. So glad I've known his music my whole life. Life wouldn't have been the same without Father Hines.
@ludovica8221
My friends Dad , Aaron Sachs played saxophone and clarinet for Hines and his mum was Helen Merrill who sang with the band
@brianhines1452
I love ALL types of music! Hip Hop, R&B, Jazz, Gospel, Blues, Some Rock, Some Country, and Funk. I really am getting into music from the old, old days like Earl Hines, Art Tatum, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, etc. I just consider myself versatile. I will give any type of music a try if it sounds good.
@margaretadams7676
I love the music but really love the singing from that era
@craigmccauley3972
Cool jazz & blues!
@KevinBrightman
Awesome. One of my favorite pianist. My teacher Jaki Byard and Earl Hines recorded a duo piano album together.
@artherladett442
Woah! You were taught by the great Jaki Byard--what couldn't he play!