Erroll Louis Garner was born on 15th June 1921 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and began playing the piano at the age of three. At the age of seven he began appearing on radio station KDKA in Pittsburgh with a group called the Candy Kids. By the age of eleven he was playing on the Allegheny riverboats. At the age of fourteen in 1937 he joined local saxophonist Leroy Brown.
He played locally in the shadow of his older pianist brother, Linton Garner, and moved to New York in 1944. He briefly worked with the bassist Slam Stewart, and though not a bebop musician, in 1947 he played with Charlie Parker on the famous "Cool Blues" session. Although his admission to the Pittsburgh music union was initially refused because of his inability to read music, they eventually relented in 1956 and made him an honorary member. Garner is credited with having a superb memory for music; after attending a concert by the Russian pianist Emil Gilels, Garner returned to his apartment and was able to play a large portion of the performed music.
His 1955 recording Concert by the Sea ranks among his very best work. Ironically this recording of a performance at an army base in Carmel, California, featuring Eddie Calhoun on bass and Denzil Best on drums, was made using relatively primitive sound equipment, but Garner's inventiveness and swing made its point in each tune. Other notable works include 1951's Long Ago and Far Away and 1974's Magician, both of which see Erroll perform a number of classic standards in his own style. Often the trio was expanded to add Latin percussion, usually a conga, with electric results.
What made Erroll easy to recognise were his trademark introductions, that seemed to make no sense but broke dramatically into his exposition of the tune he was to play, and the guitar strumming sound of his left hand, playing crotchet accompaniment to his rich-sounding right hand. This approach suggests that he was influenced by the iconic rhythm guitar work of Count Basie's long time guitarist, Freddie Green. But discerning listeners could find that while his even-four left hand was a fixture, it was far from being the only rhythmic approach he took to playing.
Where or When
Erroll Garner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We looked at each other in the same way then
But I can't remember where or when
The clothes you're wearing are the clothes you wore
The smile you are smiling you were smiling then
But I can't remember where or when
Seem to be happening again
And so it seems that we have met before
And laughed before, and loved before
But who knows where or when
The lyrics of Erroll Garner's song Where or When involve a person who recognizes someone they are talking to but cannot place where or when they have met before. The individual notes that they have had a similar conversation with them and their clothing and facial expressions remain unchanged. Even though they can't identify the location or time of their initial meeting, they have a sense of familiarity with this person that suggests they have connected meaningfully with them before.
The song's theme touches on the idea of déjà vu, which is the sensation of having already experienced a particular event or situation before. Some scientists believe that a person's brain creates a false feeling of familiarity by confusing a new experience with an old one. In this song, the individual senses this connection and recalls having laughed and loved together before, but is unable to determine when or where it happened.
Overall, Where or When is a beautiful and romantic song that explores the mysteries of the human mind and emotions. The sense of deja vu and the difficulty of recalling a previous encounter are common experiences that relate to personal and universal themes.
Line by Line Meaning
It seems we stood and talked like this before
It appears that we have conversed in this manner previously
We looked at each other in the same way then
Our gaze upon each other was identical during that time
But I can't remember where or when
However, I am unable to recall the time or place of our previous encounter
The clothes you're wearing are the clothes you wore
The garments you have on now are the same ones you had on during our previous meeting
The smile you are smiling you were smiling then
The expression on your face currently is reminiscent of the look on your face during our previous encounter
But I can't remember where or when
Despite these similarities, I still cannot recall the location or time of our original meeting
Some things that happened for the first time
An occurrence that happened for the first time
Seem to be happening again
Appears to be recurring
And so it seems that we have met before
Thus, it appears that we have encountered each other previously
And laughed before, and loved before
And shared moments of laughter and affection in the past
But who knows where or when
However, the specific time and location of these past experiences remain unknown to us
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
carl armstrong
Pure art! Erroll was born with the gift of music times 10.
Tom Djll
He was very short. He was self-taught. He understood theory, but never learned to read music. He was vain about his balding, so plastered it down in an epic comb-over. His facial expressions are a sheer delight. He doesn't fit easily into the accepted history of jazz because he was so popular.
stanley davis
bad to the bone
Rah Rah
Brilliantly spoken.
Jan Willem Steenman
One of the greatest piano players we ever had. Fabulous technique without any knowledge of "paperwork", usually sitting on the New York phonebooks and always looking to his public. I had the pleasure of meeting him in London. A fantastic and charming man who morevover stayed very humble. Now I will hopefully reach the age of 76 but I still remember him if it was yesterday ! Rotterdam. March 10, 2015
Paul Glitch
You met him! You are one lucky soul .
Mauricio
Nicely put, you are a lucky man
aaa bbb
Yes, He has His own individual place of honor! He is unique!
1LCSteve
An amazing and inspiring performance - especially when you realize that he didn't read music! Erroll is truly one of the geniuses of our time. THANKS to whomever posted this on YouTube.
GeorgiaBoy1961
Re: "He doesn't fit easily into the accepted history of jazz because he was so popular." I've been fortunate to know personally a handful of the best jazz pianists of the last half century, and they all love and revere Garner's work. He is at the absolute pinnacle of jazz piano artistry, along with a few others. His style is unique, and very few people can cop it accurately. Hal Galper can; I know who can because I heard him do it once in person. Garner's popularity was just icing on the cake.