In 1922 he formed his own band, which was resident first at the Club Alabam then at the Roseland, and quickly became known as the best African-American band in New York. For a time his ideas of arrangement were heavily influenced by those of Paul Whiteman, but when Louis Armstrong joined his orchestra in 1924 Henderson realized there could be a much richer potential for jazz band orchestration. Henderson's band also boasted the formidable arranging talents of Don Redman (from 1922 to 1927).
It's significant to note during the 1920's and very early 1930's, Henderson actually wrote few, if any, arrangements; most of his recordings were arranged by Don Redman (c. 1923-1927) or Benny Carter (after 1927-c. 1931). As an arranger, Henderson came into his own in the mid-1930s.
His band circa 1925 included Howard Scott, Coleman Hawkins (who started with Henderson in 1923 playing the low tuba parts on bass saxophone and quickly moved to tenor and a leading solo role), Louis Armstrong, Charlie Dixon, Kaiser Marshall, Buster Bailey, Elmer Chambers, Charlie Green, Ralph Escudero and Don Redman.
In 1925, along with fellow composer Henry Troy, he wrote "Gin House Blues", recorded by Bessie Smith and Nina Simone amongst others. He also wrote the very popular jazz composition "Soft Winds" among others.
Henderson recorded extensively in the 1920s for numerous labels, including:
Vocalion,
Paramount,
Columbia,
Olympic,
Ajax,
Pathe,
Edison,
Emerson,
Brunswick,
Plaza Records (Banner, Oriole, and the other Plaza labels).
He was recording director for the fledgling Black Swan label from 1921-1923. From 1925-1930, he primarily recorded for Columbia and Brunswick/Vocalion under his own name and a series of acoustic recordings under the name The Dixie Stompers for Columbia's Harmony and associated dime store labels (Diva and Velvet Tone). During the 1930s, he recorded for Columbia, Crown (as "Connie's Inn Orchestra"), ARC (Melotone, Perfect, Oriole, etc.), Victor, Vocalion and Decca.
At one time or another, in addition to Armstrong, lead trumpeters included Henry "Red" Allen, Joe Smith, Rex Stewart, Tommy Ladnier, Doc Cheatham and Roy Eldridge on trumpet. Lead saxophonists included Coleman Hawkins, Buster Bailey, Benny Carter and Chu Berry. Sun Ra also worked as an arranger during the 1940s during Henderson's engagement at the Club DeLisa in Chicago. Sun Ra himself said that on first hearing Henderson's orchestra as a teenager he assumed that they must be angels because no human could produce such beautiful music.
Beginning in the early 1930s, Fletcher's piano-playing younger brother, Horace Henderson contributed to the arrangements of the band. At different times in Horace's career he was Billie Holiday's and Lena Horne's Pianist. Later he led a band of his own that also received critical acclaim.
Although Fletcher's band was very popular, he had little success managing the band. But much of his lack of recognition outside of Harlem had to do more with the times in which he lived. Although he was the real "King of Swing", America was not ready for him to take his place on the throne. After about 1931, he was well regarded as an arranger - and his arrangements became influential. In addition to his own band he arranged for several other bands, including those of Teddy Hill, Isham Jones, and most famously, Benny Goodman. Henderson's wife, Leora, said that a major turning point in his life was an auto accident which occurred in 1928. Henderson's shoulder was injured and he apparently sustained a concussion. Leora claimed that Fletcher was never the same, and that after this point he lost his ambition and became careless. According to Leora, the accident was a major cause of Henderson's diminishing success. She claims that John Hammond and Benny Goodman arranged to buy Henderson's arrangements as a way to support Henderson, and points out that Goodman always gave Henderson credit for the arrangements and said that the Henderson band played them better than the Goodman band. In addition, Goodman and Hammond arranged broadcasts and recordings to benefit Henderson when he was ill.
Although Henderson's music was loved by the masses, his band began to fold with the 1929 stock market crash. The loss of financial stability resulted in the selling of many arrangements from his songbooks to the later-to-be-acclaimed "King of Swing" Benny Goodman.
In 1934, Goodman's Orchestra was selected as a house band for the "Let's Dance" radio program. Since he needed new charts every week for the show, his friend John Hammond suggested that he purchase some Jazz charts from Henderson. Many of Goodman's hits from the swing era were arranged by Henderson for his own band in the late 20s and early 30s.
In 1939 Henderson disbanded his own band and joined Goodman's, first as both pianist and arranger and then working full-time as the staff arranger. He reformed bands of his own several times in the 1940s, toured with Ethel Waters again in 1948 - 1949. Henderson suffered a stroke in 1950 resulting in partial paralysis that ended his days as a pianist. He died in New York City in 1952.
Oh Baby
Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With plenty of money and you.
In spite of the worry that money brings.
Just a little filthy looker buys a lot of things.
And I could take you to places that you would like to go.
But outside of that, I've no use for dough.
It's the root of all evil,
Of strife and upheaval.
With plenty of money and you.
It's the root of all evil,
Of strife and upheaval.
But I'm certain, honey, that life would be sunny
With plenty of money and you.
The lyrics of Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra's song "Oh Baby" revolve around the age-old question of the importance of money in relationships. The singer addresses his lover and tells her that with her by his side, he could do wonders with money. However, he is quick to point out the negative aspects of wealth, indicating that it brings worry and stress. He also comments on the notion that money can buy happiness, stating that while it can purchase material goods and experiences, outside of that, it holds no value. The singer ultimately concludes that life would be better with money and his lover, showcasing the superficial desires and complexities of relationships.
The lyrics of "Oh Baby" highlight the societal pressure to attain financial stability and the belief that wealth equates to happiness. It suggests that while money can purchase temporary joys and gifts, it is not the solution to long-term happiness. Additionally, the lyrics reveal how relationships can have a transactional nature where financial status plays an important role.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, baby, what I couldn't do
I'm wondering aloud what incredible things we could achieve together
With plenty of money and you.
If we had a lot of money and each other, we could do anything.
In spite of the worry that money brings.
Money comes with its own set of problems, but I'm willing to deal with them to have a better life with you.
Just a little filthy looker buys a lot of things.
Even a small amount of money can buy a lot of material possessions.
And I could take you to places that you would like to go.
I want to show you the world and give you the best experiences possible.
But outside of that, I've no use for dough.
Money only means something to me if it helps make our lives better.
It's the root of all evil,
Money is often the cause of people's problems and conflicts.
Of strife and upheaval.
It can lead to fighting and unrest.
But I'm certain, honey, that life would be sunny
Despite the potential problems, I know that our lives would be happier with more money.
With plenty of money and you.
Together, we can conquer any challenges that come with wealth while enjoying the benefits it brings.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AL DUBIN, HARRY WARREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael Laprarie
For my money this is one of the hottest recordings of the '20s.
trygve Hernæs
That's Jimmy Harrison on trombone! Fabulous jazz!
Daniel Weinstein
Definitely Charlie Green, not Jimmy Harrison. They had some influence on each other, but Green growled, as he does here, much more than Harrison.
Mobile Auto Detailing of Los Angeles
Who composed this and does anyone know where one can find the lyrics?
Jens Rahnfeld
walter donaldson and desylva = public domain
J. W.
When I first heard this FH recording 35 or so yrs ago, I thought Oh, Baby was just dreadful...I did not appreciate Early pre-1932 Jazz, dismissing it as total cornball. Obviously, I got the Memo Fletcher and his Gang left me...and Ive been a Hard-Core Lover of his band and 20s Jazz ever since !
bob boscarato
I think the trombone was Jimmy Harrison
Heinz Becker
do you have a list or the recording.?
bob boscarato
Thank you Heinz, I'm getting better and always try to listen to the good musik.
Daniel Weinstein
I'll have to disagree. Charlie Green, IMO.