<… Read Full Bio ↴Gary Bartz (born in 1940) is an American alto and soprano saxophonist.
Since graduating from The Juilliard School he has worked with Charles Mingus, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Max Roach, and Jackie McLean, as well as performing and recording with his own groups, among them the Gary Bartz NTU Troop, which combined soul, funk, African folk music, hard bop, and avant-garde jazz.
In 2005, Bartz won a Grammy for playing on McCoy Tyner's album Illuminations.
He currently teaches at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music when not touring.
Celestial Blues
Gary Bartz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Over the reefs of moonshine
Under the skies of fall
North-north-west, the stones of Faroe
Under the Arctic fire
Over the seas of silence
Hauling on frozen ropes
For all my days remaining
All colours bleed to red
Asleep on the ocean's bed
Drifting in empty seas
For all my days remaining
Would north be true?
Why should I, why should I cry for you?
Dark angels follow me
Over a godless sea
Mountains of endless fog
For all my days remaining
What would be true?
Sometimes I see your face,
The stars seem to lose their place
Why must I think of you?
Why must I? Why should I?
Why should I cry for you?
Why would you want me to?
And what would it mean to say,
'I loved you in my fashion?'
What would be true?
Why should I, why should I cry for you?
Why should I cry?
The lyrics of Gary Bartz's song Celestial Blues paint a vivid picture of a sailor lost at sea, standing under the sail of his vessel and navigating his way towards the north as he traverses treacherous waters. The song's haunting melody and somber lyrics evoke a sense of longing and desperation, as the singer reflects on his love and struggles to come to terms with his fate.
The song's title, "Celestial Blues," refers to the cosmic nature of the singer's journey, as he navigates his way through the vast expanse of the universe. The lyrics are filled with allusions to the stars and heavens, as the sailor seeks guidance from the constellations above. However, despite his reliance on the stars for direction, he is haunted by memories of his past, and his sense of isolation and loneliness is palpable.
As the song progresses, the singer's sense of despair intensifies, as he confronts the reality of his own mortality, drifting in empty seas with no clear destination in sight. The chorus, with its repeated refrain of "Why should I cry for you?" captures the singer's sense of resignation and acceptance of his own fate, as he struggles to make sense of his own existence in the face of overwhelming odds.
Overall, Celestial Blues is a poignant meditation on the human condition, and the song's melancholic lyrics and haunting melody have made it a beloved classic of the jazz and soul music genres.
Line by Line Meaning
Under the dog-star sail
Sailing under the dog star constellation
Over the reefs of moonshine
Navigating through the shadows and reflections of the moonlight
Under the skies of fall
Sailing under the autumn skies
North-north-west, the stones of Faroe
Heading northwest towards Faroe Islands
Under the Arctic fire
Sailing through cold Arctic waters
Over the seas of silence
Sailing through quiet and calm waters
Hauling on frozen ropes
Pulling on frozen ropes to navigate the ship
For all my days remaining
For the rest of my life
Would north be true?
Is heading north the right direction?
All colours bleed to red
Everything eventually turns to dust
Asleep on the ocean's bed
Dead and lying at the bottom of the ocean
Drifting in empty seas
Lost and alone in the vast ocean
Why should I, why should I cry for you?
Why do I have to grieve over you?
Dark angels follow me
An ominous presence is lurking around me
Over a godless sea
Sailing through a lifeless and hopeless ocean
Mountains of endless fog
Navigating through dense fog on the high seas
What would be true?
What is really real?
Sometimes I see your face
Occasionally I think of you
The stars seem to lose their place
Feeling lost and disoriented
Why must I think of you?
Why do I have to keep remembering you?
Why should I cry?
Why should I weep?
Contributed by Hunter Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
alexa x
We must get closer to the essence of life...
But be aware that it takes courage and strife.
Expand your mind don't let it wither and die...
Your mind it lifts your spirit high to the sky.
C'mon meditate,
Lets contemplate
Talk to the heavenly bodies
Of the universe
Of the universe
Of the universe
Of the universe
Talk to the heavenly bodies
Talk to the heavenly bodies
Talk to the heavenly bodies
Of the universe
Meditate
Comtemplate
Meditate
Contemplate
Meditate
Contemplate
We must get closer to the essence of life...
But be aware that it takes courage and strife.
Expand your mind don't let it wither and die...
Your mind it lifts your spirit high to the sky.
C'mon meditate,
Lets contemplate
Talk to the heavenly bodies
Of the universe
We must get closer to the essence of life...
But be aware that it takes courage and strife.
Expand your mind don't let it wither and die...
Your mind it lifts your spirit high to the sky.
C'mon meditate,
Lets contemplate
So meditate
C'mon meditate
Lets comtemplate
Yes Meditate
C'mon meditate
Lets comtemplate
Talk to the heavenly bodies
Talk to the heavenly bodies
Talk to the heavenly bodies
Talk to the heavenly bodies
Talk to the heavenly bodies
Talk to the heavenly bodies
Talk to the heavenly bodies
Of the universe
Of the universe
Talk to the heavenly bodies
Heavenly noches
Of the universe
Jon K. J. Bartz
55 years ago, my Dad handed me 2 of Gary's LPs, grinned and said, "Since you're into Jazz, here's a couple of albums by a relative of ours". Never found out if we are related, but I love his work.
Delonius Monk
An absolute masterpiece of a track - I simply cannot get enough of it.
Will's Jazz Joint
Mind blowing
Discodroid Z
stopped dead in my tracks when i first heard this back in the early 90's. a stone cold classic.a stone jam.a creation of truth and beauty. for those in the know i salute you.
Thefunksoulbro
And you brother 😎
leonard grimes
Still feeling it always works
Cilla777
A truly heavenly, cosmic and deep feeling song, lyrics and melodies to live by... 😎❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤😍
vtswoj
0 dislikes - that says it all. So much soul in this track.
Damita
YouTube doesn't let anyone do dislikes anymore
Sinisterbio360
@Damita ya do realize this comment is 9 years old right? Long before they were gone