Gene Krupa
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Gene Krupa (Janu… Read Full Bio ↴Gene Krupa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gene Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973) was a famous and influential Polish-American jazz and big band drummer, known for his highly energetic and flamboyant style.

Krupa was born in Chicago, Illinois. He began playing professionally in the mid 1920s with bands in Wisconsin.

He made his first recordings in 1927, with a band under the leadership of banjoist Eddie Condon and "fixer" (and sometime singer, who did not appear on the records), Red McKenzie: these sides are now recognised as the first, and definitive, examples of white "Chicago Style" jazz. The numbers recorded at that session were: 'China Boy', 'Sugar', 'Nobody's Sweetheart' and 'Liza'.

In 1943, Krupa was arrested for possession of marijuana and was given a brief jail term. After his release, Krupa reorganized his band with a big string section, featuring Charlie Ventura on sax. It was one of the largest dance bands of the era, sometimes containing up to forty musicians. He gradually cut down the size of the band in the late 1940s, and from 1951 on led a trio or quartet. He appeared regularly with the Jazz At the Philharmonic shows.

Krupa largely went into retirement in the late 1960s, although occasionally played in public until shortly before his death from leukemia in Yonkers, New York. He was buried in Holy Cross Cemetary in Calumet City, Illinois.

Indiana
Gene Krupa and His Orchestra Lyrics

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Back home again in Indiana,
And it seems that I can see
The gleamin' candlelight,
Still shinin' bright,
Through the sycamores for me.

The new mown hay sends all its fragrance
From the fields I used to roam.

When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash,
Then I long for my Indiana home.

Oh, I have always been a wanderer
Over land and sea,
Yet a moonbeam on the water
Casts a spell o'er me;
A vision fair I see,
Again I long to be;

Back home again in Indiana,
And it seems that I can see
The gleamin' candlelight,
Still shinin' bright,
Through the sycamores for me.

The new mown hay sends all its fragrance
From the fields I used to roam.
When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash,

Then I long for my Indiana home,
Indiana home.

Overall Meaning

The Gene Krupa Trio’s song Indiana, is a nostalgic tribute to the vocalist's home state. The song transports the listener back to Indiana with its storytelling style and use of sensory cues. The lyrics open with the phrase "Back home again in Indiana," immediately establishing a sense of longing for a place that the vocalist has left behind. The image of candlelight shining through the sycamores lights up a very specific memory associated with the place. The second verse is filled with more sensory descriptions, including the scent of new mown hay filling the air, which creates a deep sense of nostalgia for the vocalist.

The chorus appears twice throughout the song, and each time it evokes an even more poignant sense of homesickness. The use of repetition gives the song a memorable melody while also reinforcing the theme of yearning for something lost. The final line, "Indiana home," echoes the chorus but also adds a sense of finality to the lyrics, as if the vocalist knows they won't return to this place.

Overall, Indiana is a powerful song that conveys a deep sense of longing for a place that can never come back. The imagery and sensory cues give the song an almost tangible quality that is hard to find in music today.

Line by Line Meaning

Back home again in Indiana,
I've returned to my home state of Indiana,

And it seems that I can see
It feels familiar and comforting to me

The gleamin' candlelight,
I can see the shimmering candlelight

Still shinin' bright,
It's still as beautiful and bright as ever

Through the sycamores for me.
The light shines through the tall sycamore trees for me

The new mown hay sends all its fragrance
The fresh-cut hay is giving off its sweet, pleasant smell

From the fields I used to roam.
It reminds me of the fields where I used to wander

When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash,
Sometimes I dream about the moon's reflection on the Wabash River

Then I long for my Indiana home.
When I think of that, I yearn to be back in Indiana

Oh, I have always been a wanderer
I've always had a wandering spirit

Over land and sea,
Travelling on land and sea