Mulligan started on the piano before learning clarinet and the various saxophones. His initial reputation was as an arranger. In 1944 he wrote charts for Johnny Warrington's radio band and soon was making contributions to the books of Tommy Tucker and George Paxton. He moved to New York in 1946 and joined Gene Krupa's Orchestra as a staff arranger; his most notable chart was "Disc Jockey Jump." The rare times he played with Krupa's band was on alto and the same situation existed when he was with Claude Thornhill in 1948.
Gerry Mulligan's first notable recorded work on baritone was with Miles Davis' Birth of the Cool nonet (1948-50) but once again his arrangements ("Godchild," "Darn That Dream" and three of his originals "Jeru," "Rocker" and "Venus de Milo") were more significant than his short solos. Mulligan spent much of 1949 writing for Elliot Lawrence's orchestra and playing anonymously in the saxophone section. It was not until 1951 that he began to get a bit of attention for his work on baritone. Mulligan recorded with his own nonet for Prestige, displaying an already recognizable sound. After he traveled to Los Angeles, he wrote some arrangements for Stan Kenton (including "Youngblood," "Swing House" and "Walking Shoes"), worked at the Lighthouse and then gained a regular Monday night engagement at the Haig. Around this time Mulligan realized that he enjoyed the extra freedom of soloing without a pianist. He jammed with trumpeter Chet Baker and soon their magical rapport was featured in his piano-less quartet. The group caught on quickly in 1952 and made both Mulligan and Baker into stars.
A drug bust put Mulligan out of action and ended that quartet but, when he was released from jail in 1954, Mulligan began a new musical partnership with valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer that was just as successful. Trumpeter Jon Eardley and Zoot Sims on tenor occasionally made the group a sextet and in 1958 trumpeter Art Farmer was featured in Mulligan's Quartet. Being a very flexible player with respect for other stylists, Mulligan went out of his way to record with some of the great musicians he admired. At the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival he traded off with baritonist Harry Carney on "Prima Bara Dubla" while backed by the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and during 1957-60 he recorded separate albums with Thelonious Monk, Paul Desmond, Stan Getz, Ben Webster and Johnny Hodges. Mulligan played on the classic Sound of Jazz television special in 1958 and appeared in the movies I Want to Live and The Subterraneans.
During 1960-64 Mulligan led his Concert Jazz Band which gave him an opportunity to write, play baritone and occasionally double on piano. The orchestra at times included Brookmeyer, Sims, Clark Terry and Mel Lewis. Mulligan was a little less active after the big band broke up but he toured extensively with the Dave Brubeck Quartet (1968-72), had a part-time big band in the 1970s (the Age of Steam), doubled on soprano for a period, led a mid-'70s sextet that included vibraphonist Dave Samuels, and in 1986 jammed on a record with Scott Hamilton. In the 1990s he toured the world with his excellent "no-name" quartet and led a "Rebirth of the Cool Band" that performed and recorded remakes of the Miles Davis Nonet classics. Up until the end, Gerry Mulligan was always eager to play. Gerry Mulligan died on January 20th, 1996 in Darien, CT.
Among Mulligan's compositions were "Walkin' Shoes," "Line for Lyons," "Bark for Barksdale," "Nights at the Turntable," "Utter Chaos," "Soft Shoe," "Bernie's Tune," "Blueport," "Song for Strayhorn," "Song for an Unfinished Woman" and "I Never Was a Young Man" (which he often sang). He recorded extensively through the years for such labels as Prestige, Pacific Jazz, Capitol, Vogue, EmArcy, Columbia, Verve, Milestone, United Artists, Philips, Limelight, A&M, CTI, Chiaroscuro, Who's Who, DRG, Concord and GRP. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
Sunday
Gerry Mulligan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lord, dear Lord above, God almighty,
God of love, please look down and see my people through.
I believe that God put sun and moon up in the sky.
I don't mind the gray skies
'cause they're just clouds passing by.
Heaven is a goodness time.
A brighter light on high.
Do unto others as you would have them do to you.
And have a brighter by and by.
Lord, dear Lord above, God almighty,
God of love, please look down and see my people through.
I believe God is now, was then and always will be.
With God's blessing we can make it through eternity.
Lord, dear Lord above, God almighty,
God of love, please look down and see my people through.
The song "Sunday" by Gerry Mulligan and Ben Webster is a prayerful and optimistic piece that expresses hope and faith in God, particularly in difficult times. The lyrics include a series of invocations to the divine, asking for guidance and support, and expressing the singer's belief in God's power and goodness. The opening line calls upon "Lord, dear Lord above, God almighty, God of love," to look down and assist "my people" in their struggles. The use of the term "my people" suggests a sense of community and solidarity, which is further emphasized by the repeated plea for God's assistance.
The second verse highlights the singer's belief in the power of God to create and sustain the natural world. The sun, the moon, and even the gray clouds are seen as evidence of God's handiwork, with the latter being accepted as temporary and passing. This perspective suggests a kind of resignation towards hardship and adversity, which is balanced by the promise of a brighter future, both in "heaven," and in the present, if we practice kindness and compassion towards one another.
The final verse reinforces the timeless nature of God and his place in the singer's life, as well as the potential for human progress and transcendence with God's blessing. The overall message of the song is one of hope, resilience, and faith in God's power to see us through even the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh
An expression of emotion, possibly representing awe or deep feeling.
Lord, dear Lord above, God almighty,
An appeal to the divine creator, acknowledging their power and authority.
God of love, please look down and see my people through.
A request for divine intervention and assistance on behalf of oneself and others.
I believe that God put sun and moon up in the sky.
A statement of faith in a higher power and their ability to create and sustain the natural world.
I don't mind the gray skies
An acceptance of temporary hardships or difficulties, possibly relating to emotional or mental health.
'cause they're just clouds passing by.
An acknowledgement that life's struggles are temporary and will eventually pass.
Heaven is a goodness time.
A description of the afterlife as a place of happiness and fulfillment.
A brighter light on high.
A metaphorical representation of heaven as a place of radiant beauty and joy.
Do unto others as you would have them do to you.
A moral principle of treating others with respect and kindness, similar to the concept of the Golden Rule.
And have a brighter by and by.
A hope or belief in a better future or afterlife.
I believe God is now, was then and always will be.
A statement of faith in God's eternal nature and presence throughout history.
With God's blessing we can make it through eternity.
An expression of hope and faith in divine support during life and beyond.
Lord, dear Lord above, God almighty,
An appeal to the divine creator, acknowledging their power and authority.
God of love, please look down and see my people through.
A request for divine intervention and assistance on behalf of oneself and others.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind