Mobley was born in Eastman, Georgia, but was raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey, near Newark. Early in his career, he worked with Dizzy Gillespie and Max Roach. He took part in one of the landmark hard bop sessions, alongside Art Blakey, Horace Silver, Doug Watkins and trumpeter Kenny Dorham. The results of these sessions were released as Horace Silver & the Jazz Messengers. They contrasted with the classical pretensions of cool jazz, with Mobley's rich lyricism being bluesier, alongside the funky approach of Horace Silver. When The Jazz Messengers split in 1956, Mobley continued on with pianist Horace Silver for a short time, although he did work again with Blakey some years later, when the drummer appeared on Mobley's albums in the early 60s.
During the 1960s, he worked chiefly as a leader, recording 25 albums for Blue Note Records, including Soul Station and Roll Call, between 1955 and 1970. He performed with many of the most important hard bop players, such as Grant Green, Freddie Hubbard, Sonny Clark, Wynton Kelly and Philly Joe Jones, and formed a particularly productive partnership with trumpeter Lee Morgan. Mobley is widely recognized as one of the great composers of originals in the hard-bop era, with interesting chord changes and room for soloists to spread out.
His 1961 album, Another Workout, while considered an instant classic, was inexplicably not released until 1985.
Mobley also spent a brief time in 1961 with Miles Davis, during the trumpeter's search for a replacement for John Coltrane. He is heard on the album Someday My Prince Will Come (alongside Coltrane, who returned for the recording of some tracks), and some live recordings (Miles Davis - In Person Friday And Saturday Nights At The Blackhawk, Complete and At Carnegie Hall). Though considered by some as not having the improvisational fire of Coltrane, Mobley was still a major voice on tenor saxophone, known for his melodic playing.
Mobley was forced to retire in the mid-1970s due to lung problems. He worked briefly with Duke Jordan before his death from pneumonia in 1986.
The Best Things In Life Are Free
Hank Mobley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Free, free, baby,
Boy, when you look at me,
Do you judge me by my cover?
Got to be kiddin' me, to think that I'm that kind of lover
I don't mean to disagree, sorry, you can't buy my kisses
Open your eyes and see,
True love comes for free
{Luther}
I'm keepin' my heart open, and hopin' you won't stab me in it
'Cause I've been in love before, and when I had to pay I didn't
I'll lose my sanity, tryin' to measure your intentions
What do you want from me?
How much will it be?
{Janet}
No more than you're willing to give
'Cause you won't pay nothin' for this good lovin', it's for free
{Luther}
And I won't make you promises,
I'll just do all I can to be your lover 'cause I understand
{Both on chorus}
The best things in life are free,
Now that I've discovered what you mean to me
The best things in life are free,
Now that we've got each other
The best things in life are free
{Janet}
Come on now,
Ooh, yeah
{Luther}
Alright, I like that,
Now, Janet
{Janet}
Ooh, Luther
{Both}
I know you are my baby, my one and only baby
You said it twice, I'll say it thrice my baby baby baby
{Janet}
I've got so much for you,
And it's easy to give it when I know you feel the same way too
{Luther}
That's all I expect from you,
Just do all that you can to be my lover 'cause I understand,
I do, (Janet: hoo) I do (Janet: hoo, hoo)
They say,
{Both on chorus}
The best things in life are free,
Now that I've discovered what you mean to me
The best things in life are free,
Now that we've got each other
The best things in life are free
{Repeat chorus}
{Janet}
BBD tell 'em 'bout free
{Luther}
Uhh huh
{Janet}
Free, baby
{Luther}
Yeah
{Janet}
No more than you're willing to give
'Cause you won't pay me nothin' for this good lovin', it's for free
{Luther}
And I won't make you promises
You see,
{Both}
I'm gonna be, I'm gonna be, we're gonna be, I'm gonna
{Janet:} be do, The very best I can, to be your lover 'cause I understand
{Janet}
It feels good, it feels good, it feels good, it feels so good
{Luther}
Ha, ho, oh, wait a minute, I still don't think they've got it
Let's tell them one more time
Check it out!
Everybody needs to know that,
{Both on chorus}
The best things in life are free,
Now that I've discovered what you mean to me
The best things in life are free,
Now that we've got each other
The best things in life are free
{Repeat chorus}
{Luther}
Don't ya know, don't ya know,
The very best love in life is free,
And I'm free, yeah
The lyrics to Hank Mobley's song The Best Things In Life Are Free are about the experience of discovering true love that comes without any materialistic demands or conditions. The duet between Janet and Luther indicates a conversation between two lovers who express their feelings towards each other. The song highlights the idea of "True love comes for free" and cannot be bought by materialistic possessions. The verses highlight the insecurities of both lovers, who fear that their love could be valued in terms of material gain. However, the chorus reassures both of them that they have each other, and that is priceless. The lyrics convey a message of appreciating the non-materialistic or priceless moments in life, which include love, family, and happiness.
Hank Mobley's song The Best Things In Life Are Free was composed in 1927 by Ray Henderson, with lyrics by Lew Brown and Buddy G. DeSylva. The song was originally composed for the musical film Good News, and it became one of the most popular songs of the 1920s. The song has been covered by many artists, including Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr., and Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson, whose version was released in 1992.
Line by Line Meaning
Free, free, baby,
Love is given freely without expectation of payment or anything in return.
Boy, when you look at me,
Do you judge my worth by my appearance without taking the time to get to know me?
Do you judge me by my cover?
Am I only worthy of your love if I look a certain way or conform to your expectations?
Got to be kiddin' me, to think that I'm that kind of lover
I'm not the kind of person who will compromise my own worth or integrity for someone else's sake.
I don't mean to disagree, sorry, you can't buy my kisses
I'm not interested in being bought or paid for, especially if it means sacrificing my own feelings or personal boundaries.
Open your eyes and see,
Try to understand the true value of love and what it means to give it freely without expecting something in return.
True love comes for free
Genuine love cannot be bought, sold or traded. It is given freely and is not contingent on any external factors.
I'll lose my sanity, tryin' to measure your intentions
It's difficult to trust someone and understand their true motives, especially when it comes to issues of the heart.
What do you want from me?
What are your intentions and true desires in this relationship? Are they genuine and based on love, or is there an ulterior motive?
How much will it be?
What will it cost me or what do I have to give in order to be with you?
No more than you're willing to give
Love should not be based on a transactional approach, but on a mutual give and take where both parties are willing to contribute freely without expecting anything in return.
And I won't make you promises,
I won't make empty promises or false commitments in order to win your heart.
I'll just do all I can to be your lover 'cause I understand
I will do my best to be the best lover I can be for you because I understand the true value of love and what it means to give it freely.
The best things in life are free,
The things that truly matter in life, like love, cannot be bought or paid for. They are given freely and based on genuine feelings.
Now that I've discovered what you mean to me
Now that I understand the true value of love and what it means to give it freely, I can appreciate all that you bring to my life.
I know you are my baby, my one and only baby
I know that you are the one I want to be with, and I understand the importance of cherishing and nurturing our relationship.
I've got so much for you,
I have a lot of love and affection to give you, and I am more than willing to share it freely without expecting anything in return.
Just do all that you can to be my lover 'cause I understand
I don't expect perfection, but I do expect you to do your best to love me and cherish our relationship, because I understand the value of true love.
The best things in life are free,
Once again, true love and genuine feelings are the most valuable things in life that money can never buy.
Don't ya know, don't ya know,The very best love in life is free,
It's important to understand that love cannot be bought or sold, and the most genuine and fulfilling relationships are based on mutual feelings of love, respect, and trust.
And I'm free, yeah
I am free to love and be loved by you, without being confined or restricted by any external factors.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: B.G. DESYLVA, LEW BROWN, RAY HENDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind