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 Good Life
Hank Mobley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It rains pennies from heaven
Don't you know each cloud contains
Pennies from heaven
You'll find your fortune
Fallin' all over town
Be sure that your umbrella is upside down
Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers
You must have showers
So when you hear it thunder
Don't run under a tree
There'll be pennies from heaven
For you and me
Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers
If you want the things you love
You must have showers
So when you hear it thunder
Don't run under a tree
There'll be pennies from heaven
For you and me
The lyrics to Hank Mobley's song 'The Good Life' expresses a sentiment of optimism and hope. The song begins with the idea of rain and how it brings pennies from heaven. This is a familiar idea that many of us may have heard in old sayings, and the song's lyrics develop this concept further. The lyrics continue by saying that we should be prepared to catch these pennies with an upside-down umbrella. This is a metaphor for being open and receptive to opportunities that may come our way unexpectedly.
The song then suggests that we can trade these pennies for happiness, and this is where the line "Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers" comes in. The idea being that we can use the little bits of luck that come our way to create a beautiful and fulfilling life. The chorus of the song repeats the sentiment that even though we may face thunder and stormy weather, we should never lose hope. Because just like the rain brings pennies, thunder brings fortune.
The song's lyrics, therefore, are a celebration of the small moments in life that make big differences. It is about being hopeful and optimistic, even when things seem bleak. It encourages us to look for opportunities in unexpected places and to use them to create the life we want.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time it rains
Whenever it starts raining
It rains pennies from heaven
Money appears out of nowhere, like it falls from the sky
Don't you know each cloud contains
Each cloud possesses
Pennies from heaven
Money that seems to come from nowhere and bless people
You'll find your fortune
You'll come across your wealth
Fallin' all over town
In abundance everywhere
Be sure that your umbrella is upside down
Hold your umbrella in a way that catches the falling pennies
Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers
Exchange the pennies for happiness and pleasant things
If you want the things you love
To possess the things dear to you
You must have showers
You must weather the storms
So when you hear it thunder
When you hear the loud noise of thunder
Don't run under a tree
Take not shelter beneath a tree during a thunderstorm
There'll be pennies from heaven
You will be blessed with wealth from an unexpected source
For you and me
For both of us
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jack Reardon, Sacha Distel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kbsandoval1482
Heard this at Newark Penn Station and it took to another place where life was good. Surrounded by love.
@davidrichardson1778
The Legendary Hank Mobley will live forever.
@postatility9703
Listened to this today,as the Coronavirus is just getting worse by the hour.It brought tears as I wondered if the "Good Life" would ever return.Also,RIP Wallace Roney.
@jeromeprice7008
We are living in troubling times for sure. Everything happens for a reason. Slow down and love and respect each other.
@TheRayricardo
The GOOD LIFE includes the privilege of listening to Hank Mobley. I could listen to him forever. Thanks fo rposting
@sallemjazz1
This is from the 1963 session with
Hank Mobley — tenor saxophone
Donald Byrd — trumpet
Herbie Hancock — piano
Butch Warren — bass
Philly Joe Jones — drums
(not the guys on the cover)
@jesusguillermoflorentinize2777
EXCELENTE TEMA RESALTA LA FUERZA DEL SAXO ....TE IMAGINAS ESCUCHARLO EN VERSION VINIL ? LIMA -PERU.
@leosumas
Música para o vinho, o queijo, o amor
@robertrosenberg6900
This is one of Hank's seminal albums
Both Hank and Freddie stick close to the melody in their moving solos; Harris is inspired
@caiovaz3812
Dis song its with byrd and hancock