O'Brien attended The Hotchkiss School and then studied at the Oberlin Conservatory and at the Manhattan School of Music (1954–57). He began playing professionally in 1950, and substituted for Randy Weston in 1955. He led his own group in Lenox, Massachusetts during 1956–57, then joined Oscar Pettiford in 1957–58, and J.R. Monterose/Elvin Jones in 1958–59. Between 1960 and 1963 he played with Phil Woods, Freddie Hubbard, Charlie Rouse, and Lee Konitz. In 1964 he enrolled at Columbia University, where he studied mathematics and psychology, achieving his bachelor's in 1969; he then took a position in computer programming at New York University during 1969-74, and studied computer music under Hall Overton and Charles Wuorinen.
O'Brien ran the St. James Infirmary jazz club in New York City in 1974–75 and played in the house band alongside Beaver Harris and Cameron Brown; this group accompanied Roswell Rudd, Sheila Jordan, Chet Baker, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Pepper Adams, and Archie Shepp, among others. He played with Marshall Brown (1975), Russell Procope and Sonny Greer (1977), Joe Puma (1977–82, at Gregory's in New York City), and Stephanie Nakasian (1982). He later married Nakasian. He taught at Turtle Bay Music School in 1972–75, and in the 1990s at the University of Virginia.
Hod O’Brien continued playing actively while he underwent treatment for cancer. He died at the age of 80 on November 21st, 2016.
I Remember You
Hod O'brien Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll ever adore,
So forgive me, do,
If I say to you
What I've said so often before.
I love you, Samantha,
And my love will never die.
I'm a one-gal guy.
Together, Samantha,
We could ride a star and ride it high.
Remember, Samantha,
I'm a one-gal guy.
And if some distant day
You decided to say,
"Get along, go away, goodbye!"
Remember, Samantha,
I'm a one-gal guy.
Remember, Samantha,
I'm a one gal guy.
The song "I Remember You" by Hod O'Brien is a classic love song that speaks about a man's devotion to his lover, Samantha. From the very first line of the song, the singer conveys the depth of his feelings towards Samantha, claiming that she is all that he'll ever adore. The lyrics suggest that this isn't the first time he's expressed his love for her and that she might have heard it before. However, this speaker acknowledges that his enduring love for her necessitates him declaring his love again, indicating how valuable Samantha is to him.
The chorus of the song is simple, yet it conveys the essence of the singer's emotional connection to Samantha. He affirms that he's a one-gal guy, declaring that his love for Samantha is pure and unwavering. He then goes on to paint a picture of how wonderful life would be if they were together, riding high on a star. The singer leaves a subtle hint of vulnerability towards the end of the chorus when he concisely highlights Samantha's power over him, mentioning the possibility of a goodbye that could crush him.
Overall, "I Remember You" radiates love and commitment. It's a song about the beauty and joy of love, albeit with an undercurrent of pain that could result from heartache. It's a testament to how deeply feelings of love can run and the lengths one is willing to go to preserve that love.
Line by Line Meaning
Samantha, you're all I'll ever adore,
Samantha, you are the only person I will ever cherish and hold in high regard.
So forgive me, do,
Please forgive me.
If I say to you what I've said so often before.
If I say the same thing I always say to you.
I love you, Samantha,
I have strong romantic feelings for you, Samantha.
And my love will never die.
My love for you will last forever.
Remember, Samantha, I'm a one-gal guy.
Keep in mind that I am only interested in you, Samantha.
Together, Samantha, we could ride a star and ride it high.
Samantha, if we were together, we could accomplish amazing things.
And if some distant day, You decided to say, 'Get along, go away, goodbye!'
If you ever tell me to leave you alone and never come back.
Remember, Samantha, I'm a one-gal guy.
Remember that I am only interested in you, Samantha.
Remember, Samantha, I'm a one-gal guy.
Remember that I am only interested in you, Samantha.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLE PORTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind