Howard McGhee was raised in Detroit. During his career, he played in bands led by Lionel Hampton, Andy Kirk, Count Basie and Charlie Barnet. Howard McGhee was the one that brought bebop in California in 1946, a fact that was disapproved by older musicians like Kid Ory.
Lover Man
Howard McGhee Lyrics
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I long to try something I never had
Never had no kissin'
Oh, what I've been missin'
Lover man, oh, where can you be?
The night is cold and I'm so alone
I'd give my soul just to call you my own
But no one to love me
Lover man, oh, where can you be?
I've heard it said
That the thrill of romance
Can be like a heavenly dream
I go to bed with a prayer
That you'll make love to me
Strange as it seems
Someday we'll meet
And you'll dry all my tears
Then whisper sweet
Little things in my ear
Hugging and a-kissing
Oh, what I've been missing
Lover man, oh, where can you be?
In Howard McGhee’s song “Lover Man”, the lyrics express the feelings of a person who is longing for someone they have never had a chance to kiss or love. The song starts with the singer expressing his sadness and the desire to try something that he has never experienced before. The lines "Never had no kissin' Oh, what I've been missin' Lover man, oh, where can you be?" evoke a sense of longing and yearning for intimacy.
The singer then laments about the cold and lonely night, and how he wishes he could have someone to call his own. The mention of the moon above him highlights the singer's loneliness, despite the beauty that surrounds him. The lines "Got a moon above me But no one to love me Lover man, oh, where can you be?" showcase the singer's yearning for love.
Then, the song takes a romantic turn as the singer talks about the thrill of romance and how it can be like a heavenly dream. The lines "I've heard it said That the thrill of romance Can be like a heavenly dream" depict the singer’s dreams of what love could be like. The song ends with the singer hoping that someday he will meet his lover man who will dry all his tears and whisper sweet little things in his ear. The lines "Someday we'll meet And you'll dry all my tears Then whisper sweet Little things in my ear Hugging and a-kissing Oh, what I've been missing Lover man, oh, where can you be?" beautifully capture the hope and longing of the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know why but I'm feeling so sad
I am feeling very glum and I can't quite put my finger on why
I long to try something I never had
I have an urge to experience something new, something I have not yet had the chance to
Never had no kissin'
I have not yet had the pleasure of romantic intimacy
Oh, what I've been missin'
I yearn for the feeling of being loved and desired
Lover man, oh, where can you be?
I am looking for that special someone to fulfill my desires and make me feel loved
The night is cold and I'm so alone
The night feels very lonely, and I am longing for companionship
I'd give my soul just to call you my own
I am willing to give up anything in order to find someone who loves me back
Got a moon above me
Although I am alone, I am still surrounded by the beauty of the night
But no one to love me
Despite the beauty around me, I am still alone and unloved
I've heard it said
I have heard people speak of the joys of romance
That the thrill of romance
The excitement and passion that comes with being in love
Can be like a heavenly dream
The feeling of being in love can be as wonderful as a dream
I go to bed with a prayer
I constantly hope and pray that I will find that special someone
That you'll make love to me
I hope to find someone who will love me and be intimate with me
Strange as it seems
Although it may sound odd, I am willing to hold onto this hope and prayer
Someday we'll meet
I have faith that one day I will find the love I am searching for
And you'll dry all my tears
When I meet that special someone, all of my sadness and loneliness will disappear
Then whisper sweet
My lover will speak tender, affectionate words to me
Little things in my ear
My lover will say simple, loving phrases that bring me immense joy
Huggin' and a-kissin'
We will express our love physically, through hugs and kisses
Oh, what I've been missin'
I have been longing for this level of intimacy and love
Lover man, oh, where can you be?
I am still searching for my one true love
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Wretched Earth
“Bird
could have seen for miles if he’d looked, but what
he saw was so foreign he clenched his eyes,
shook his head, and barked like a dog—just once—
and then Howard McGhee took his arm and assured him
he’d be OK. I know this because Howard told me
years later, told me he thought Bird could
lie down in the hotel room they shared, sleep
for an hour or more, and waken as himself.”
Philip Levine. CALL IT MUSIC (from “Breath”)
Dom Minasi
one of my first jazz gigs was with Howard.
cary passeroff
& U share A BD/DOM!
Douglas P. Ward
This is absolutely gorgeous 😍🖤What a beautiful rendition by a fantastic combo!!!!
DavesTrumpet
Oh man, McGhee is a legend! Thanks for posting this!
Alan Taylor
Nothing short of magnificent!!
Jazz Video Guy
He was a wonderful trumpeter.
wyndhl eodumegwu
Howard McGhee knows how to deliver a message with smooth clarity and unvarnished beauty.
Wretched Earth
“Bird
could have seen for miles if he’d looked, but what
he saw was so foreign he clenched his eyes,
shook his head, and barked like a dog—just once—
and then Howard McGhee took his arm and assured him
he’d be OK. I know this because Howard told me
years later, told me he thought Bird could
lie down in the hotel room they shared, sleep
for an hour or more, and waken as himself.”
Philip Levine. CALL IT MUSIC (from “Breath”)
Yean Kim
his phrasings are the best
TheHighTower
Amazing, he's actually playing the same trumpet he played back in the 40s with Fats Navarro!