He counts Johnny Smith, Hank Garland, Joe Pass, Tal Farlow, Wes Montgomery, Howard Roberts, Jim Hall, and Pat Martino amongst his influences
(2) One of the finest jazz guitarists in Philadelphia, Jimmy Bruno is a passionate hard bopper who loves to swing aggressively but can be a very sensitive ballad player when he puts his mind to it. The Italian-American was raised in South Philly, where he fell in love with jazz as a kid and took up the guitar at the age of seven. Growing up, he was influenced by such bop guitar greats as Joe Pass, Kenny Burrell, Barney Kessel and Jimmy Raney but also admired the pre-bop work of Eddie Lang, Charlie Christian and Django Reinhart. At 19, Bruno hit the road as a sideman for The Buddy Rich Big Band before ended up spending much of his youth living in the West--where he did a lot of non-jazz gigs in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Although those live and studio pursuits paid the bills for Bruno, he never gave up hard bop and hoped to eventually be a full-time jazz musician. Returning to Philly in 1988, a 35-year-old Bruno was determined to do exactly that even it meant being poor for awhile. An article in the Philadelphia Weekly quoted Bruno as saying that he went from earning several thousand dollars a week in the West to working for minimum wage at "a real dive" in Philly's Fairmount section--but that he was happy and fulfilled because he was playing live jazz five nights a week. Eventually, Bruno was able to give up part-time bartending and concentrate on nothing but playing and teaching jazz. In the early 1990s, he came to the attention of the late Concord Jazz founder/president Carl Jefferson, who was impressed with his playing and signed him to the label. Bruno's first album as a leader, Sleight of Hand, was recorded in 1991, followed by other bop-oriented Concord dates like Burnin' in 1994 and Like That (which featured organist Joey DeFrancesco) in 1995. The late 1990s found Bruno continuing to record for Concord while playing and teaching extensively around Philly. His first Live at Birdland recording appeared in 1997; its sequel, a collaboration with tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton, followed two years later. Bruno next resurfaced in the spring of 2000 with Polarity. ~ Alex Henderson
Witchcraft
Jimmy Bruno Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That sly come hither stare
That strips my conscience bare
It's witchcraft
And I've got no defense for it
The heat is too intense for it
What good would common sense for it do
'Cause it's witchcraft, wicked witchcraft
And although, I know, it's strictly taboo
When you arouse the need in me
My heart says yes indeed in me
Proceed with what you're leading me to
It's such an ancient pitch
But one I wouldn't switch
'Cause there's no nicer witch than you
'Cause it's witchcraft, that crazy witchcraft
And although, I know, it's strictly taboo
When you arouse the need in me
My heart says yes indeed in me
Proceed with what your're leading me to
It's such an ancient pitch
But one that I'd never switch
'Cause there's no nicer witch than you
The lyrics to Jimmy Bruno's song "Witchcraft" describe the feeling of being under someone's spell. The singer is captivated by a woman's touch and gaze, which he likens to witchcraft. He recognizes that his attraction is taboo and irrational, but he can't resist the passion that it ignites within him. The lyrics use metaphor and hyperbole to convey the intensity of his desire and the power that the woman seems to exert over him.
The opening lines, "Those fingers in my hair, that sly come hither stare" paint a vivid picture of the woman's seductive influence. The line "that strips my conscience bare" suggests that he is no longer in control of his thoughts or actions. He acknowledges that his attraction to her is irrational, stating "what good would common sense for it do." The repetition of the refrain emphasizes the singer's sense of being bewitched, as he declares "it's witchcraft, wicked witchcraft."
The second verse employs similar language, emphasizing the power of the woman's charms over him while also expressing his willingness to follow her lead. The line "there's no nicer witch than you" shows that despite his awareness of the taboo nature of their attraction, he finds her irresistible. The use of the word "witchcraft" in this context serves as a metaphor for the intoxicating nature of desire and passion.
Overall, the lyrics to "Witchcraft" convey a sense of being under someone's spell, and the irresistible power of desire. The combination of metaphorical language and hyperbole create a vivid and expressive picture of the singer's experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Those fingers in my hair
The way you play with my hair is irresistible
That sly come hither stare
The look in your eyes when you look at me is seductive
That strips my conscience bare
Your actions make me feel vulnerable and open
It's witchcraft
Your ability to captivate and lure me in is like magic
And I've got no defense for it
I can't resist you, no matter how hard I try
The heat is too intense for it
The passion between us is too strong to ignore
What good would common sense for it do
Logic and reason don't matter when it comes to our connection
'Cause it's witchcraft, wicked witchcraft
Our bond is inexplicable and enchanting
And although, I know, it's strictly taboo
Our relationship isn't socially acceptable, but I can't help how I feel
When you arouse the need in me
When you make me feel desire
My heart says yes indeed in me
My gut reaction is to give into my feelings for you
Proceed with what you're leading me to
I'm willing to follow you wherever you take me
It's such an ancient pitch
The attraction we have is age-old and universal
But one I wouldn't switch
I wouldn't want to change it for anything
'Cause there's no nicer witch than you
There's no one else I'd rather be enchanted by than you
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Carolyn Leigh, Cy Coleman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind