Ponder started playing guitar at age 14, and was heavily influenced by Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell. He began playing with Charles Earland at 17, and in the following years played with Lou Donaldson, Houston Person, Donald Byrd, Stanley Turrentine, and Jimmy McGriff. He moved to Philadelphia and later New York City in the 1970s, and recorded extensively as a leader for a number of jazz labels. Since the late 1980s Jimmy has frequently returned to his hometown to perform with his popular trio alongside two of Pittsburgh's other Jazz greats; Roger Humphries and Gene Ludwig. Ponder's most commercially successful releases were his 1978 Muse Records set All Things Beautiful (U.S. Billboard Jazz Albums #38) and 2000's Ain't Misbehavin', for HighNote (U.S. Jazz #16).
As leader
Soul Crib (Choice Records, 1969) with Charles Earland
While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Cadet Records, 1973)
Illusions (Impulse! Records, 1976)
White Room (Impulse, 1978)
All Things Beautiful (LRC, 1978)
So Many Stars (Milestone Records, 1983)
Mean Streets:No Bridges (Muse Records, 1987)
Jump (Muse, 1988)
Come On Down (Muse, 1990)
Soul Eyes (Muse, 1991)
To Reach a Dream (Muse, 1991)
Something to Ponder (Muse, 1994)
James Street (HighNote Records, 1997)
Steel City Soul (32 Jazz, 1998)
Guitar Christmas (HighNote, 1998)
Ain't Misbehavin' (HighNote, 2000)
Thumbs Up (HighNote, 2001)
Alone (HighNote, 2003)
What's New (HighNote, 2005)
Live at the Other End (Explore Records, 2007)
Jimmy Ponder: Sonny Lester Collection (LRC, 2007)
As sideman
With Rusty Bryant
Wild Fire (Prestige, 1971)
With Donald Byrd
Fancy Free, (Blue Note, 1970)
With Andrew Hill
Grass Roots (Blue Note, 1968 [2000])
With Willis Jackson
In the Alley (Muse, 1976)
With Jack McDuff
The Fourth Dimension (Cadet, 1974)
With John Patton
That Certain Feeling (Blue Note, 1968)
With Shirley Scott
Superstition (Cadet, 1973)
With Stanley Turrentine
Common Touch (Blue Note, 1968) - with Shirley Scott
On Broadway
Jimmy Ponder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On Broadway
They say there's always magic in the air
But when you're walkin' down that street
And you ain't have enough to eat
The glitter rubs right off and you're nowhere
They say the women treat you fine
But lookin' at them just gives me the blues
How ya gonna make some time
When all you got is one thin dime
And one thin dime won't even shine your shoes
They say that I won't last too long
On Broadway
I'll catch a Greyhound bus for home they all say
But they get wrong, I know they are
'Cause I can play this here guitar
I won't quit till I'm a star
On Broadway
On Broadway
On Broadway
The song "On Broadway" by Jimmy Ponder revolves around the dreams and aspirations of a struggling musician who is chasing fame and fortune in the Big Apple. As the lyrics suggest, Broadway is touted as a place where neon lights shine brightly, and there's always an element of magic in the air. However, the grim reality of the situation is quite different from what people perceive it to be. The person walking down the street of Broadway may not even have enough to eat – the glitter and glitz never seem to rub off. The women on Broadway may treat you finely, but it all amounts to nothing when you have only one dime to your name, and it's not enough to shine your shoes.
As the story goes on, the musician is continually told that he won't last long on Broadway, and it's just a matter of time before he packs his bags and heads home. However, he is determined to prove them all wrong. He knows that he has the skills and talent needed to succeed and make it big on Broadway. Despite all the odds stacked against him, he is not going to give up until he becomes a star.
The song "On Broadway" captures the aspirations and struggles of artists who travel to the city of dreams with the hope of making it big in show business. And while the song may talk about a musician's journey, it is relatable to anyone pursuing their dreams in a big city, facing the harsh reality that money doesn't grow on trees, and success is not handed out easily.
Line by Line Meaning
They say the neon lights are bright
People say the bright lights of Broadway are dazzling and eye-catching.
On Broadway
Broadway is the famous entertainment district in New York City.
They say there's always magic in the air
People believe that Broadway has a mystical, enchanted quality to it.
But when you're walkin' down that street
However, when you actually walk down Broadway, you realize that it can be tough and challenging.
And you ain't have enough to eat
If you don't have enough money to eat, then the experience of being on Broadway can be quite difficult.
The glitter rubs right off and you're nowhere
The initial glamour and glitz of Broadway can quickly fade away, leaving you feeling lost and powerless.
They say the women treat you fine
People say that women on Broadway are kind and accommodating.
But lookin' at them just gives me the blues
However, seeing these women only makes the artist feel more depressed and hopeless.
How ya gonna make some time
The artist wonders how it's possible to make something of oneself in such a challenging environment.
When all you got is one thin dime
If you only have a small amount of money, it can be tough to make any progress on Broadway.
And one thin dime won't even shine your shoes
One dime isn't even enough to take care of basic necessities like shining your shoes.
They say that I won't last too long
People doubt that the artist will succeed on Broadway or even stay there for very long.
I'll catch a Greyhound bus for home they all say
People think the singer will eventually give up and return home on a Greyhound bus.
But they get wrong, I know they are
However, the singer believes that these naysayers are mistaken.
'Cause I can play this here guitar
The singer has a talent for playing the guitar, which gives them hope and a sense of purpose on Broadway.
I won't quit till I'm a star
The artist won't give up until they achieve success and recognition on Broadway.
On Broadway
The artist repeats the title of the song, emphasizing their determination to succeed on the famous street.
On Broadway
The song ends with another repetition of the title, symbolizing the singer's ongoing pursuit of their dreams on Broadway.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BARRY MANN, CYNTHIA WEIL, JERRY LEIBER, MIKE STOLLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind