Eddie Lang (October 25, 1902 – March 26, 1933) was an American jazz guitarist, regarded by some as the Father of Jazz Guitar.
Giuseppe "Joe" Venuti, considered the father of jazz violin, pioneered the use of string instruments in jazz along with the guitarist Eddie Lang, a childhood friend of his. Through the 1920s and early 1930s, Venuti and Lang made many recordings, as leader and as featured soloists. He and Lang became so well known for their 'hot' violin and guitar solos that on many commercial dance recordings they were hired to do 12- or 24-bar duos towards the end of otherwise stock dance arrangements. In 1926, Venuti and Lang started recording for the OKeh label as a duet (after a solitary duet issued on Columbia), followed by "Blue Four" combinations, which are considered milestone jazz recordings. Venuti also recorded a number of larger, more commercial dance records for OKeh under the name "New Yorkers".
Eddie Lang was born Salvatore Massaro, the son of an Italian-American instrument maker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At first, he took violin lessons for 11 years. In school he became friends with Joe Venuti, with whom he would work for much of his career. He was playing professionally by about 1918, playing violin, banjo, and guitar. He worked with various bands in the USA's north-east, worked in London (late 1924 to early 1925), then settled in New York City.
He played a Gibson L-4 and L-5 guitar, providing great influence for many guitarists, including Django Reinhardt.
Beale Street Blues
Joe Venuti & Eddie Lang Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the Mississippi
We'll take a boat to the land of dreams
Steam down the river, down to New Orleans
The band's there to meet us
Old friends there to greet us
Where all the proud and elite folks meet
Basin Street is the street
Where the best folks always meet
In New Orleans, land of dreams
You'll never know how nice it seems,
Or just how much it really means
Glad to be, oh yes-sirree
Where welcome's free and dear to me
Where I can lose, lose my Basin Street Blues
Basin Street, oh Basin Street
Is the street, mama
New Orleans, land of dreams
In the lyrics of the song "Beale Street Blues," the singer invites his listener to join him on a journey to the Mississippi River. Together, they will take a boat down to New Orleans, the city known for being the "land of dreams." It is said to be heaven on earth, a place where the proud and elite folks always meet, and it is called Basin Street. The street is where the best people always meet in New Orleans, making it a place one ought to know.
The singer expresses how glad he is to be in New Orleans, where the welcome is free and dear to him. There he can lose his "Basin Street Blues," the sorrowful feelings caused by being separated from such a vibrant place. The lyrics seem to convey a sense of longing and nostalgia for a place that is special to the singer, evoking a romanticized image of New Orleans as a sort of utopia for music lovers.
Line by Line Meaning
Won't you come along with me
Join me on an adventure
To the Mississippi
We'll go to the river that runs through the south of the US
We'll take a boat to the land of dreams
We'll board a ship and sail to New Orleans
Steam down the river, down to New Orleans
Our boat will take us to New Orleans, a famous city on the Mississippi River
The band's there to meet us
Musicians will be there to play music when we arrive
Old friends there to greet us
We'll reunite with friends from the past
Where all the proud and elite folks meet
The place where respected and high-class people gather
Heaven on earth, they call it Basin Street
The street is so wonderful that it's thought to be like paradise
Basin Street is the street
This is the specific street that is being referred to
Where the best folks always meet
The most admirable and honorable people gather there
In New Orleans, land of dreams
It's referring to the city of New Orleans, which many people admire and dream of visiting
You'll never know how nice it seems
Until you experience it yourself, you won't understand how great it is
Or just how much it really means
The value and importance of being there can't be put into words
Glad to be, oh yes-sirree
I am happy to be there
Where welcome's free and dear to me
The kindness and hospitality there is very special to me
Where I can lose, lose my Basin Street Blues
Being there allows me to forget my worries and problems
Basin Street, oh Basin Street
An expression of admiration for the street
Is the street, mama
It's the one and only street
New Orleans, land of dreams
Another reference to New Orleans
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Spencer Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Leonel Ramirez
Dúo pionero y genial