John Patton (July 12, 1935 in Kansas City, Missouri – March 19, 2002 in Mon… Read Full Bio ↴John Patton (July 12, 1935 in Kansas City, Missouri – March 19, 2002 in Montclair, New Jersey), sometimes nicknamed Big John Patton, was a hard bop and soul jazz organist.

After spending time with the Lloyd Price orchestra, he recorded extensively for Blue Note, and performed or collaborated with Grant Green, Lou Donaldson, and John Zorn.

His music evolved to incorporate elements of modal and free jazz, without ever losing the basic, earthy groove that he brought to it from the beginning.

He wrote some classics and will be remembered fondly both by musicians and fans. His stellar work included "Funky Mama" and Along Came John. During the late 60s John recorded some very adventurous music for the Blue Note label with artists such as Harold Alexander and George Coleman on lps such as Understanding and Accent on the Blues. Of particular note on the early sessions recorded for Blue Note both under his own name and also with George Braith, Don Wilkerson and Lou Donaldson was the superlative empathy he developed with guitarist Grant Green and drummer Ben Dixon - an organ trio whose work in the soul jazz genre remains unsurpassed to this day.

Since the resurgence in interest in music from this period Blue Note has unearthed many sessions that lay in the vaults. LPs such as Blue John which was actually penciled for release, but never was, and two fantastic (and forward looking) albums Boogaloo and Memphis New York Spirit saw the light of day and showed the world more of this exceptional artist's work.

He continued recording until the late 1990s and his lps (listed below) are well worth finding. In these later years he developed a loyal following in both Japan and Europe - which he toured to great acclaim. He also played live in the US and abroad to great acclaim with several dates having been recorded by collectors. Most recently George Braith issued Eagle Eye Blues on his own label.

The Shadow of Your Smile
John Patton Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The shadow of your smile
When you have gone
Will color all my dreams
And light the dawn

Look into my eyes my love and see
All the lovely things you are to me

Our wistful little star
It was far, too high
A teardrop kissed your lips
And so did I

Now when I remember spring
All the joys that love can bring

I will be remembering
The shadow of your smile

Overall Meaning

The Shadow of Your Smile is a romantic ballad that describes the lingering presence of a lover even after they have left. The singer is experiencing the sensation of missing someone and the memory of their smile, which leaves an indelible mark in their mind. The shadow of their smile will continue to color all the singer's dreams and light the dawn, even when they are gone. The lyrics suggest the deep emotional impact this person has had on the singer's life and how they are an integral part of their being. It is a tale of love and loss, a reflection of the profound sadness and bittersweet memories that come with true love.

The lyrics paint a picture of how the singer sees their lover - as a wistful little star that was far too high. They recognize that the love between them was fleeting and difficult, like a star that is out of reach. The imagery of a teardrop kissing the lover's lips and the singer doing the same conveys the intensity of the emotions they shared. The last two lines evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing - the singer remembers the spring and all the joys of love, but now they will always be remembering the shadow of their lover's smile.

Line by Line Meaning

The shadow of your smile
The memory of your smile

When you have gone
After you've left

Will color all my dreams
Will affect my dreams

And light the dawn
And influence my mornings

Look into my eyes my love and see
Please see through my eyes and understand my feelings, my love

All the lovely things you are to me
All the wonderful qualities you possess in my eyes

Our wistful little star
Our dreamy, nostalgic, and almost sad love story

It was far, too high
It was distant, unreachable, and out of our hands

A teardrop kissed your lips
A tear touched your lips

And so did I
And I also kissed you there

Now when I remember spring
Whenever I recall the past