Hodges was apparently aware of this effect, leaving the Ellington orchestra in the 1950's, to be replaced by the stellar alto man, Willie Smith, formerly the lead alto star of the Jimmy Lunceford Orchestra. This situation somehow benefitted neither Ellington or Hodges, with the Ellington orchestra losing a certain luster despite Mr. Smith's excellence, and with major stardom just beyond Mr. Hodges' reach.
Luckily for the listener the recordings Mr. Hodges left behind as a leader, while arguably eluding stardom for the artist at the time, are nonpareil examples of relaxed swing, subtle inflection and perfect phrasing, peerless tone and seemingly effortless technique. More luck for the listener, Mr. Hodges later rejoined the Ellington fold, returning a signature sound to the orchestra's unique palette for many years after.
It has been reported that the Ellington orchestra worked nearly 365 days a year. When asked about this grueling schedule Mr. Ellington said something to the effect that he would settle for nothing less than the finest artists for his orchestra. What with the necessarily high salaries accorded an orchestra of virtuosos, the band had to work often in order to survive. Certainly no one in the Ellington orchestra more exemplified Mr. Ellington's highest standards than Johhny Hodges.
Don
Johnny Hodges Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've hung around you just like a fool
Falling head and heels in love like a kid out of school.
My poor heart is in an awful state now
But it's too late now to call a halt
So if I become a nuisance it's all your fault!
Don't blame me for falling in love with you
I'm under your spell but how can I help it!
Don't' blame me!
Can't you see when you do the things you do!
If I can't conceal the thrill that I'm feeling,
Don't blame; me.
Ican't help it if that doggoned moon above
Makes me need someone like you to love!
Blame your kiss as sweet as a kiss can be
And blame all your charms that melt in my arms
But don't blame me.
I like every single thing about you
Without a doubt you are like a dream
In my mind I find a picture of us as a team
Ever since the hour of our meeting
I've been repeating a silly phrase
Hoping that you'll understand me one of these days.
Don't blame me for falling in love with you
I'm under your spell but how can I help it!
Don't' blame me!
Can't you see when you do the things you do!
If I can't conceal the thrill that I'm feeling,
Don't blame; me.
Ican't help it if that doggoned moon above
Makes me need someone like you to love!
Blame your kiss as sweet as a kiss can be
And blame all your charms that melt in my arms
But don't blame me.
The lyrics to Johnny Hodges's song "'Don't Blame Me" express the story of a lover who has fallen deeply in love with their significant other. The first stanza describes how he's become so deeply invested in his lover that his heart is in distress. Despite what he feels, he's also aware that he's causing himself trouble by putting himself in that position. He then goes on to say that he can't control how he feels, so if his lover feels annoyed with him, it's their fault for captivating him so.
The chorus warns the lover not to blame the singer for being in love with them. He clarifies that he's under their spell and has no choice in his emotions. He also notes that he can't conceal the thrill that he's feeling when they do the things they do to him. The singer continues to explain that he's under the moon's spell and finds that he needs someone like his lover to love. He goes on to describe his lover's kiss as being as sweet as it can be and states that he couldn't blame himself for falling for such a fair charm.
Line by Line Meaning
Ever since the lucky night I found you
Since I met you, I have been filling my life with anticipation and hope.
I've hung around you just like a fool
I have been chasing you without end, no matter what I would look like in the process.
Falling head and heels in love like a kid out of school.
I am deeply, completely and surprisingly in love with you, like a young student that has just experienced the rush of their first crush.
My poor heart is in an awful state now
I feel like my heart is completely lost in you, and I cannot do anything about it.
But it's too late now to call a halt
My heart is already too far gone, there is no stopping it now.
So if I become a nuisance it's all your fault!
If I keep bothering you, remember that it is entirely your fault for being so charming and making me fall in love with you.
Don't blame me for falling in love with you
My love for you is not my fault; it's all because of the feelings I have developed for you.
I'm under your spell but how can I help it!
Your charm and presence has had such a powerful hold on me that I can't seem to shake it off.
Don't' blame me!
Please do not take the actions of my heart personally.
Can't you see when you do the things you do!
You have no idea how much your actions and daily activities have influenced my heart, causing me to fall for you harder each day.
If I can't conceal the thrill that I'm feeling,
My feelings are so strong, I cannot even contain my joy or the adrenaline that comes with being around you.
Don't blame; me.
The situation is out of my control, so please do not blame me for the way I feel about you!
I can't help it if that doggone moon above
My heart is completely drawn to you just like the gravitational pull of the moon affects the tides of the ocean.
Makes me need someone like you to love!
All the forces of the universe are working together to make me feel like I need you more than anything else.
Blame your kiss as sweet as a kiss can be
Your sweet kiss has awakened my emotions and made me fall under your spell.
And blame all your charms that melt in my arms
Your charms have come on so strong that I have been completely melted by them, leading me to fall deeper in love with you.
But don't blame me.
Yet, even in the midst of all this, please do not blame me for falling in love with you.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DOROTHY FIELDS, JIMMY MC HUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tom Gimbel
Stunningly sublime.
boomerang905
All of the Masters who played with Duke Ellington had a similar tone to their horns. So beautiful. 💿💿💿💿
Ronaldo Benvenga - Quinta Avenida
Just marvelous, fantastic!
Jerry Johnson
July 25th: Happy birthday Jazz/Swing Alto saxophonist Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges (1907-1970)-Thank you and God bless. RIP.....my Monday "Soul Heaven" on FB playlist, paying homage to Johnny Hodges with a few of his solo performances; thank you, All That Jazz Don Kaart for the upload of this beautiful rendition. Blessings....
Marilyn Harris
"I don't care HOW long it takes for me to slide up to that note, I'm gonna get there, and you're gonna LIKE it!" :-) ♥ ♫♬ XO - M
Henri de Lagardère
Hey, it's Mister Saturday Dance!
Addison Hopwood
missed the*