The paths of Johnny Hodges (John Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges, nicknames: "Rab… Read Full Bio ↴The paths of Johnny Hodges (John Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges, nicknames: "Rabbit", "Jeep". b. July 25, 1907, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, d. May 11, 1970) and Duke Ellington are eternally intertwined. While Hodges is now universally acknowledged as one of the seminal alto saxophonists in jazz he was, at times, overlooked as an artist in his own right; somehow hidden in the penumbra of The Duke Ellington Orchestra, for which Mr. Hodges was the lead alto player for many decades (doubling on soprano saxophone in the '30's and '40's as well).

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.

I'Ll Get Baby
Johnny Hodges Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'll get by
As long as I have you
Though there be rain
And darkness too
I'll not complain
I'll see it through

Poverty

May come to me, it's true
But what care I
Say, I'll get by
As long as I have you.

But what care I

Say, I'll get by
As long as I have you.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Johnny Hodges's song I'll get by convey the message of the resilience of human relationships in the face of adversity. The singer reassures that he will find a way to persevere through difficulties as long as he has the support of his loved one. The first two lines of the song assert this sentiment as the singer confidently declares "I'll get by / As long as I have you."

The chorus further expands on this idea, stating that even in the face of hardship such as "rain and darkness," the singer will not complain and will "see it through." The lyrics continue to express this unwavering sense of determination and optimism, even in the potential face of poverty: "Poverty / May come to me, it's true / But what care I / Say, I'll get by / As long as I have you."

Ultimately, the message of the song is that the power of human connection and love can provide us with the strength and perseverance needed to overcome life's challenges. This theme is particularly resonant given the time period in which the song was written, as it was during the Great Depression when many people were facing serious economic hardship. The song thus provided a message of hope and encouragement to listeners during a particularly difficult era in American history.

Line by Line Meaning

I'll get by
I'll manage to keep going

As long as I have you
As long as I have your love and support

Though there be rain
Although there may be difficult times

And darkness too
And times of sadness and despair

I'll not complain
I won't whine or be bitter about it

I'll see it through
I'll persevere until it's over

Poverty
A state of being poor

May come to me, it's true
It's possible that I will experience poverty

But what care I
But I won't be bothered

Say, I'll get by
I'll get through it somehow

As long as I have you.
As long as I have your love and support.