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 Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
Johnny Hodges Lyrics
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And when you smiled at me,
In my heart I felt a thrill you see,
That it was love at sight and
I was right to love you as I do.
Still I never dreamed that you could love me too.
Your eyes of blue, your kisses too,
I can't believe that you're in love with me.
You're telling ev'ry one I know
I'm on your mind each place we go
They can't believe that you're in love with me.
I have always placed you far above me.
I just can't imagine that you love me.
And after all is said and done,
To think that I'm the lucky one.
I can't believe that you're in love with me.
Skies are gray. I'm blue each day
When you are not around.
Ev'ry thing goes wrong, my dear I've found
But when you're by my side I fill with pride
For I'm so proud of you
It all seems too good to me to all be true
Your eyes of blue, your kisses too,
I never knew what they could do.
I can't believe that you're in love with me.
You're telling ev'ry one I know
I'm on your mind each place we go
They can't believe that you're in love with me.
I have always placed you far above me.
I just can't imagine that you love me.
And after all is said and done,
To think that I'm the lucky one.
I can't believe that you're in love with me.
The lyrics to "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me" by Johnny Hodges describe the wonder and amazement the singer feels that the person they love also loves them back. It starts with the singer remembering the moment they first saw the person, and instantly fell in love with them. They never thought that the person would ever love them back, as they consider themselves below the person. However, they are surprised to find out that the person loves them too.
The singer continues to talk about how everything seems to go wrong when the person is not around, but they feel proud and lucky to have the person by their side. The chorus emphasizes their disbelief that someone they consider out of their league could love them, and how others also find it unbelievable that the two are together.
The lyrics portray a feeling of insecurity and inadequacy, but also show the power of love to bridge the gap between social classes and perceived differences. The singer is aware of their own shortcomings but is grateful that the person loves them for who they are.
Line by Line Meaning
Yesterday you came my way,
When you came into my life yesterday,
And when you smiled at me,
And when you showed me your beautiful smile,
In my heart I felt a thrill you see,
I felt a sudden intense happiness in my heart,
That it was love at sight and
Which made me realize it was love at first sight,
I was right to love you as I do.
I knew right then and there that I was right to love you so much.
Still I never dreamed that you could love me too.
But I never expected that you would feel the same for me.
Your eyes of blue, your kisses too,
Your beautiful blue eyes and your sweet kisses,
I never knew what they could do.
I never knew their effect on me until I met you.
You're telling ev'ry one I know
You're telling everyone we know,
I'm on your mind each place we go
That you always keep thinking of me wherever we are,
They can't believe that you're in love with me.
And they can't believe that you could be in love with someone like me.
I have always placed you far above me.
I have always thought of you as someone better than me.
I just can't imagine that you love me.
It's hard for me to believe that you could actually love me.
And after all is said and done,
And despite everything that has happened,
To think that I'm the lucky one.
I feel incredibly lucky to have you in my life.
Skies are gray. I'm blue each day
On days when the skies are gray, I feel sad and blue without you,
When you are not around.
When you're not by my side.
Ev'ry thing goes wrong, my dear I've found
Everything seems to go wrong, my dear, when you're not here.
But when you're by my side I fill with pride
But when you're with me, I feel proud and happy,
For I'm so proud of you
Because I'm so proud to be with you,
It all seems too good to me to all be true
It all seems too good to be true, but I'm grateful that it is.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Spirit Music Group, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CLARENCE GASKILL, JIMMY MC HUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind