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.
It Had To Be You
Johnny Hodges Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wandered around and finally found the somebody who
Could make me be true, could make me feel blue,
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you.
Some others I've seen might never be mean
Might never be cross or try to be boss,
But they wouldn't do.
With all your faults, I love you still,
It had to be you, wonderful you,
It had to be you.
It had to be you, it had to be you.
I wandered around and finally found somebody who
Could make me be true, could make me be blue,
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you.
Some others I've seen might never be mean
Might never be cross or try to be boss,
But they wouldn't do.
For nobody else gave me a thrill.
With all your faults, I love you still.
It had to be you, wonderful you
It had to be you.
The song "It Had to Be You" by Johnny Hodges is a classic love song about finding the one person you were meant to be with. The lyrics express the idea that after wandering around and searching for the right person, the singer finally found someone who could make him feel true emotions, including sadness and happiness. The person he found has faults, but despite them, the singer loves them deeply.
The repetition of "It had to be you" at the beginning and end of the song creates a feeling of certainty, as though the singer knew all along that this person was the one for him. The line "could make me be true, could make me feel blue" shows how this person has the ability to bring out genuine emotions in the singer, even if they are negative emotions. The line "With all your faults, I love you still" expresses the idea that true love accepts a person for who they are, flaws and all.
Overall, "It Had to Be You" is a heartfelt love song that captures the feeling of finding one's soulmate.
Line by Line Meaning
It had to be you, it had to be you.
You are the one I was meant to find.
I wandered around and finally found the somebody who
I searched for a long time until I found the person who completes me.
Could make me be true, could make me feel blue,
You make me honest and vulnerable, even if it hurts me.
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you.
Even if thinking of you makes me sad, I'm happy to have you in my life.
Some others I've seen might never be mean
I've met other people who are never cruel.
Might never be cross or try to be boss,
They might never get angry or try to control me.
But they wouldn't do.
They're not the one for me, though.
For nobody else gave me a thrill.
No one else gets me as excited as you do.
With all your faults, I love you still,
Despite your imperfections, I love you.
It had to be you, wonderful you,
You are so special and amazing, it had to be you.
It had to be you.
I'm so grateful to have you in my life, it could only be you.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Isham Jones, Gus Kahn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@wyndhleodumegwu253
I thought Johnny Hodges was born in 1906 and died in 1970 at or above 64yrs. young.
Thanks for the information.
He IS smooth, cool and calm. Johnny HAS HAD a swift staccato 👅.
This IS JAZZ; this IS SMOOTH; this is the true essence of the phrase "Smooth Jazz".
Lohvissimo.
@GVernon
Smooth as melted butter...
@BennyGoodman1977
The best sax Alto ever....
@jonathanclark7623
Johnny Hodges could say more with one note than others could with 64 bars
@royheinrich123
doesn't get much better than Jonny Hodges and Duke playing...
....no amps, electric, or visual distractions...just 1 band..
@strongfoundationbuilder9209
Thank you ! Johnny Hodges is my Father. He met my Mother in Washington DC. My birth certificate ssys Father unknown. My Father were married to someone else. He had to keep a secret. So his wife would not know I'm his son
@michaelhayes690
So warm. Perfect. Ellington wrote for everyone in the band and made them sound better. And the dynamics with acoustic instruments is what makes all the older jazz players sound better regardless of instrument and Ellington controlled that cool heat. Thanks.
@geerowr.6666
BILLY STRAYHORN was quoted as saying the same thing.
@claudevinyard5160
Saw the Duke at the Blue Note, Chicago 1950.
@brandonjimenez9992
God damn , how old are you
@gessed
One of the great alto players in jazz.