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.

Let a Song Go Out of My Heart
Johnny Hodges Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I let a song go out of my heart
It was the sweetest melody
I know I lost heaven 'cause you were the song

Since you and I have drifted apart
Life doesn't mean a thing to me
Please come back, sweet music, I know I was wrong

Am I too late to make amends?
You know that we were meant to be more than just friends, just friends

I let a song go out of my heart
Believe me, darlin', when I say
I won't know sweet music until you return some day

I let a song go out of my heart

Believe me, darlin', when I say
I won't know sweet music until you return some day

Overall Meaning

"I Let a Song Go out of My Heart" is a heartbreaking love song written by composer Duke Ellington with lyrics by Irving Mills, Henry Nemo, and John Redmond. It was first recorded by Ellington's orchestra in 1938, with Johnny Hodges on alto saxophone. The song is about a former lover who was the sweetest melody in the singer's life. He regrets letting their relationship end because it feels like he lost a part of himself, and he can't experience the same level of happiness without her. The lyrics ask if it's too late to make amends and suggest that they were meant for each other, even more than just friends.

The lyrics paint a picture of a person who is lost without the love of their life, using music as a metaphor for their relationship. The singer believes that his life doesn't mean anything now that they are no longer together. The sweet music represents his lost love, and he longs for her to return so that he can feel complete again. He expresses the pain and longing of losing someone you love and how it's impossible to find that same happiness or completeness in anything else. In essence, the song is about someone realizing the gravity of the situation they've created by pushing away the person they truly love, and learning that sometimes it can be too late to go back.

Line by Line Meaning

I let a song go out of my heart
I had a beautiful song in my heart, but I allowed it to fade away.

It was the sweetest melody
The song was the most beautiful and pleasant melody that I ever had.

I know I lost heaven 'cause you were the song
You were like heaven to me, and losing you meant losing the song that brightened my existence.

Since you and I have drifted apart
We have grown distanced and separated from each other.

Life doesn't mean a thing to me
My life has lost its meaning, and I no longer have joy or purpose.

Please come back, sweet music, I know I was wrong
I appeal and plead to you to return and bring back the joy and contentment that was in my heart. I know I made a mistake by letting you go.

Am I too late to make amends?
Is there still a chance for me to rectify my mistake and make things better between us?

You know that we were meant to be more than just friends, just friends
Our bond was more profound and more meaningful than only being friends. It was meant to be a romantic relationship.

Believe me, darlin', when I say
Trust me, my love, and understand the sincerity of my words.

I won't know sweet music until you return some day
Without you, my life will be dull and lifeless. I need you to bring the sweet music of love and happiness back into my heart.

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Duke Ellington, Henry Nemo, John Redmond, Irving Mills

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@FerrisLedbetter

When I was 6 and my Dad was at work I would pull out this album and play this song on his turntable - which was strictly forbidden of course - but it always worth the risk to hear Johnny’s effortless soul. Thank you for posting!