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.

Perdido
Johnny Hodges Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Perdido,
I look for my heart
It`s perdido
I lost it way down in Torito
The day the fiesta started

Bolero,
I sway that they play the Bolero

I kissed me the listing sombrero
And that`s when my heart departed

High, was the sun when I held him close
Low, was the moon when we said, "Adios"

Perdido
My heart ever since is Perdido
I know I must go to Torito
To find what I lost Perdido

High, was the sun when I held him close
Low, was the moon when we said, "Adios"

Perdido

Goodnight perdido
I lost perdido

Overall Meaning

Johnny Hodges's song Perdido tells the story of a woman who has lost her heart, or in other words, her love. She describes how her heart is Perdido, which means lost in Spanish, and she believes that she lost it in the town of Torito during a fiesta. She recalls dancing to the Bolero, a slow-tempo Latin music genre, and wearing a listing sombrero, which is a hat with tassels that bounces when the wearer moves. She believes that it was at this moment that her heart departed from her.

The lyrics paint a picture of a romantic encounter that was both passionate and fleeting. She remembers how high the sun was when they were together, and how low the moon was when they said goodbye. This emphasizes the intensity of their love, and how quickly it faded away. Despite the heartbreak that she feels, the woman remains determined to find her heart in Torito, so that she can once again feel the love that she lost.

Overall, Perdido is a song that captures the feeling of lost love and the search for something that was once cherished. The use of Spanish words and the references to Latin music genres give the song a distinct flavor, and the lyrics provide a narrative that draws the listener in.

Line by Line Meaning

Perdido,
I am lost,

I look for my heart
I am searching for my lost love,

It`s perdido
It is lost,

I lost it way down in Torito
I lost my heart in Torito,

The day the fiesta started
The day the celebration began,

Bolero,
A slow, romantic Spanish dance,

I sway that they play the Bolero
I am moved by the sound of the Bolero,

I kissed me the listing sombrero
I kissed someone wearing a traditional Spanish hat called a sombrero,

And that`s when my heart departed
That is when I lost my heart,

High, was the sun when I held him close
I was in love and happy in the bright, sunny day,

Low, was the moon when we said, "Adios"
I was sad, heartbroken, and lost during the dark, lonely night when we said goodbye,