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.
Prelude to a Kiss
Johnny Hodges Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A song in blue
Like a flower crying
For the dew
That was my heart serenading you
My prelude to a kiss
If you hear a song that grows
That was my heart trying to compose
A prelude to a kiss
Though it's just a simple melody
With nothing fancy
Nothing much
You could turn it to a symphony
A Shubert tune with a Gershwin touch
Oh how my love song gently cries
For the tenderness within your eyes
My love is a prelude that never dies
A prelude to a kiss
Though it's just a simple melody
With nothing fancy
Nothing much
You could turn it to a symphony
A Shubert tune with a Gershwin touch
Oh how my love song so gently cries
For the tenderness within your eyes
My love is a prelude that never dies
A prelude to a kiss
In Johnny Hodges's song "Prelude to a Kiss," the singer expresses his love for someone through music. He compares his love to a simple melody, conveyed by the melancholic hue of blue, that is slowly growing into a more complex composition. He is confessing his feelings, he is serenading the person with all the tenderness and emotion he can put into this prelude. Even though it is a simple tune, it expresses all the depth of emotion he feels for his beloved, asking for the dew represented as tears or exultant joy; the song is his heartfelt prelude to a kiss.
Throughout the song, the singer acknowledges the simplicity of his song but then counterbalances it with its potential to grow into something greater. It has the possibility to turn into a symphony, with the right touch to become a masterpiece. His love is just a prelude, an introduction to the beauty that is yet to come if the other person accepts his love and kisses him back. The singer emphasizes that his love is not just a fleeting emotion, but rather it is an everlasting prelude to a kiss, which can never die. In essence, he will always be serenading and wooing this person, his prelude leading up to yet another kiss.
Line by Line Meaning
If you hear
If you perceive
A song in blue
A melancholic tune
Like a flower crying
Similar to a blossom shedding dew drops
For the dew
Missing the moisture
That was my heart serenading you
My heart was singing to you tenderly
My prelude to a kiss
My introductory gesture of affection before a kiss
If you hear a song that grows
If you hear a tune that evolves
From my tender sentimental woes
From my emotional afflictions
That was my heart trying to compose
My heart attempting to create
A prelude to a kiss
A preface to express my fondness before a kiss
Though it's just a simple melody
Although it is modest in its structure
With nothing fancy
Without any embellishments
Nothing much
Not very elaborate
You could turn it to a symphony
You have the potential to elevate it to a masterpiece
A Shubert tune with a Gershwin touch
A piece reminiscent of Shubert's work, with elements of Gershwin's style
Oh how my love song gently cries
My love ballad weeps softly
For the tenderness within your eyes
Inspired by the affection in your gaze
My love is a prelude that never dies
My love is an everlasting overture
A prelude to a kiss
A preface to express my fondness before a kiss
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Irving Gordon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind