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.
Rose Room
Johnny Hodges Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A little room where all the roses bloom
I want to lead you into Nature's hall
Where ev'ry year the roses give a ball
They have an orchestra up in the trees
For their musicians are the birds and bees
And they will sing us a song
As we are strolling along
In sunny Roseland, where summer breezes are playing
Where the honey bees are "A-Maying"
There all the roses are swaying
Dancing while the meadow brook flows
The moon when shining is more than ever designing
For 'tis ever then I am pining
Pining to be sweetly reclining
Somewhere in Roseland
Beside a beautiful rose
The ball is over and tulips meet
Their little kisses are so short and sweet
The lilies nod to the forget-me-nots
When they're departing in their flower pots
But all the roses with their spirits high
Remain to love until they droop and die
And dear, why shouldn't it be
Just so with you and with me
In sunny Roseland, where summer breezes are playing
Where the honey bees are "A-Maying"
There all the roses are swaying
Dancing while the meadow brook flows
The moon when shining is more than ever designing
For 'tis ever then I am pining
Pining to be sweetly reclining
Somewhere in Roseland
Beside a beautiful rose
The song "Rose Room" by Johnny Hodges and Billy Strayhorn is an invitation from the singer to the listener to escape with him to a fantastical place where the roses are always in bloom, and nature itself orchestrates a ball for them. The song is imbued with romantic yearning, and the imagery of the song is a metaphor for a kind of utopia where the beauty and wonder of nature can be experienced in true harmony with each other.
At the beginning of the song, the singer invites the listener to a little room where all the roses bloom - this is a place where nature is given free rein, and beauty is unimpeded by human intervention. They then lead the listener into Nature's hall, where roses give a ball every year. The metaphor here is that nature itself is orchestrating a fantastic ball, with birds and bees as the orchestra. The ball is a celebration of the beauty of the natural world, and the singer wants to share it with the listener.
The second verse transports the listener to sunny Roseland, where the roses sway and dance with the meadow brook flowing nearby. The romantic desire of the singer is very apparent in this verse, as they pine to recline beside a beautiful rose. The final verse compares the ephemeral nature of flowers to the transience of human life, and the singer suggests that they should love intensely until they pass away.
Overall, "Rose Room" is a beautifully romantic song that celebrates the beauty of nature and the fleeting nature of life. The metaphor of the natural world as a ballroom is wonderfully evocative, and the imagery of the roses in bloom is delightfully vivid.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to take you to a little room
I want to invite you to a special place
A little room where all the roses bloom
A room where flowers are cherished and bloom
I want to lead you into Nature's hall
I want to show you the beauty of nature
Where ev'ry year the roses give a ball
Where flowers gather to celebrate their beauty annually
They have an orchestra up in the trees
Their music comes from the sounds of nature
For their musicians are the birds and bees
The creatures of nature play music for the flowers
And they will sing us a song
Nature will sing a sweet tune for us
As we are strolling along
As we walk and admire the beauty around us
In sunny Roseland, where summer breezes are playing
In a bright, sunny place where the wind is blowing
Where the honey bees are "A-Maying"
Where bees are collecting honey from the flowers
There all the roses are swaying
The flowers are moving and dancing in the light wind
Dancing while the meadow brook flows
Dancing to the sound of the water flowing in the stream
The moon when shining is more than ever designing
The moon is especially beautiful and inspiring
For 'tis ever then I am pining
I am always yearning for this kind of beauty
Pining to be sweetly reclining
Longing to lay down and relax
Somewhere in Roseland
In this idyllic and perfect place
Beside a beautiful rose
Next to one of the stunning flowers
The ball is over and tulips meet
The flower party has ended and the flowers are mingling
Their little kisses are so short and sweet
They are saying goodbye with brief and affectionate touches
The lilies nod to the forget-me-nots
The lilies say farewell to the forget-me-nots with a nod of their flower heads
When they're departing in their flower pots
As they move on to their new homes in flower pots
But all the roses with their spirits high
The roses remain joyful and lively
Remain to love until they droop and die
They continue to bloom and spread love until they fade away
And dear, why shouldn't it be
And why shouldn't we be like these flowers?
Just so with you and with me
We should also love and cherish each other until the end of our time
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ART HICKMAN, HARRY WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind