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.

The Gal from Joe's
Johnny Hodges Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Way down at Mister Joe's Cafe
They're takin' someone far away,
And if you hear a song today.
It's a sad tune that you'll be playin':

She's leavin' and folks are feelin' so low,
They're grievin' and they're consolin' poor Joe;
Gonna miss her song

Gonna miss her smile
She'll be travlin' alone down that last long mile
They're sighin'
With all their trouble and woes
They're cryin' 'cause they all loved
The Gal From Joe's

She's leavin' and folks are feelin' so low,
They're grievin' and they're consolin' poor Joe;
Gonna miss her song
Gonna miss her smile
She'll be travlin' alone down that last long mile
They're sighin'
With all their trouble and woes

They're cryin' 'cause they all loved
The Gal From Joe's

Overall Meaning

The song "Gal from Joe's" by Johnny Hodges, tells a story about someone leaving the town and the impact it has on the people she is leaving behind. The opening lines set the scene at Mister Joe's Cafe, where people are gathered to say goodbye to the woman who is leaving. The line "They're takin' someone far away" implies that she's leaving against her will or perhaps for reasons beyond her control. The song speaks to the sadness and mourning felt by those she is leaving behind— "And if you hear a song today. It's a sad tune that you'll be playin'" In the face of their sorrow, the people in the cafe try to console poor Joe who is particularly affected by her departure.

The chorus of the song repeats the feeling of loss and grief. The lines "Gonna miss her song, Gonna miss her smile, She'll be traveling alone down that last long mile" show that the woman leaving, who is referred to as "The Gal from Joe's", had an impact on those around her. The final lines of the chorus— "With all their trouble and woes, They're cryin' 'cause they all loved The Gal From Joe's"— underline the love and attachment that the people in town felt towards her.

Overall, "Gal from Joe's" is a song about the bittersweetness of goodbye and the power of connections between people. It illustrates how individuals can have a positive impact on those around them, even in brief interactions, and how difficult it can be to say farewell to someone who has touched your life.

Line by Line Meaning

Way down at Mister Joe's Cafe
At Mister Joe's Cafe, far away from here

They're takin' someone far away,
Someone is leaving Mister Joe's Cafe and going far away

And if you hear a song today.
If you hear a song today, it will be a sad one

It's a sad tune that you'll be playin':
You will be playing a sad tune

She's leavin' and folks are feelin' so low,
The woman who is leaving is making everyone sad and depressed

They're grievin' and they're consolin' poor Joe;
Joe is sad and needs comforting because the woman leaving was important to him

Gonna miss her song
Everyone is going to miss the woman's singing

Gonna miss her smile
Everyone is going to miss the woman's smile

She'll be travlin' alone down that last long mile
The woman is leaving by herself and it will be a long and hard journey

They're sighin'
Everyone is sighing because they are sad

With all their trouble and woes
They are sad because they have other problems in addition to the woman leaving

They're cryin' 'cause they all loved
Everyone is crying because they all loved the woman who is leaving

The Gal From Joe's
The woman who is leaving is known as The Gal From Joe's

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DUKE ELLINGTON, IRVING MILLS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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