Burrell made his first recording in 1951, with Dizzy Gillespie. After moving from Detroit to New York City in 1956, he recorded with a wide range of prominent musicians, including John Coltrane, Benny Goodman, Gil Evans, Stan Getz, Billie Holiday, Milt Jackson, Quincy Jones, Oscar Peterson, Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Smith, Stanley Turrentine, and Cedar Walton. He also led his own groups since 1951.
In the 1970s he began leading seminars about music, particularly Duke Ellington's (Burrell has a music degree from Wayne State University). A highly popular performer, he has won several jazz polls in Japan and the United Kingdom as well as the United States.
He has recorded about 40 LPs, including Midnight Blue (1961), Blue Lights, Guitar Forms, Sunup To Sundown (1990), Soft Winds (1993), Then Along Came Kenny (1993), and Lotus Blossom (1995).
Burrell now serves as Director of Jazz Studies at UCLA.
In The Still Of The Night
Kenny Burrell Lyrics
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As I gaze out of my window
At the moon in it's flight
My thoughts all stray, stray to you
In the still of the night
While the world lies in slumber
Oh the times without number
Do you love me
Just like I love you
Are you my life to be
That dream come true
Or will this dream of mine
Will it fade way out of sight
Just like that moon growing dim
Way out on the rim of the hill
In the still of the night
Kenny Burrell's "In The Still of The Night" is a powerful love ballad filled with deep emotions and reflection. The song starts with the singer sitting by his window, gazing at the moon in its flight. The stillness of the night brings out the deep thoughts and emotions in the singer's heart that stray to his love interest. The world is asleep, but his mind is awake and filled with thoughts of the person he loves.
The singer then thinks about the times when he has asked his love interest if they love him and if they can be together. The lyrics suggest that the singer is unsure if his love is reciprocated and wonders if this is just a dream that will fade away. The imagery of the moon growing dim on the rim of the hill creates a sense of the fragility of the singer's hope and feels as though it's hanging by a thread.
Overall, the song is a beautiful portrayal of love and hope in the stillness of the night. The lyrics and melody work together perfectly to convey the strong emotions felt by the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
In the still of the night
During the quiet hours of the night
As I gaze out of my window
While I'm looking out my window
At the moon in it's flight
Watching the moon as it moves through the sky
My thoughts all stray, stray to you
My mind wanders and I think of you
While the world lies in slumber
While everyone else is asleep
Oh the times without number
So many times
When I say to you
When I talk to you
Do you love me
Do you have feelings of love for me
Just like I love you
As deeply as I love you
Are you my life to be
Will you be the most important part of my life
That dream come true
The fulfillment of my deepest desires
Or will this dream of mine
Perhaps this dream of mine
Will it fade way out of sight
Will it slowly disappear
Just like that moon growing dim
Like the moon dimming
Way out on the rim of the hill
In the distance, on the edge of a hill
In the still of the night
In the quiet hours of the night
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind