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.
Last Night When We Were Young
Kenny Burrell Lyrics
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Love was a star, a song unsung
Life was so new, so real so right
Ages ago last night
Today the world is old
You flew away and time grew cold
Where is that star that shone so bright
To think that spring had depended
On merely this, a look, a kiss
To think that something so splendid
Could slip away in one little daybreak
So now, let's reminisce
And recollect the sighs and the kisses
The arms that clung
When we were young last night
In Kenny Burrell's song "Last Night When We Were Young," the singer looks back on a love that was lost. The opening lines are nostalgic, reminiscing on a time when love was new and life was ripe with possibility. Love is compared to a star that shone so brightly, and it was a song that had yet to be sung. This imagery emphasizes the potential and beauty of love, while also alluding to its fleeting nature. The passage of time is then referenced, and with it the loss of the relationship. The line "you flew away" implies distance and separation. The following line "time grew cold" echoes this idea, as time seems to have taken the vibrance and warmth out of the relationship. The repetition of the opening line "ages ago last night" emphasizes the stark contrast between the past and present. The singer is now left to wonder where that bright star has gone, and longs for the sweetness of that love once again.
The second half of the song turns to reflection, as the singer realizes how quickly love can slip away. Spring, a season of growth and renewal, is personified as relying solely on a "look" and "kiss." This passage emphasizes the power of a single moment, and how it can shape the course of an entire relationship. The line "something so splendid / could slip away in one little daybreak" evokes a sense of regret and sorrow at the loss of something so beautiful. Yet, the final lines offer a sense of comfort as the singer suggests that they should "reminisce / and recollect the sighs and the kisses / the arms that clung / when we were young last night." Despite the pain of the present, there is still value in cherishing the love that was once shared.
Line by Line Meaning
Last night when we were young
A nostalgic reflection on a time when the singer and their lover were young and free from the worries of the world.
Love was a star, a song unsung
Their love was like a shining star, yet to be fully realized or expressed through song.
Life was so new, so real so right
Life was full of possibilities and promise, and everything felt authentic and true.
Ages ago last night
Although it wasn't that long ago, the artist feels like they are looking back on a different era of their life.
Today the world is old
The present day is bleak and unfulfilling in comparison to the past.
You flew away and time grew cold
The singer's lover left them, causing time to lose its warmth and joy.
Where is that star that shone so bright
The symbol of their love is now lost, and the memories of their happiness are fading.
To think that spring had depended
The artist realizes that the success of their relationship hinged on small but significant moments of tenderness.
On merely this, a look, a kiss
The smallest gestures and nuances were meaningful to them in the past, yet now seem trivial.
To think that something so splendid
The artist reflects on how beautiful and magnificent their relationship was in the past.
Could slip away in one little daybreak
Their love deteriorated rapidly, and now it seems like it was gone in an instant.
So now, let's reminisce
The artist is inviting their lover to join them in remembering the good times they shared in the past.
And recollect the sighs and the kisses
They want to relive the moments of intimacy and passion they once shared.
The arms that clung
The singer remembers how they held onto each other tightly, and longs for that closeness once again.
When we were young last night
The singer reflects on the bittersweet nostalgia of looking back on a time when they were happy and fulfilled in love.
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC
Written by: E. Y. HARBURG, HAROLD ARLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind