Konitz is sometimes regarded as the preeminent cool jazz saxophonist, because he performed and recorded with Claude Thornhill, Lennie Tristano (both often cited as important cool jazz proponents of the mid 1940s), and with Miles Davis' on his epochal Birth of the Cool, which gave the form its name.
Konitz has also been repeatedly noted as one of the few jazz saxophonists of the late 1940s and 1950s who did not seem imitative of the massively influential Charlie Parker.
In the early 1950s, Konitz recorded and toured with Stan Kenton's orchestra.
In 1961, he recorded Motion with Elvin Jones on drums and Sonny Dallas on bass. This spontaneous session, widely regarded as a classic in the cool genre, consisted entirely of standards. The loose trio format aptly featured Konitz's unorthodox phrasing and chromaticism.
In 1967, Konitz recorded The Lee Konitz Duets, a series of duets with various musicians. The duo configurations were often unusual for the period (saxophone and trombone, two saxophones). The recordings drew on very nearly the entire history of jazz, from a Louis Armstrong dixieland number with valve trombonist Marshall Brown to two completely free duos: one with a Duke Ellington associate, violinist Ray Nance, and one with guitarist Jim Hall.
Konitz was quite prolific, recording dozens of albums as a band leader. He also recorded and/or performed with Dave Brubeck, Ornette Coleman, Charles Mingus, Gerry Mulligan, Elvin Jones and others.
Lady Be Good
Lee Konitz Lyrics
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It's terribly sad but true,
All dressed up, no place to go
Each evening I'm awfully blue.
I must win some handsome guy
Can't go on like this,
I could blossom out I know,
Oh, sweet and lovely lady, be good
Oh, lady, be good to me
I am so awfully misunderstood
So lady, be good to me
Oh, please have some pity
I'm all-alone in this big city
I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,
So lady be good to me.
Oh, please have some pity
I'm all alone in this big city
I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,
So lady be good to me.
Oh lady be good to me.
The lyrics to Lee Konitz and The Gerry Mulligan Quartet's "Oh Lady Be Good" tell a story of someone who is lonely and looking for love. The singer is all dressed up with nowhere to go and feels blue every evening. They believe that if they could just find the right person, they could blossom and be happy. The singer is pleading with a lady to be good to them, as they are misunderstood and feeling lonely in the big city.
The lyrics highlight the universal human experience of loneliness and the desire for connection with another person. The singer's vulnerability and honesty in expressing their feelings is relatable and conveys a sense of yearning for love and companionship. The repeated refrain of "lady be good to me" emphasizes the singer's desperation and need for someone to care for and support them.
Overall, the lyrics to "Oh Lady Be Good" are a heartfelt expression of longing and the search for love, set to a lively and upbeat jazz tune that belies the sadness and loneliness at the heart of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen to my tale of woe,
Hear me out as I tell you the sad story of my life,
It's terribly sad but true,
As unbelievable as it may sound, my tale of woe is all too real,
All dressed up, no place to go
I put on my best attire each evening, but have nowhere to go and nothing to do,
Each evening I'm awfully blue.
I feel extremely sad every night,
I must win some handsome guy,
I need to find a charming gentleman to win my heart,
Can't go on like this,
I cannot continue living such a lonely life,
I could blossom out I know,
I have the potential to be happy and fulfilled, I just need the right person to bring it out in me,
With somebody just like you. So
You seem like the kind of person who could make me happy,
Oh, sweet and lovely lady, be good
I implore you, charming lady, be kind to me,
Oh, lady, be good to me
I beg of you, show me kindness and affection,
I am so awfully misunderstood
People do not understand me and my struggles,
So lady, be good to me
Please take pity on me and treat me well,
Oh, please have some pity
I am in desperate need of compassion and empathy,
I'm all-alone in this big city
I feel lonely and isolated in this large urban area,
I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,
I am like a helpless child lost in the wilderness, looking for guidance,
So lady be good to me.
I implore you once again, please show me kindness and love,
Oh lady be good to me.
Please be good to me, O gracious lady.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind