Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Morgan was a jazz prodigy, joining the Dizzy Gillespie big band at 18, remaining a member for two years. In 1956 he began recording as a leader, mainly for the Blue Note label; eventually he recorded twenty-five albums for the company. Morgan's principal influence as a player was Clifford Brown, having had direct contact with him before Brown's premature death.
He was also a featured sideman on several early Hank Mobley records, and John Coltrane's Blue Train. Joining Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in 1958 further developed his talent as a soloist and writer. He toured with Blakey for a few years, and was featured on Moanin, which is probably Blakey's best known recording. When Benny Golson left the Jazz Messengers, Morgan persuaded Blakey to hire Wayne Shorter, a young tenor saxophonist, to fill the chair. This classic version of the Jazz Messengers, including Bobby Timmons and Jymie Merritt would record the classic The Freedom Rider album.
Morgan tried to move in to the more advanced areas of the music in the early 1960s. He left the Jazz Messengers in 1961, struggling with heroin addiction, managing to kick his habit in his hometown. He returned to the music scene after a two-year absence, playing on Grachan Moncur III's essentially avant-garde Evolution album (his favourite work), and experimenting on some of his own recordings such as the title track of Search for the New Land (1964), but the popularity of his famous album, The Sidewinder, featuring Joe Henderson precluded his career developing in this way.
The title track of that record cracked the pop charts in 1964 and served as the background theme for Chrysler commercials during the World Series. The Sidewinder's crossover success in a rapidly changing pop music market caused Blue Note to rush the track's "Boogaloo" sound to market. This is evidenced in the mid-60s output of many Blue Note stars, including Morgan, and some of the lesser artists in the stable, releasing albums with modified and rythmically punchy blues tracks, such as "Yes I Can, No You Can't" on Morgan's own The Gigolo. In 1964 Morgan rejoined the Jazz Messengers, after his successor Freddie Hubbard departed, which had now become a sextet with the addition of Curtis Fuller to the group.
Alongside this commercial success, Morgan continued to record prolifically, producing such works as Search For the New Land which reached the top 20 of the R&B charts. His work became increasingly more modal and free towards the end of the sixties. He had begun to lead his own group, featuring Bernie Maupin as a multi-reedist.
Lee Morgan was murdered by his common-law wife, Helen More, with whom he was breaking up, following an argument between sets at Slug's, a popular New York City jazz club.
Rio
Lee Morgan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Veja que tem na frente
Olhos que querem cuidar de voce, so' voce Vem tão inesperada
Depois a madrugada
Luz tão azul que não tem fronteira, não tem fim Vai coração renascido e cheio de um novo amor
Lyrics by Susanna Stivali
The lyrics to Lee Morgan's song "Rio" carry a sense of tenderness and longing. The words express the emotions of a vulnerable heart that is yearning for love and seeking solace. The first line, "Vai coração doente" translates to "Go, sick heart," suggesting that the heart is burdened, possibly with past pain or heartbreak. The following line, "Veja que tem na frente," encourages the heart to see what lies ahead, implying that there may be a chance for healing and happiness.
The next two lines, "Olhos que querem cuidar de voce, so' voce" mean "Eyes that want to take care of you, only you." Here, the lyrics convey the longing for someone who is willing to offer love and support, emphasizing the exclusiveness of that affection. The lyrics continue with "Vem tão inesperada, depois a madrugada," expressing the arrival of this unexpected love, with the dawn highlighting the freshness and newness of this experience.
The following line, "Luz tão azul que não tem fronteira, não tem fim," translates to "A light so blue that has no borders, has no end." This line suggests that the love being encountered is pure and boundless, symbolized by the color blue, which often represents depth and tranquility. The final line, "Vai coração renascido e cheio de um novo amor," translates to "Go, reborn heart, full of a new love." Here, the lyrics express the transformation of the heart, now rejuvenated by this newfound love.
Overall, the lyrics of "Rio" portray a heart broken and in need of healing, discovering unforeseen love that brings light and revitalization. It speaks to the power of love to revive and uplift, while emphasizing the importance of being open to new opportunities for affection and care.
Line by Line Meaning
Vai coração doente
Go sick heart
Veja que tem na frente
See what lies ahead
Olhos que querem cuidar de voce, so' voce
Eyes that want to take care of you, only you
Vem tão inesperada
Coming so unexpectedly
Depois a madrugada
After midnight
Luz tão azul que não tem fronteira, não tem fim
Light so blue that has no boundaries, no end
Vai coração renascido e cheio de um novo amor
Go heart reborn and filled with a new love
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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