Hampton was born on 20th April 1908 in Louisville, Kentucky, but moved to Chicago as a child, where he began his career as a drummer. He relocated to Los Angeles to play drums in Les Hite's band. They soon became the house band for Frank Sebastian's New Cotton Club, a popular L.A. jazz club.
During a 1930 recording date in the NBC studios in L.A., Louis Armstrong discovered a vibraphone. He asked Hampton if he could play it. Hampton, who knew how to play the xylophone, tried it and they agreed to record a few records with Hamp on vibes. Hampton is credited with popularizing the vibraphone as a jazz instrument.
In the mid-1930s, the Benny Goodman Orchestra came to Los Angeles to play the Palomar Ballroom. John Hammond brought Goodman to see Hampton play. Goodman asked Hampton to move to New York City and join Goodman, Teddy Wilson, and Gene Krupa who'd already formed a Benny Goodman Trio within the large band - to expand into the Benny Goodman Quartet. The Trio and Quartet were among the first racially integrated bands to record and play before wide audiences; they were just as well received at Goodman's famous 1938 Carnegie Hall concert as was the full Goodman band.
While Hampton worked for Goodman in New York, he recorded with several different small groups known as the Lionel Hampton Orchestra as well as assorted small groups within the Goodman band. In the early 40s he left the Goodman organization to form his own touring band.
Hampton's band fostered the talents of Illinois Jacquet, Dexter Gordon, Ernie Royal, Jack McVea, Charlie Mingus, Monk Montgomery, Wes Montgomery, Quincy Jones, Benny Golson, Fats Navarro, Kenny Dorham, Clifford Brown, Dinah Washington, Betty Carter, Joe Williams, Arnett Cobb, Earl Bostic, and John Colianni among many others.
Hampton's recording of "Flying Home" (1939) with the famous honking tenor sax solo by Jacquet, later refined and expanded by Cobb (1946), is considered by some to be the first rock and roll record. He was known for his tireless energy and his skill on the vibes, drums, and lightning speed two-fingered piano. The bars on the vibraphone are laid out like the piano; Hampton played both instruments the same way.
Beginning in the mid-1980s, Hampton and his band started playing at the University of Idaho's jazz concert, which in 1985 was renamed the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. In 1987 the University's music college was renamed the Lionel Hampton School of Music, the first and only university music college to be named after a jazz musician.
Lionel Hampton died of cardiac arrest at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York on 31st August 2002. He was buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York.
Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing
Lionel Hampton Lyrics
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But some don't know how to handle it
Always reachin' out in vain
Just taking the things not worth having but
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, mama
'Cause I'll be standing on the side
They say your style of life's a drag
And that you must go other places
But just don't you feel too bad
When you get fooled by smiling faces but
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, mama
'Cause I'll be standing on the side
When you check it out
When you get it off your trip
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Bam bambam bambam bambam
Bambambambam bambambambam
Bam bambam bambam bambam
Bambambambam bambambambam
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, mama
'Cause I'll be standing on the side
When you check it out
When you get it off your trip
Everybody needs a change
A chance to check out the new
But you're the only one to see
The changes you take yourself through but
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, pretty mama
'Cause I'll be standing in the wings
When you check it out
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Yeah
Bam bambam bambam bambam
Bambambambam bambambambam
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, sugar
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, mama
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, sugar
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
The lyrics of Lionel Hampton Feat. Tito Puente's song Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing are about assurance and encouragement towards a person who is going through a rough time in their life. The song opens with the acknowledgement that everyone has their thing, but some people don't know how to handle it and often end up reaching out for things that are not worth having. The next verse talks about how others may criticize your life's choices and advise you to go elsewhere, but you shouldn't feel too bad if you're fooled by smiling faces. The chorus comes in with an assurance that the person should not worry about anything, because Hampton and Puente will always be there to stand by and support them. The song ends with everyone needing a change and a chance to explore something new, but the singer reminds them that they are the only ones who can make the changes they need, and that they should not worry because they will always be there to support them.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's got a thing
Everyone has their own passion, skill or speciality
But some don't know how to handle it
However, some people do not know how to manage or control their 'thing'
Always reachin' out in vain
They constantly seek validation or seek out new experiences, but with no real purpose or success
Just taking the things not worth having but
They settle for things that are not really valuable or meaningful to them
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't stress or be anxious about anything
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, mama
Addressing a loved one to reassure them to stay calm and not fret
'Cause I'll be standing on the side
I'll be there, supporting and cheering you on from the sidelines
When you check it out
When you finally understand or figure out what you are trying to accomplish or understand
They say your style of life's a drag
People may criticize or judge your lifestyle or choices as being dull or uninteresting
And that you must go other places
They suggest that you need to leave and explore new places, places different from your current environment
But just don't you feel too bad
Don't take it to heart or feel too down about their criticisms
When you get fooled by smiling faces but
When people deceive you and you realize you have been naive to their true intentions
When you get it off your trip
When you finish your journey or your quest for exploration
Everybody needs a change
It's important for everyone to experience some form of change or variety in their life
A chance to check out the new
To have an opportunity to examine and try out new things or experiences
But you're the only one to see
However, you are the only one who has the power to acknowledge and make decisions on what works or doesn't work for you
The changes you take yourself through but
The transformations or alterations that you decide to undertake are ultimately for your own benefit and growth
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, pretty mama
Addressing someone affectionately, reassuring them to not be anxious
'Cause I'll be standing in the wings
I'll be there to support you, even if it's from a distance
Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry
Repeating the importance of not worrying or stressing out
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, sugar
Addressing someone affectionately, reassuring them to not fret or worry
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Stevie Wonder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind