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.
I Can't Believe That You Are in Love With Me
Lionel Hampton Lyrics
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And when you smiled at me,
In my heart I felt a thrill you see,
That it was love at sight and
I was right to love you as I do.
Still I never dreamed that you could love me too.
Your eyes of blue, your kisses too,
I can't believe that you're in love with me.
You're telling ev'ry one I know
I'm on your mind each place we go
They can't believe that you're in love with me.
I have always placed you far above me.
I just can't imagine that you love me.
And after all is said and done,
To think that I'm the lucky one.
I can't believe that you're in love with me.
Skies are gray. I'm blue each day
When you are not around.
Ev'ry thing goes wrong, my dear I've found
But when you're by my side I fill with pride
For I'm so proud of you
It all seems too good to me to all be true
Your eyes of blue, your kisses too,
I never knew what they could do.
I can't believe that you're in love with me.
You're telling ev'ry one I know
I'm on your mind each place we go
They can't believe that you're in love with me.
I have always placed you far above me.
I just can't imagine that you love me.
And after all is said and done,
To think that I'm the lucky one.
I can't believe that you're in love with me.
The lyrics to Lionel Hampton's song "I Can't Believe That You Are in Love With Me" describe the disbelief of the singer that the person whom they have fallen in love with, reciprocates those feelings. The singer recounts how they felt a thrill in their heart the moment they saw the person and that it was love at first sight for them. The singer never thought that this person could love them back but can't believe that they are in love with them too. The lyrics express the singer's disbelief and joy that their love is returned, acknowledging that they feel lucky to have found someone that loves them.
The lyrics overall convey the idea of self-doubt and disbelief, but its underlying theme is the power of love that surpasses all. Love has made the singer feel like they are the luckiest person on earth, and they cherish every moment spent with their beloved. The lyrics also describe how the singer's life becomes desolate whenever the person is not around, and they realize that they are filled with pride when with their beloved.
Line by Line Meaning
Yesterday you came my way
I remember the day when I first saw you
And when you smiled at me, in my heart I felt a thrill you see
When you smiled at me, I couldn't help but feel a rush of good feelings inside me
That it was love at sight and I was right to love you as I do
I immediately knew that I loved you and I am convinced that my feelings are true
Still I never dreamed that you could love me too
Despite my love for you, I never thought that you could feel the same way about me
Your eyes of blue, your kisses too, I never knew what they could do
Your blue eyes and your kisses have a special effect on me that I never expected
I can't believe that you're in love with me
I am shocked and amazed that you have feelings for me
You're telling ev'ry one I know, I'm on your mind each place we go
You talk about me to everyone we meet and it's clear that you're thinking about me all the time
They can't believe that you're in love with me
People are surprised when they hear that you are in love with me
I have always placed you far above me
I have always seen you as superior to me
I just can't imagine that you love me
It's hard for me to believe that you actually have romantic feelings for me
And after all is said and done, to think that I'm the lucky one
Despite all that has happened, I still consider myself fortunate to have your love
Skies are gray, I'm blue each day when you are not around
I feel down and unhappy when you are not with me
Everything goes wrong, my dear I've found
Without you, everything seems to fall apart
But when you're by my side, I fill with pride
When you are with me, I feel confident and proud
For I'm so proud of you, it all seems too good to me to all be true
I am so amazed by you that it almost feels like a dream
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CLARENCE GASKILL, JIMMY MC HUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Home Of Travellers
Very nice 😃
mendali
Janet Thurlow - vocals