Lionel Leo Hampton (1908–2002), was a U.S. bandleader, jazz percussionist, … Read Full Bio ↴Lionel Leo Hampton (1908–2002), was a U.S. bandleader, jazz percussionist, and vibraphonist.

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
Lionel Hampton Lyrics

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I've been around the world in a plane
Settled revolutions in Spain
The North Pole I have charted
But can't get started with you
And at the golf course I'm under par
Metro-Goldwyn wants me to star
I've got a house and a show place
But can't get no place with you

You're so supreme
The lyrics I write of you
Dream, dream, day and night of you
Scheme just for the sight of you
Baby but what good dose it do
I've been consulted by Franklin D.
Even Gabel had me to tea
But now I'm broken hearted
Can't get started with you

You're so supreme
The lyrics I write of you
Dream, dream, day and night of you
Scheme just for the sight of you
But what good does it do
I've been consulted by Franklin D.
Even Basic had me to tea

But now I'm broken hearted
Can't get started with you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "I Can't Get Started" by Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra explore the theme of unrequited love. The song begins with the singer describing all his accomplishments, including traveling the world, settling revolutions in Spain, and charting the North Pole, yet he can't seem to get started or make any headway with the object of his affection. Despite his success in various fields, he is still unable to capture the attention and love of the person he desires.

As the song progresses, the singer continues to express his love and devotion to this person, dreaming and scheming of ways to win their heart. He highlights his connections to powerful and influential people, including Franklin D. Roosevelt and Gabel, but none of these things seem to matter when it comes to matters of the heart. The singer ends the song broken hearted, unable to make any progress in his pursuit of this person.

Overall, the lyrics of "I Can't Get Started" offer a poignant and relatable reflection on the challenges of unrequited love. The singer's accomplishments and connections are ultimately meaningless when it comes to the difficult and complicated process of pursuing and winning someone's heart.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been around the world in a plane
I've traveled far and wide

Settled revolutions in Spain
I've helped put an end to conflicts in Spain

The North Pole I have charted
I've explored and mapped the North Pole

But can't get started with you
But I can't seem to connect with you or start a relationship with you

And at the golf course I'm under par
I'm doing really well at golf and scoring below average

Metro-Goldwyn wants me to star
Even famous film company Metro-Goldwyn Mayer wants me to act on their movies

I've got a house and a show place
I own a great house and an awesome venue

But can't get no place with you
But I have no success with you

You're so supreme
You are above all others, you are exceptional

The lyrics I write of you
The words I compose are inspired by you

Dream, dream, day and night of you
I imagine you in my sleep and constantly think of you