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.
Sunny Side of the Street
Lionel Hampton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I had nothing but shadows
Then one morning you passed
And I brightened at last
Now I greet the day and complete the day
With the sun in my heart
All my worry blew away
When you taught me how to say
Grab your coat and get your hat
Leave your worry on the doorstep
Just direct your feet
To the sunny side of the street
Can't you hear a pitter-pat?
And that happy tune is your step
Life can be so sweet
On the sunny side of the street
I used to walk in the shade
With those blues on parade
But I'm not afraid
This Rover crossed over
If I never have a cent
I'd be rich as Rockefeller
Gold dust at my feet
On the sunny side of the street
Grab your street
The lyrics of Lionel Hampton Orchestra's song On the Sunny Side of the Street are about a person who felt lost and unhappy until they encountered someone who changed their life. The singer of the song was lonely, with no one to talk to and nothing but shadows around them. However, one morning, they saw someone walk past them, and suddenly their mood lifted, and they felt brighter than before. The love interest taught the singer to leave their worries behind and find happiness in life, and the song ends with the singer singing about how their life has become greater since they learned to see things from a positive perspective.
Line by Line Meaning
Walked with no one and talked with no one
I was alone and empty, with no one to share my thoughts and feelings with.
And I had nothing but shadows
My life was gloomy and dark, with no real substance or meaning.
Then one morning you passed
Suddenly, you appeared in my life, as if by chance or fate.
And I brightened at last
With your presence, my life gained a sense of light and hope.
Now I greet the day and complete the day
Because of you, I start and end my day with happiness and satisfaction.
With the sun in my heart
My heart is filled with warmth and joy, like the sun on a bright day.
All my worry blew away
Any worries or concerns I had disappeared, thanks to your influence and positivity.
When you taught me how to say
You helped me learn and understand a new way of looking at life.
Grab your coat and get your hat
Prepare yourself for the start of a new adventure or experience.
Leave your worry on the doorstep
Don't bring any negative thoughts or concerns with you, leave them behind.
Just direct your feet
Focus on taking one step at a time towards your goal or destination.
To the sunny side of the street
Head towards the path of positivity and optimism.
Can't you hear a pitter-pat?
The sound of your footsteps expresses the joy and excitement of the moment.
And that happy tune is your step
Your steps and movements are in sync with the happy melody playing in your head.
Life can be so sweet
Life is full of wonderful surprises, and can be enjoyed to the fullest extent.
On the sunny side of the street
By staying positive and optimistic, you can enjoy the best that life has to offer.
I used to walk in the shade
I used to always focus on the negative aspects of life, and ignore the good things around me.
With those blues on parade
My negative emotions were always on full display and I could never seem to escape them.
But I'm not afraid
I am no longer scared of the unknown, and am ready to embrace life.
This Rover crossed over
I have made the journey to the brighter, more positive side of life.
If I never have a cent
Even if I don't have much money or material possessions to my name,
I'd be rich as Rockefeller
I feel wealthy and fulfilled in life, because of the love and positivity I have received.
Gold dust at my feet
My feet may not be walking on precious gold, but I feel like I am walking on something equally valuable.
On the sunny side of the street
This wonderful feeling of positivity and abundance can be found by keeping focus on the good things in life.
Contributed by Maya O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Eric Rumsey
One of my favorite Hodges songs, in all of his many cuts of it! He leads off here, with nice obbligato by Hampton (vibraphone), Stacy (piano). Then Hampton vocal, with Hodges, Stacy obbligato, followed by Reuss’s short guitar interlude, and concluding with Hampton’s usual elegant vibes, with Hodges’ quiet obbligato. … Thank you Billies Bounce, for personnel listing!
jim de nooij
i had as a kid, the album (10inch) where this song is from, sweet memories
Ryan
The absolute best version of this song -- so, so groovy!
tubeboob
Always the best recording of this beauty, pure magic
Miguel Leiton
Inmortal interpretación de éste bello tema,con los comentarios de Hodges detrás del canto de Hampton...!!!!!
SELMER B.Action
Absolute masterpiece with the genial Johnny Hodges
marcio honshirabe
I Love It !!!!!!!!!!!!
Michael Tibbs
Love it! "It's over, it's over, yada yada..." Second only to Louis Armstrong's 1956 version.
Ittinan Intaranan
I just love this song! Can’t believe that one guy gives a thumb down? Ha ha ha...
Peter Pan
He is stone deaf