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.
Undecided
Lionel Hampton Lyrics
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And then you don't
And then you say you will
And then you won't
You're undecided now
So what are you gonna do?
Now you want to play
And then it's no
That's when you go
You're undecided now
So what are you gonna do?
I've been sitting on a fence
And it doesn't make much sense
'Cause you keep me in suspense
And you know it
Then you promise to return
When you don't
I really burn
Well, I guess I'll never learn
And I show it
If you've got a heart
And if you're kind
Then don't keep us apart
Make up your mind
You're undecided now
So what are you gonna do?
The lyrics of Lionel Hampton's song Undecided are about a person who is unable to make up their mind about their feelings and decisions. The singer is frustrated with the indecisiveness of their lover, who is constantly changing their mind and giving mixed signals. The singer is hurt by the constant uncertainty and has been left sitting on the fence, unsure of what to do.
The lyrics depict the pain caused by someone who cannot commit to a decision, leading to confusion and frustration. The singer wants their lover to take a definitive stand on their relationship and make a decision once and for all.
In the end, the singer appeals to the lover's heart, asking them to make a choice and not keep them apart anymore. The song is melancholic in tone, reflecting the singer's disappointment and longing for a resolution.
Line by Line Meaning
First you say you do
At first you seem like you want to do something
And then you don't
But then you change your mind and decide you do not want to do it
And then you say you will
After changing your mind again, you decide you want to do it after all
And then you won't
But then you change your mind again and decide not to do it
You're undecided now
You are currently unsure of what you want
So what are you gonna do?
What decision will you ultimately make?
Now you want to play
You now seem interested in something else
And then it's no
But then you quickly change your mind and decide you don't want to do it
And when you say you'll stay
You promise to stick around and continue, despite being unsure
That's when you go
But then you suddenly leave after making that promise
I've been sitting on a fence
I have been neutral and indecisive about this situation
And it doesn't make much sense
But it is confusing and frustrating for me to constantly switch back and forth
'Cause you keep me in suspense
It is because of your indecisiveness that I am kept in a state of uncertainty
And you know it
You are aware that your indecisiveness is affecting me
Then you promise to return
You make a promise to come back
When you don't
But then you break that promise and don't come back
I really burn
This causes me a lot of emotional pain and frustration
Well, I guess I'll never learn
I keep allowing myself to be hurt by your indecisiveness, even though I should know better
And I show it
My emotions are clearly visible and apparent to you
If you've got a heart
If you have any compassion
And if you're kind
And if you care about me at all
Then don't keep us apart
Please don't let your indecisiveness ruin what we have
Make up your mind
Please finally make a decision and stick to it
You're undecided now
You are still unsure of what you want
So what are you gonna do?
What is your ultimate decision going to be?
Contributed by Joseph D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.