Milton "Bags" Jackson (January 1, 1923 – October 9, 1999) was an American j… Read Full Bio ↴Milton "Bags" Jackson (January 1, 1923 – October 9, 1999) was an American jazz vibraphonist, usually thought of as a bebop player, although he performed in several jazz idioms. He is especially remembered for his cool swinging solos as a member of the Modern Jazz Quartet and his penchant for collaborating with several hard bop and post-bop players.

A very expressive player, Jackson differentiated himself from other vibraphonists in his attention to variations on harmonics and rhythm. He was particularly fond of the twelve-bar blues at slow tempos. He preferred to set the vibraphone's oscillator to a low 3.3 revolutions per second (as opposed to Lionel Hampton's speed of 10 revolutions per second) for a more subtle vibrato. On occasion, Jackson would also sing and play piano professionally.

He was discovered by Dizzy Gillespie, who hired him for his sextet in 1946. He quickly acquired experience working with the most important figures in jazz of the era, including John Coltrane, Woody Herman, Howard McGhee, Thelonious Monk, and Charlie Parker. In the Gillespie big band one of his jobs was to play in a quartet with John Lewis, Percy Heath, and Kenny Clarke while the horn section took a break from the demanding high-register horn parts. This group became the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ), which had a long independent career of 20 years until disbanding in 1974 over financial problems (though it reformed in 1981). Jackson then toured alone, performing in various small combos.

From the mid-70s to the mid-80s, Jackson recorded for Norman Granz's Pablo Records, including the classic, "Jackson, Johnson, Brown & Company" (1983), featuring Jackson with J.J. Johnson on trombone, Ray Brown on bass, backed by Tom Ranier on piano, guitarist John Collins, and drummer Roy McCurdy.

He also guested on recordings by many leading jazz, blues and soul artists, such as B.B. King, Ray Charles, etc.

His composition "Bags' Groove" ("Bags" was his nickname, from the 'bags' under his eyes from staying up late) is a jazz standard. He has been featured on the NPR radio program Jazz Profiles.

Someday My Prince Will Come
Milt Jackson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Somewhere waiting for me
There is someone I'm longing to see
Someone I simply can't help but adore
Someone who'll thrill me forever
Some day my prince will come
Some day I'll find my love
And how thrilling that moment will be
When the prince of my dreams comes to me

He'll whisper, I love you,
And steal a kiss or two
Though he's far away,
I'll find my love some day
Some day when my dreams come true
Some day I'll find my love
Someone to call my own
And I'll know her the moment we meet
For my heart will start skipping a beat
Some day we'll say and do
Things we've been longing to
Though she's far away

I'll find my love some day
Some day when my dreams come true

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Milt Jackson's song "Someday My Prince Will Come" convey a sense of longing and anticipation for true love. The singer is hopeful that there is someone out there who will capture their heart and fulfill their desires. The first verse sets the stage by stating that there is someone waiting for the singer, someone they adore and who will bring them eternal happiness. This person is referred to as the "prince of my dreams," indicating a desire for a perfect and idealized relationship.

The chorus repeats the phrase "Some day my prince will come," emphasizing the singer's belief and confidence that love will eventually find them. They express the excitement and thrill they anticipate when that moment arrives, imagining their dream partner whispering words of love and stealing kisses. The phrase "Though he's far away" suggests that the love they seek may not be immediately accessible, but the singer remains optimistic that they will ultimately find each other.

In the second verse, the focus shifts to the singer searching for their love and finding the person they can call their own. The lyrics suggest that the moment of meeting this special someone will be unmistakable, as their heart will start skipping a beat, symbolizing the emotional connection and immediate attraction between them. The lyrics express a pent-up desire to say and do all the things they have longed for in a relationship when they finally meet their love. Once again, the distance is acknowledged, but the singer remains steadfast in their belief that they will find their love someday.

The song concludes with a reaffirmation of the hope and belief that these dreams will come true. The phrase "Some day when my dreams come true" highlights the unwavering faith in the future, that one day the singer will indeed find the love they are searching for. Despite the challenges of time and distance, they express reassurance that love will ultimately prevail and bring them happiness. Through these lyrics, "Someday My Prince Will Come" portrays the universal human desire for love and the optimism that holds onto the idea that true love will eventually be found.

Line by Line Meaning

Somewhere waiting for me
There is a special place where someone is patiently anticipating my arrival

There is someone I'm longing to see
There is a person whom I deeply desire to meet

Someone I simply can't help but adore
There is someone whom I cannot help but have intense feelings of admiration for

Someone who'll thrill me forever
There is someone who will provide everlasting excitement and joy in my life

Some day my prince will come
In the future, the ideal partner I've been yearning for will appear

Some day I'll find my love
One day, I will discover the person who will become my true love

And how thrilling that moment will be
The moment of discovery will be incredibly exciting and exhilarating

When the prince of my dreams comes to me
When the perfect person who matches my dreams and desires comes into my life

He'll whisper, I love you,
He will softly speak the words 'I love you'

And steal a kiss or two
And playfully take a couple of kisses from me

Though he's far away,
Even though he may be physically distant

I'll find my love some day
I will eventually encounter my true love

Some day when my dreams come true
At the point in time when my deepest wishes and aspirations become a reality

Someone to call my own
A person who will exclusively belong to me

And I'll know her the moment we meet
I will have an instant recognition of her as soon as we cross paths

For my heart will start skipping a beat
Because my heart will experience rapid, fluttering sensations out of excitement

Some day we'll say and do
One day, we will express our feelings and engage in actions

Things we've been longing to
Things that we have been yearning for and desiring deeply

Though she's far away
Even though she may be geographically distant

I'll find my love some day
I will ultimately discover my true love

Some day when my dreams come true
At the moment when my cherished dreams and aspirations materialize

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Churchill, Larry Morey

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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