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.
These Foolish Things
Milt Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh! Will you never set me free?
The ties that bound us
Are still around us
There's no escape that I can see
And still those little things remain
That bring me happiness or pain
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
A fair ground's painted swings
These foolish things remind me of you
You came you saw you conquer'd me
When you did that to me
I knew somehow this had to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
First daffodils and long excited cables
And candle lights on little corner tables
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The beauty that is Spring's
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The song that Crosby sings
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
The lyrics of Milt Jackson's "These Foolish Things" speak to the persistence of memory long after a relationship has ended. With each verse, the singer lists various objects and experiences that evoke memories of his past love, from a cigarette bearing lipstick traces, to the sound of a tinkling piano in a neighboring apartment, to the scent of gardenia perfume lingering on a pillow. Despite his efforts to move on, he cannot escape the "ties that bound us." He is haunted by "the ghost of [her]," and he finds that even the things that brought him happiness in the past can now cause him pain.
The song's repeated refrain ("These foolish things remind me of you") serves as a reminder that the memories we hold onto can bring comfort and pain in equal measure. The lyrics capture the way that small moments and objects can take on outsized significance in our romantic lives, holding the power to transport us back to moments of great joy or sadness. The singer is confronted with the reality that he may never be free from his memories of this past relationship, and that even attempting to move on can be painful.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh! Will you never let me be?
Why won't you give me space?
Oh! Will you never set me free?
Why won't you release me from your hold?
The ties that bound us
The emotional connections that keep us together
Are still around us
They are still present in our lives
There's no escape that I can see
I can't find a way to break free
And still those little things remain
Small reminders of our time together still exist
That bring me happiness or pain
They evoke both positive and negative feelings
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
A reminder of your presence and scent
An airline ticket to romantic places
A memory of our travels together
And still my heart has wings
I still feel love and passion
These foolish things remind me of you
I am reminded of you by trivial things
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
The sound of music that reminds me of our time together
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
My attempts to express my love to you
A fair ground's painted swings
A nostalgic memory of our playful times
You came you saw you conquer'd me
You won my heart over quickly
When you did that to me
When you captured my heart
I knew somehow this had to be
I had a feeling that we were meant to be together
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
The feeling of joy and excitement associated with being in love
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
A phone call from an unknown caller that I hope is from you
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
I can't shake off the memories of you
First daffodils and long excited cables
A joyful springtime memory of our love
And candle lights on little corner tables
A romantic setting that reminds me of you
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
A peaceful memory of our time spent together in nature
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
A nostalgic memory of our travels together
The beauty that is Spring's
The natural beauty of springtime
How strange how sweet to find you still
It's surprising and comforting to still feel connected to you
These things are dear to me
These memories and reminders of you are precious to me
They seem to bring you near to me
They make me feel closer to you
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
A lonely, melancholic memory of our time apart
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
A sensual reminder of our intimate moments
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
The scent of your perfume that lingers in my bedroom
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
A memory of our time together in France
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
Reminders of beauty, elegance, and femininity
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
A bohemian memory of our nightlife adventures
The song that Crosby sings
A romantic tune that reminds me of you
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
A bittersweet memory of the changing seasons and our time apart
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
An idealized image of love that reminds me of us
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
I can't seem to forget you
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOB STANLEY, PETER STEWART WIGGS, SARAH CRACKNELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
amtrakatsfnyc
Milt Jackson brings rest and peace to the soul with this performance as he does with much of his playing and selection of songs. Thank you for sharing.