Desmond was bor… Read Full Bio ↴Paul Desmond (1924-1977) was a U.S jazz saxophonist.
Desmond was born Paul Emil Breitenfeld in San Francisco, California on 25th November 1924. He came to prominence with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, which lasted from 1951 until 1967. Desmond wrote their biggest hit, "Take Five".
Desmond's alto saxophone tone and technique owed nothing to the great alto player of the time, Charlie Parker; instead his was a clear, light, floating sound and highly melodic playing style. Much of the success of the classic Brubeck quartet was due to the superposition of his fragile, airy sound over Brubeck's sometimes relatively heavy, polytonal piano work.
Desmond died on 30th May 1977.
Paul Desmond is widely recognized for his genius as a melodic improviser and as the benchmark of cool jazz sax players. His warm, elegant tone was one that he admittedly tried to make sound like a dry martini. He and Art Pepper were virtually the only alto players of their generation not directly influenced by Charlie Parker. Desmond was influenced by Lester Young, but took it further, into melodic and harmonic worlds never before traveled by reedmen -- especially in the upper registers. Desmond is best known for his years with the Dave Brubeck Quartet (1959-1967) and his infamous composition "Take Five." He met Brubeck in the late '40s and played with his Octet. The Quartet formed toward the end of 1950 and took final shape with Eugene Wright and Joe Morello a few years later. Jazz at Oberlin and Take Five were considered essential purchases by college students of the era, but Jazz Impressions of Japan was its most innovative recording. Desmond played his loping, slow, ordered, and intricate solos in direct contrast to the pianist's obsession with large chords, creating a myriad of textures for melodic and rhythmic counterpoint unlike any heard in jazz. His witty quotations from musicals, classical pieces, and folk songs were also a watermark of his artistry. When the Quartet split in 1967, Desmond began an intermittent yet satisfying recording career. It included dates with Gerry Mulligan for Verve, various sessions with Jim Hall, and a concert with the the Modern Jazz Quartet. He played his last gigs with the Brubeck Quartet at reunions before dying of lung cancer. Desmond's recordings for RCA have gotten box-set treatment and Mosaic issued one of the complete sessions with Hall. There are also reissues from A&M and CTI, though recordings on Artist House and Finesse remain regrettably out of print. ~ Thom Jurek, Rovi
All Through The Night
Paul Desmond Lyrics
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For I'm always so alone till the day draws to an end,
But when the sun goes down and the moon comes through,
To the monotone of the evening's drone I'm all alone with you.
All through the night,
I delight in your love,
All through the night you're sio close to me!
From a height far above,
You and your love brings me ecstasy!
When dawn comes to waken me,
You're never there at all!
I know you've forsaken me
Till the shadows fall,
But then once again I can dream, I've the right
To be close to you all through the night.
The lyrics in Paul Desmond's song All Through The Night express the singer's longing for companionship during the lonely hours of the day, but finding solace in being alone with their love interest during night time. The opening lines of the song establish the day as the singer's enemy, creating a sense of isolation as they wait for it to come to an end. With the arrival of the night and the moon, however, the singer finds comfort in being alone with their love interest, to the point of feeling euphoric.
The middle section of the song further emphasizes the singer's connection with their love interest, as they revel in the joy that their closeness brings. The final lines of the song create a sense of resignation, as the singer acknowledges that their love interest may not be there when they wake up in the morning, but they still have the right to dream of being close to them all through the night.
Overall, the lyrics of All Through The Night evoke a sense of yearning for human connection, particularly during moments of solitude. However, the presence of a beloved can provide a sense of belonging and happiness, even in the darkest of hours.
Line by Line Meaning
The day is my enemy, the night my friend,
I find comfort in the dark hours of the night, as during the day I am plagued by loneliness and despair.
For I'm always so alone till the day draws to an end,
I feel isolated throughout the day up until the sun sets.
But when the sun goes down and the moon comes through,
When the day turns into night, and the shining moon appears in the sky,
To the monotone of the evening's drone I'm all alone with you.
I find myself in a state of solitude, but my mind is filled with thoughts of you, and the peaceful stillness of the night surrounds me.
All through the night,
Throughout the dark hours,
I delight in your love,
I take pleasure in the thought of your affection,
All through the night you're so close to me!
During the night, I feel as though you are right beside me.
All through the night,
Throughout the dark hours,
From a height far above,
It feels as though I am floating above the world,
You and your love brings me ecstasy!
The thought of you and your love fills me with an overwhelming sense of joy.
When dawn comes to waken me,
As the sun rises in the morning and I am pulled from my dreams,
You're never there at all!
I realize that you are not physically present.
I know you've forsaken me
I understand that you have left me alone,
Till the shadows fall,
But I also realize that, come nightfall, I will once again feel your presence.
But then once again I can dream, I've the right
I allow myself to dream and imagine that I am with you, and this is something I feel entitled to.
To be close to you all through the night.
I long to be close to you again throughout the dark hours, as the night is the only time when I do not feel alone.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLE PORTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind