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
Everything Happens To Me
Paul Desmond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Until I'm almost mad
I must have 'roused the devil's wrath
Cause all my luck is bad
I make a date for golf and you can bet your life it rains
I try to give a party and the guy upstairs complains
I guess I'll go through life
Just catchin' colds and missin' trains
Everything happens to me
I never miss a thing
I've had the measles and the mumps
And every time I play an ace
My partner always trumps
Guess I'm just a fool who never looks before he jumps
Everything happens to me
At first my heart thought you could break this jinx for me
That love would turn the trick to end despair
But know I just can't fool this head that thinks for me
I've mortgaged all my castles in the air
I've telegraphed and phoned
I send an "Airmail Special" too
Your answer was "Goodbye"
And there was even postage due
I fell in love just once
And then it had to be with you
Everything happens to me
The song "Everything Happens To Me" by Paul Desmond Quintet/Quartet is a melancholic tune about the singer's constant bad luck. The song start with lines so poignant, "Black cats creep across my path, until I'm almost mad, I must have 'roused the devil's wrath, 'Cause all my luck is bad". He goes on to say he can never catch a break, even when he tries to plan something beneficial. "I make a date for golf, and you can bet your life it rains; I try to give a party, and the guy upstairs complains". The singer resigns himself to live his life sick and missing important appointments.
The song also delves into the singer's love-life. Although he believed love would be the one thing that would alleviate his constant string of bad luck, it turned out not to be the case. Even after falling in love, his misfortunes continue. Every time he plays an ace, his partner always trumps, showing how he is always outdone despite his efforts. In the end, the singer falls in love but is rejected with "goodbye," even having to pay for postage due. The song is a poetic take on the idea that some people never seem to catch a lucky break.
Line by Line Meaning
Black cats creep across my path
I have a belief in superstition, and whenever I see a black cat around me, it makes me feel a little scared.
Until I'm almost mad
Seeing black cats makes me so anxious that it almost drives me crazy.
I must have 'roused the devil's wrath
I think that my bad luck is probably because I've disturbed the devil in some way.
Cause all my luck is bad
I have no luck, and everything seems to go wrong for me all the time.
I make a date for golf and you can bet your life it rains
Whenever I plan an outdoor activity, such as golf, it ends up raining, and the plan gets canceled.
I try to give a party and the guy upstairs complains
Even when I try to have a good time by hosting a party, someone always finds a way to ruin it for me, such as my noisy upstairs neighbor.
I guess I'll go through life Just catchin' colds and missin' trains
I feel like my life will be characterized by getting sick often and always missing important things like trains.
Everything happens to me
No matter what I do, something always goes wrong in my life.
I never miss a thing
Unfortunately, I'm always present when unfavorable things happen in my life.
I've had the measles and the mumps
I've had the misfortune of getting numerous illnesses, such as the measles and mumps.
And every time I play an ace My partner always trumps
Even when I think I have the upper hand and play an excellent card, my opponent always seems to end up winning.
Guess I'm just a fool who never looks before he jumps
It seems like I'm naive and impulsive, always leaping into things without considering the potential consequences.
At first my heart thought you could break this jinx for me
Initially, I believed that you might be the one person who could turn my bad luck around.
That love would turn the trick to end despair
I thought that being in love with someone would help me overcome my feelings of hopelessness and misery.
But know I just can't fool this head that thinks for me
Now I realize that my heart was too hopeful and optimistic, and my head reminds me that things will always go wrong for me.
I've mortgaged all my castles in the air
I've invested all my hopes and dreams into this one thing, and it's not going to work out.
I've telegraphed and phoned I send an "Airmail Special" too
I've tried so hard to reach out to you and get you to return my affections by sending telegrams, phone calls, and even a special airmail delivery.
Your answer was "Goodbye" And there was even postage due
Unfortunately, all my attempts to reach out to you have failed, and you've even made me pay extra via postage for your response of saying goodbye.
I fell in love just once And then it had to be with you
Out of all the people in the world, I've only fallen in love once, and it had to be with you, who doesn't return my affections.
Everything happens to me
Overall, I feel like I'm cursed, and everything always goes wrong for me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HOAGY CARMICHAEL, JOHNNY MERCER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-iq9tf4qf6c
心が癒やされるサックスの音🎷😊
@davidmaslow399
Another gem from Paul Desmond!
@marketccess1
Everything Happens to Me happened to me 50 or so years ago, when I first heard this recording. So happy it did! It’s deep, sonorous sound never devolves into flowery sentimentality. And it moves beautifully. Paul Desmond and Don Elliott are jazz masters who play off one another brilliantly. Thanks for posting this gem!
@michaelchapman4955
I caught the composer of "Everything Happens To Me" 'Matt Dennis at a Sunset Strip supperclub in late 70's where He was playing piano & singing... He clmbed inside his beautiful ballad....... I love Sinatra's interpretation..... but, Composer, Matt Dennis sang it beautifully.....
@davidmaslow399
This doesn't need piano or guitar to make it sound full! The sound is refreshing and unique!
@user-tk3lh6lu2i
個性的なミュージシャンが奏でる音楽を聴いていると、ゆっくりと心が落ち着きます。今日は。
聴く時によって音楽も違ってきます。ジャズは人生の友人です。ありがとう、ジャズ。
@howardberk8396
「ジャズは人生の友人です。ありがとう、ジャズ。」
素晴らしい言葉です!アッパレ!
@davidmaslow399
Outta sight!
@lastknowngood0
Des & Don doing up this classic jazz standard so beautifully! <3
@johnjazz6652
don elliot is beautiful on this great intonation this instrument is a nightmare to play in tune and he plays it so well respect