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
For All We Know
Paul Desmond Lyrics
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We may never meet again
Before we go
Make this moment live again
We won't say goodbye
Until the last minute
I'll hold out my hand
And my heart will be in it
For all we know
This might only be a dream
We come and we go
Like the ripples, like the ripples in the stream
So baby, love me, love me tonight
Tomorrow was made for some
Oh, but tomorrow
But tomorrow may never, never come
For all we know
Yes, tomorrow may never, never come
For all we know
Paul Desmond's song "For All We Know" is a melancholic tune with a hopeful message. The song talks about living in the moment and enjoying life to the fullest. The opening lines "For all we know, We may never meet again, Before we go, Make this moment live again" set the emotional tone for the rest of the song. The lyrics suggest that we should cherish every moment with our loved ones because we never know if we'll see them again. The sentiments in this song are poignant and powerful, reminding us to stay present in the moment and appreciate the people around us.
In the second verse, the lyrics change gears slightly, and the focus becomes more internal. Desmond sings "This might only be a dream, We come and we go, Like the ripples, like the ripples in the stream". The words convey a sense of impermanence, reminding listeners that life is fleeting and we should appreciate it while we have it. The chorus repeats the song's core message: you never know what tomorrow holds, so live in the moment and love your partner as if it's your last day together.
The song's lyrics were written by Mack Gordon, who has been referred to as "one of the most prolific American music lyricists of the 20th century." Meanwhile, the music was composed by Harry Warren. "For All We Know" is considered a popular jazz standard and has been performed by numerous artists in different genres. One notable version was recorded by Billie Holiday in 1958.
Line by Line Meaning
For all we know
We're uncertain about what lies ahead in our future
We may never meet again
It's possible that we won't have another chance to see each other
Before we go
Before separating
Make this moment live again
Let's cherish this moment and make it memorable
We won't say goodbye
We won't part ways yet
Until the last minute
We'll use every last moment we have together
I'll hold out my hand
I'll offer my hand to you as a gesture of love
And my heart will be in it
I'll give you my heart along with my hand
This might only be a dream
This beautiful moment may just be an illusion
We come and we go
We come into people's lives and fade away like ripples in water
Like the ripples, like the ripples in the stream
Our existence is temporary, just like the ripples in water
So baby, love me, love me tonight
Let's make the most out of this short moment and love each other wholeheartedly
Tomorrow was made for some
Not everyone gets to live to see another day
Oh, but tomorrow
The unknown tomorrow
But tomorrow may never, never come
We can't be sure if we will have a tomorrow to spend together
For all we know
We're unsure of what our future holds
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: J Fred Coots, Samuel M Lewis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind