In the 1920s and early 1930s Whiteman became widely known as The King of Jazz (see: Jazz royalty). Much of what his band played hasn't been considered "true" jazz by later generations. Others reject these notions, and regard Whiteman's music as an interesting development in jazz history. He recorded Hoagy Carmichael singing and playing Washboard Blues to the accompaniment of his orchestra in 1926.[1]
While today most fans of jazz consider improvisation to be essential to the musical style, Whiteman thought the music could be improved by scoring the best of it. Modern revisionists might look back and say "that wasn't the True Jazz", but his notions were critically popular and commercially successful at the time. Whiteman's music was often the first jazz of any form that some people heard.
Duke Ellington wrote in his autobiography: "Paul Whiteman was known as the King of Jazz, and no one as yet has come near carrying that title with more certainty and dignity."
Whiteman commissioned George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, which was premiered by Whiteman's Orchestra with Gershwin at the piano in 1924. Another familiar piece in Whiteman's repertoire: Grand Canyon Suite, by Ferde Grofé (much of which was used in the score of A Christmas Story).
Whiteman appreciated jazz musicians and hired many of the best white jazz men for his band, including Bix Beiderbecke, Frankie Trumbauer, Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, Steve Brown, Mike Pingitore, Gussie Mueller, Wilbur Hall, Jack Teagarden, and Bunny Berigan. Whiteman gave them constant chances to improvise, paid them top salaries and encouraged them to make small band jam recordings on the side.
Paul Whiteman was primarily responsible for revolutionizing the dance orchestra and dance music after World War I. Prior to that time, dances were played by military bands, string ensembles, or small combinations. Working in 1918-19 with arranger Ferde Grofé and in parallel with fellow San Francisco bandleader Art Hickman, Whiteman introduced the saxophone section as a musical unit of equal weight with the brass. This set a standard for instrumentation that defined the dance orchestra, and remains in big bands to this day. Before Whiteman, musical arrangements were very cut-and-dried, with much repetition. Whiteman and Grofé introduced arrangements that instead of repeating, changed keys, textures and rhythms over their course, much like symphonic music. This innovation, combined with the jazz elements mentioned above, plus his insistence on using top notch, concert-calibre musicians, made Paul Whiteman's orchestra a vanguard force that changed the face of popular music in the 1920s.
Whiteman was also one of the greatest of all talent scouts. For over 30 years, he sought out and encouraged musicians, vocalists, composers, arrangers and entertainers who looked promising. It is worth repeating that Whiteman not only premiered George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" in 1924, but commissioned him to write it, much to Gershwin's surprise at the time.
Both Bing Crosby and Mildred Bailey got their start singing with the Whiteman Orchestra.
In 1931, Whiteman married motion picture actress Margaret Livingston.
After he disbanded his Orchestra, in the 1940s and 1950s Whiteman worked as a music director for the ABC Radio Network. He also hosted several television programs and continued to appear as guest conductor for many concerts.
Paul Whiteman died at the age of 77 in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
San
Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This great big world to make a place you love
My home up on the hill
I find I love you still
I've been away but now I'm back to tell you
San Francisco
Open your golden gate
San Francisco
Here is your wandering one
Saying I'll wander no more
Other places only make me love you best
Tell me you're the heart of all the golden west
San Francisco
Welcome me home again
I'm coming home
To go roaming no more
The lyrics to Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra's song San Francisco are a touching tribute to the city of San Francisco, and to the idea of finding a home in a particular place. The song speaks to the fact that even though the world is a vast and overwhelming place, it only takes a small corner of it to create a sense of belonging and love.
The song's protagonist speaks of his home on a hill, and his enduring love for the city of San Francisco, which has always remained in his heart even when he was away. He implores the city to open its doors to him once again, and promises that he will wander no more. The lyrics speak to the idea of finding a place where you belong, where you are accepted and loved, and where you will always feel welcome.
The song was released in 1936 and quickly became a hit, with its inspiring and romantic lyrics capturing the hearts of listeners everywhere. Today, it remains an iconic song, and San Francisco remains a beloved city, with its beauty and allure inspiring writers, artists, and musicians for generations.
Line by Line Meaning
It only takes a tiny corner of
Even a small part of this world can become a beloved place to somebody
This great big world to make a place you love
A place can become beloved despite the size of the world
My home up on the hill
The singer's home is situated on the hill
I find I love you still
The singer is still in love
I've been away but now I'm back to tell you
The singer was away, but now they are back to express their feelings
San Francisco
Addressing the city of San Francisco
Open your golden gate
Inviting the city of San Francisco to open up its gates
You let no stranger wait outside your door
San Francisco is welcoming and does not let strangers wait outside the door
San Francisco
Addressing the city of San Francisco again
Here is your wandering one
The singer refers to themselves as a wanderer who is coming back
Saying I'll wander no more
The singer is declaring that they will not wander anymore
Other places only make me love you best
Other places have not been able to replace San Francisco in the singer's heart
Tell me you're the heart of all the golden west
Challenging San Francisco to confirm that they are the heart of the west
San Francisco
Addressing the city of San Francisco again
Welcome me home again
Asking for a warm welcome back home to San Francisco
I'm coming home
Confirming that the singer is on their way home to San Francisco
To go roaming no more
The singer is done with wandering and is coming back to stay in San Francisco
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Walter Jurmann, Gus Kahn, Bronislaw Kaper
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@SuperIliad
San
King San of Senegal sat on the shore at Bulamay, singing a sad refrain to his dear queen who'd gone away; this was his lay.
One day the queen came home; saw San in sadness on the shore;
told him she'd no more roam.
Only her San would she adore; then came this lore.
{Oh, sweet heart Lona, my darling Lona, why have you gone away?
You said you loved me; but if you loved me, why did you act this way?
If I had ever been untrue to you,
what you have done would be the thing to do;
but my heart aches, dear, and it will break, dear,
if you don't come back home again to San!}
Oh, sweet heart Lona, my darling Lona, have you come back to stay?
You said you loved me; I knew you loved me;
I knew you'd | come some day.
If I had ever been untrue to you, what you have done would be the thing to do;
but now you're mine, dear; for all the time, dear;
and you're forgiven by your loving San!
San (© 1920) Words & Music by Lindsay McPhail & Walter Michels. Van Alstyne and Curtis Publishers Toledo, Chicago and New York.
@wygtam
Paul Whiteman performing an excellent reenactment of Paul Whiteman.
@christopherolsen1678
This recording is so uncanny as its like a very realistic capture of the Whiteman Orchestra circa 1928, but with the superior recording technology and preservation quality of the mid-1940s. It doesn't feel at all like an example of nostalgia for the 1920s manifested in the 1940s. It almost feels like the recording engineers were somehow able to travel 20 years into the past.
@thatrecord5313
What can you say, music transcends time.
@agustine.alvarez9832
Genial el arreglo de Bill Chalis, se repite en todas las versiones desde la original con Bix.
@j.walker6845
The original with Bix is a gem. I love Whiteman for his undying recognition and support for Bix.
@SuperIliad
San
King San of Senegal sat on the shore at Bulamay, singing a sad refrain to his dear queen who'd gone away; this was his lay.
One day the queen came home; saw San in sadness on the shore;
told him she'd no more roam.
Only her San would she adore; then came this lore.
{Oh, sweet heart Lona, my darling Lona, why have you gone away?
You said you loved me; but if you loved me, why did you act this way?
If I had ever been untrue to you,
what you have done would be the thing to do;
but my heart aches, dear, and it will break, dear,
if you don't come back home again to San!}
Oh, sweet heart Lona, my darling Lona, have you come back to stay?
You said you loved me; I knew you loved me;
I knew you'd | come some day.
If I had ever been untrue to you, what you have done would be the thing to do;
but now you're mine, dear; for all the time, dear;
and you're forgiven by your loving San!
San (© 1920) Words & Music by Lindsay McPhail & Walter Michels. Van Alstyne and Curtis Publishers Toledo, Chicago and New York.
@regent260
Love love love it!
@TinLizzie-uc1jw
I do prefer the version with Bix Beiderbecke, however this version is very good too!
@thatrecord5313
With even swing music facing a decline in popularity by the end of WWII, this type of jazz must have been super "outdated." And yet, it was still recorded. I wonder what prompted Paul Whiteman to record old tunes, even 5 years after the dissolution of his band.
@lyellepalmer1044
This fine arrangement is and expansion of the earlier version by Bix and a smaller group.