Kirk was born Ronald Kirk on 7th August 1935, in Columbus, Ohio, but felt compelled by a dream to transpose two letters in his first name to make Roland. After another dream in about 1970 he added Rahsaan to his name.
His playing was generally rooted in soul jazz or hard bop, but Kirk's encyclopedic knowledge of jazz history allowed him to draw convincingly on any element of the music's history, from ragtime to swing and free jazz. Kirk also regularly explored classical and pop music.
Kirk played and collected a vast number of musical instruments, mainly various saxophones, clarinets, and flutes. His main instruments were tenor saxophone, and two obscure saxophones: the manzello (similar to a soprano sax) and the stritch (a straight alto sax lacking the instrument's characteristic upturned bell). Kirk modified these instruments himself to accommodate his simultaneous playing technique. He typically appeared on stage with all three horns hanging around his neck, as well as a variety of other instruments, including flutes and whistles. Kirk also played harmonica, cor anglais, recorders, and was a competent trumpeter. He often used unusual instruments or combinations of instrument parts, using a saxophone mouthpiece on a trumpet or playing nose flute. He additionally used many extramusical sounds in his music, such as alarm clocks, whistles, sirens, and even primitive electronic sounds (before such things became commonplace).
In addition to the saxophones, Kirk was also an influential flautist, employing several novel techniques that he developed himself. One technique was to sing or hum into the flute at the same time as playing. (This technique was adopted later by many other players, including Jeremy Steig and Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull.) Another was to play the standard transverse flute at the same time as a nose flute.
The Nearness of You
Rahsaan Roland Kirk Lyrics
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That thrills and delights me, oh no
Its just the nearness of you
It isn't your sweet conversation
That brings this sensation, oh no
Its just the nearness of you
All my wildest dreams come true
I need no soft lights to enchant me
If you'll only grant me the right
To hold you ever so tight
And to feel in the night the nearness of you
The lyrics to Rahsaan Roland Kirk's "The Nearness of You" are a romantic ode to the irresistible pull of being near someone you love. The first two lines explain that it's not extrinsic things like a pale moon or sweet conversation that excites and thrills the singer. Instead, it's the sheer proximity of their beloved that ignites the spark within them. The third line drives this point home - "It's just the nearness of you."
The fourth and fifth lines continue the idea that it's not necessarily the words someone is saying to you, but how close they are physically that can bring about a sensation. It's the sensation of being close to them that is important, not necessarily what you're both saying.
The final verse builds upon the idea that physical proximity is what truly matters. When the singer's love is in their arms and close to them, their wildest dreams come true. They don't need anything else to enchant them, as the closeness they share brings them all they desire. The singer asks for the right to hold their love ever so tightly and feel the nearness of them all night. It's clear that the singer is deeply in love and feels complete when they are near their beloved.
Line by Line Meaning
Its not the pale moon that excites me
The singer is not interested in the moon, but the nearness of their loved one.
That thrills and delights me, oh no
The singer doesn't become thrilled or delighted by the moon, but only by the nearness of their loved one.
Its just the nearness of you
The singer is solely energized by being close to their beloved.
It isn't your sweet conversation
Sweet talk isn't what's making the artist feel this way.
That brings this sensation, oh no
The sensation the artist is experiencing is not caused by any talk or words.
Its just the nearness of you
The singer emphasizes again that their beloved's proximity is the source of their emotion.
When you're in my arms and I feel you so close to me
The singer is discussing how they feel when they hold their loved one.
All my wildest dreams come true
Being near their beloved is the dream come true for the artist.
I need no soft lights to enchant me
The artist doesn't need any romantic lighting or environment to feel enchanted.
If you'll only grant me the right
The artist needs permission from their beloved to hold them tightly.
To hold you ever so tight
The singer wants to feel their beloved close to them intimately.
And to feel in the night the nearness of you
The artist desires their beloved's closeness, and wants to feel it even at night.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind