He emerged in the 1970s and at the time he was considered to be one of the few musicians of real talent who carried the tradition of the classic jazz tenor saxophone in the style of Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins as well as Zoot Sims and Don Byas forward. He began playing in various rhythm & blues outfits in Providence (Rhode Island), but subsequently shifted to jazz and the tenor saxophone. In 1976 he moved to New York City at, in part the recommendation of Roy Eldridge. He there joined Benny Goodman for a period of time. During this time, he also developed an alcohol problem.,[1] In the early 1980's he had formed his own quintet and toured all over the world. By then free from his drinking habit, in 1982 he had matured sufficiently to be able to break away from the spell of mainly Ben Webster and Zoot Sims, of whom he had been criticized of imitating. From this point on both his playing and his tone was very much his own.
Living in New York City, he toured all around the world during the 1980's, playing Japan and all over Europe. He was in particular a recurrent visitor to the UK, Sweden and the Grand Parade du Jazz, held in Nice, France. By the early 1990's he was ready for a next step and by 1994 when he released Organic Duke, he had developed a quite singular style: a large, well rounded but still focused tone and improvising, ostensibly still based on the swing idiom (especially Ellington), but incorporating more modern elements. During this period, he relocated to London, and formed his current quartet, featuring John Pearce (p), Dave Green (b) and Steve Brown (dr). He is currently active touring all over Europe.
He has had over forty albums as a lead most on the Concord Records label.
Body And Soul
Scott Hamilton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For you I sigh, for you dear only
Why haven't you seen it
I'm all for you body and soul
I spend my days in longing
And wondering why it's me you're wronging
I tell you I mean it
I can't believe it
It's hard to conceive it
That you'd turn away romance
Are you pretending
It looks like the ending
Unless I could have just one more chance to prove, dear
My life a wreck you're making
You know I'm yours for just the taking
I'd gladly surrender myself to you body and soul
My life a wreck you're making
You know I'm yours for the very taking
I'd gladly surrender myself to you body and soul
Scott Hamilton's "Body and Soul" is a melancholic ballad that portrays the singer's despair and emotional vulnerability after experiencing heartbreak. The song begins with the singer expressing his deep sadness and loneliness, longing for the person he loves. He wonders why they haven't seen how much he cares for them and declares that he is completely devoted to them "body and soul." He spends his days lost in thought, questioning why he is being wronged and pleading for a chance to prove himself. Despite his efforts, it seems like their romance is coming to an end, and the singer's life is falling apart as a result. Nevertheless, he still pledges to surrender himself to this person whom he loves, with complete devotion.
The lyrics of "Body and Soul" convey an intense and confessional tone. They create a vivid image of a person who is deeply in love and struggling to cope with their loss. The singer's longing, pain, and heartache are expressed beautifully through the lyrics, making the song a classic tribute to the power of love and its ability to overcome even the most challenging situations. As a result of this, the song has become a timeless classic and has been covered by countless artists in different genres and styles.
Line by Line Meaning
My heart is sad and lonely
I'm feeling melancholic and dejected
For you I sigh, for you dear only
I feel a deep longing and yearning for you, and nobody else
Why haven't you seen it
I'm puzzled and confused as to why you haven't noticed my feelings
I'm all for you body and soul
I'm fully and completely devoted to you, in every sense of the term
I spend my days in longing
I spend my time pining and craving for your love
And wondering why it's me you're wronging
I'm questioning why you're mistreating me
I tell you I mean it
I assure you that my love and devotion for you is genuine and sincere
I'm all for you body and soul
I'm completely and utterly yours, with my heart and soul
I can't believe it
I find it difficult to fathom
It's hard to conceive it
I'm having a tough time comprehending it
That you'd turn away romance
That you would reject or ignore a potential romantic relationship
Are you pretending
Are you pretending that you don't feel the same way about me?
It looks like the ending
It appears that our relationship is coming to an end
Unless I could have just one more chance to prove, dear
Unless I have the opportunity to demonstrate my love for you, my dear
My life a wreck you're making
You're causing chaos and turmoil in my life
You know I'm yours for just the taking
You know that I'm completely available and ready for you to have
I'd gladly surrender myself to you body and soul
I'd be delighted to give myself completely to you, both physically and emotionally
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: Edward Heyman, Frank Eyton, John Green, Robert Sour
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pascal Thouvenin
Scott Hamilton , c'est le gros son et la classe , aucun doute là-dessus, mais voilà ici une curieuse façon de parler de Michael Cheret, qui "tient très bien sa partie"; il joue "Body and soul", il ne fait pas une partie de tennis, on n'est pas sur un ring.
On croirait lire "Jazzmag" ou "Jazzhot", écrit par des types qui n'ont pas joué une note de leur vie et qui donnaient des étoiles aux uns et aux autres.
Si tu joues du sax. et que tu ne connais pas Body and soul...
Quant à "faire mieux", même si on n'est pas là pour donner des médailles..
on peut "écouter-voir" un autre des "grands saxophonistes de notre temps"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lncwtd7_ktM
David MacCoy
Love every rendition I've heard, but put this one near the top. Great tone, phrasing and feeling. Outstanding artists!
JBMVIDEOtv
I totally agree with you !
Azman S
Lovely duet! In difference hush tone and gigs! Greeting from Jazz man, Kuala Lumpur.
ZED
magnifique duo!!!!
Malcolm Archer
Sheer beauty, sheer music!
Don Gaetano
Very nice guys. I've come to appreciate Scott from Sant Andrue in last few years. You guys can really 'sing'. I'd categorize a song like this as what, Romantic Blues?
Whatever it may be, it's a great old tune.
Don Gaetano
@MyRackley
In high school in the 1960's, my pal Ray played the tenor sax and drums. His dad was a base player, sometimes his fingers would bleed after ma night playing ray said. Ray played me a tune by or with Stan Getz and JJ Johnson. Still remember the beat and can mouth a bit of it.
My retired symphony friends, tell me I have a good ear, nice compliment. I hear all the notes, little accents, of the different instruments. Easy to get a bit euphoric with great music in almost any venue.
Feel lucky to be this way.
MyRackley
@Don Gaetano I've seen that "A Train" clip a few times, as well as that "You Made Me Love You" video. I play tenor sax, my biggest influence Stan Getz, but just took up alto flute and am listening to a lot of Herbie Mann and Hubert Laws. Lots to learn. Take care.
Don Gaetano
@MyRackley
Thanks MR, though always liked jazz and the standards from movies, didn't listen much till 2016 when my life slowed down, still learning as I go.
Harry James and Helen Forrest movie clip of the song, You Made Me Love You, is a killer. That trumpet could really sing the song as well as Helen's beautiful voice.
Movie clip on the train of the Duke's band doing, Take the A-Train with vocals, another favorite of mine. Thanks again.
MyRackley
This is a well known jazz standard, maybe best known for the version sung by Billie Holiday. The recording by Coleman Hawkins is also a landmark in jazz history. Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Lester Young were the pioneers of the tenor saxophone. You can be certain that Scott & Michael have spent much of their lives studying these guys.