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.
If I Love Again
Scott Hamilton Lyrics
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Brought such a flame to me
And let it die
And if another love should find my heart
It will remind my heart of your goodbye
With every new love you
In others eyes, its you I see
If I love again
Though its someone new
If I love again
It'll still be you
In someone else's firm embrace
I'll close my eyes but see your face
If I love again
I'll find other charms
But I'll make believe, you are in my arms
And though my lips whisper
"I love you"
My heart will not be true
I'll be loving
Every time I love again
The lyrics of Scott Hamilton's "If I Love Again" tell the story of a person who is reflecting on a past love. The singer wonders why their former lover came into their life and sparked such strong feelings, only to let the flame die out. They admit that if they were to fall in love again, their heart would always be reminded of the pain from their previous breakup. The singer is haunted by the memory of their former partner and knows that every time they fall in love again, they will feel an eternal connection to their past love.
The song is a poignant reflection on the lingering pain of lost love, even as time passes and new relationships come and go. The singer is struggling to move on from the memory of their past love and is constantly haunted by the possibility of their return. The lyrics suggest that the singer will always be searching for that connection they had with their previous partner, even if it means sacrificing the authenticity of their new relationships. Ultimately, "If I Love Again" speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak and the emotional scars that it leaves behind.
Line by Line Meaning
I often wonder why he came to me
I question why he chose me and brought such intense feelings into my life.
Brought such a flame to me
He ignited a passionate love within me.
And let it die
He allowed our love to extinguish and fade away.
And if another love should find my heart
If I fall in love again.
It will remind my heart of your goodbye
But it will always stir up memories of you leaving.
With every new love you
With every new love that comes my way.
Will come back to me
You will still feel present in my heart and mind.
In others eyes, its you I see
I will see you in the person I am presently loving.
If I love again
If I fall in love anew.
Though its someone new
Even if it is with somebody different.
It'll still be you
You will still be on my mind and in my heart.
In someone else's firm embrace
While I am held tightly by someone else.
I'll close my eyes but see your face
You will still be vivid in my mind's eye, no matter whom I'm with in the moment.
I'll find other charms
I'll be able to appreciate other wonderful qualities in my new love.
But I'll make believe, you are in my arms
But I'll pretend that it's you holding me.
And though my lips whisper 'I love you'
Even though I am saying 'I love you' to my new partner.
My heart will not be true
My heart will remain loyal to you only, and not to my new love.
I'll be loving
I will always be devoted to and in love with you, regardless of whom else I might be with in the future.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BEN OAKLAND, JACK MURRAY, MURRAY JACK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind