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.
Serenade In Blue
Scott Hamilton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm somewhere in another world, alone with you
Sharing all the joys we used to know
Many moons ago
Once again your face comes back to me
Just like the theme of some forgotten melody
In the album of my memory
It seems like only yesterday
The small cafe, a crowded floor
And as we danced the night away
I hear you say forever more
And then the song became a sigh
Forever more became goodbye
Cause you remained in my heart, but
Tell me darling in there still a spark?
Or only lonely ashes of the flame we knew
Should I go on whistling in the dark,
Serenade in blue
The song "Serenade in Blue" by Scott Hamilton is a poignant and introspective piece that reflects upon a past love and the memories that remain. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer describes how the sound of a serenade in blue takes them to a different place, where they are alone with their former love. They remember the joy that they shared, many moons ago. The past is a recurrent theme throughout the song as the singer recalls their former partner's face and the memories they shared.
The song suggests that the past is something that we all carry with us, whether we like it or not. Memories can be triggered by simple things, such as a melody, and take us back to a specific time and place. The imagery of an album of memory reinforces this idea, as the serenade in blue is just one of the many songs in the singer's mind. The song takes a melancholic turn as the singer wonders if there is still a spark or only lonely ashes of the flame that they once shared. The line "Should I go on whistling in the dark, Serenade in blue" highlights the feeling of uncertainty and unanswered questions that the singer is grappling with.
Overall, "Serenade in Blue" is a nostalgic and reflective song that explores the power of memories and the way they can transport us to different places and times.
Line by Line Meaning
When I hear that Serenade in blue
Upon hearing the melody of Serenade in blue, it transports me to a world where I'm alone with you.
I'm somewhere in another world, alone with you
The song pulls me out of reality and takes me to a place where it's just me and you, far from everything else.
Sharing all the joys we used to know
Together, we relive the happy moments we once shared.
Many moons ago
It feels like it's been a long time since we last experienced those happy times together.
Once again your face comes back to me
Your face, a memory that's been tucked away, resurfaces as I reminisce.
Just like the theme of some forgotten melody
The memories of us are reminiscent of an old song that has been forgotten but still lingers.
In the album of my memory
The memory of you, like an old record or a photo album, is forever imprinted in my mind.
It seems like only yesterday
Time has passed, yet it feels like it was just yesterday when we first met.
The small cafe, a crowded floor
The memory of us meeting at a small, crowded cafe lingers on in my mind.
And as we danced the night away
In this memory, we danced the night away as if nothing else mattered.
I hear you say forever more
You once whispered into my ear that we would be together forever.
And then the song became a sigh
Our love, just like the melody, seemed to have a sad, somber theme to it.
Forever more became goodbye
Sadly, our promise of forevermore came to an end as we said goodbye to each other.
Cause you remained in my heart, but
Even though we parted ways, you still remained in my heart.
Tell me darling in there still a spark?
I question whether our love still exists by asking if a spark of it still remains.
Or only lonely ashes of the flame we knew
I contemplate if our love is nothing more than the remnants of what once was a bright flame that has since flickered out.
Should I go on whistling in the dark, Serenade in blue
In this state of contemplating our past love, I wonder if I should continue to hold onto it, akin to whistling in the dark while listening to Serenade in blue.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Warren, Mack Gordon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind