Clark was born and raised in Herminie, Pennsylvania, a coal mining town southeast of Pittsburgh. At age 12, he moved to Pittsburgh. When visiting an aunt in California at age 20, Clark decided to stay and began working with saxophonist Wardell Gray. Clark went to San Francisco with Oscar Pettiford and after a couple months, was working with clarinetist Buddy DeFranco in 1953. Clark toured the U.S. and Europe with DeFranco until January 1956, when he joined The Lighthouse All-Stars, led by bassist Howard Rumsey.
Wishing to return to the east coast, Clark served as accompanist for singer Dinah Washington in February 1957 in order to relocate to New York City. In New York, Clark was often requested as a sideman by many musicians, partly because of his rhythmic comping. He frequently recorded for Blue Note Records, playing as a sideman with many hard bop players, including Kenny Burrell, Donald Byrd, Paul Chambers, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Art Farmer, Curtis Fuller, Grant Green, Philly Joe Jones, Clifford Jordan, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Art Taylor, and Wilbur Ware. He also recorded sessions with Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins, Billie Holiday, Stanley Turrentine, and Lee Morgan.
As a band leader, Clark recorded albums Dial "S" for Sonny (1957), Sonny's Crib (1957), Sonny Clark Trio (1957), with Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones, and Cool Struttin' (1958). Sonny Clark Trio, with George Duvivier and Max Roach was released in 1960.
Clark died of a heart attack in New York City, although commentators attribute the early death to Clark's drug and alcohol abuse.
Close friend and fellow jazz pianist Bill Evans dedicated the composition "NYC's No Lark" (an anagram of "Sonny Clark") to him after his death, included on Evans' Conversations with Myself (1963). John Zorn, Wayne Horvitz, Ray Drummond, and Bobby Previte recorded an album of Clark's compositions, Voodoo (1985), as The Sonny Clark Memorial Quartet. Zorn also recorded several of Clark's compositions with Bill Frisell and George Lewis on News for Lulu (1988) and More News for Lulu (1992).
Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You
Sonny Clark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way that I do
Gee baby, ain't I good to you
There's nothing in this whole world too good
For a boy so sweet and true
Gee, baby ain't I good to you
Bought you a fur coat for Christmas
Diamond ring
Big Cadillac car and everything
What makes me treat you
The way that I do
Gee baby, ain't I good to you
The lyrics to Sonny Clark's song "Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You" talk about the way love makes someone treat their partner with kindness and generosity. The singer is proud of how well they treat their partner, and they express that pride by asking, "Gee baby, ain't I good to you?" They believe that their partner deserves the best of everything, and they are happy to provide it. The lyrics mention several examples of the singer's generosity, such as buying their partner a fur coat, a diamond ring, and a big Cadillac car.
However, it's worth noting that this song is a cover of a blues tune originally written by Don Redman and Andy Razaf in 1929. The original lyrics were a little more sarcastic and cutting, with lines like "I bought you a fur coat for Christmas, and now you want a mink/ I'll buy you a goat if you say it's that you think." The song has been interpreted by many different artists over the years, and different versions have emphasized different aspects of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Love makes me treat you
The affection I have for you is the reason I treat you the way I do.
The way that I do
The way I treat you is unique and special, and demonstrates my affection for you.
Gee baby, ain't I good to you
My actions demonstrate how much I care for you, and I deserve recognition for it.
There's nothing in this whole world too good
You are so important to me that nothing in this world is too extravagant or valuable for you.
For a boy so sweet and true
Your kind and trustworthy nature deserves the very best that I can give.
Bought you a fur coat for Christmas
I wanted to show you how much you mean to me by buying you a luxurious gift for the holiday season.
Diamond ring
I want to demonstrate my love for you by gifting you with something as precious and enduring as a diamond.
Big Cadillac car and everything
I want to provide for you and make sure you have the best of everything, including a luxurious vehicle.
What makes me treat you
You mean so much to me that I cannot help but treat you with love, respect, and generosity.
Gee baby, ain't I good to you
Once again, I deserve recognition for how much I care for you and my many acts of kindness towards you.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Andy Razaf, Don Redman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind