Rollins was born in New York City to parents from the United States Virgin Islands. The youngest of three siblings, he grew up in central Harlem and on Sugar Hill, receiving his first alto saxophone at the age of seven or eight. He attended Edward W. Stitt Junior High School and graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School in East Harlem. Rollins started as a pianist, changed to alto saxophone, and finally switched to tenor in 1946. During his high school years, he played in a band with other future jazz legends Jackie McLean, Kenny Drew, and Art Taylor.
As a saxophonist he had initially been attracted to the jump and R&B sounds of performers like Louis Jordan, but soon became drawn into the mainstream tenor saxophone tradition. The German critic Joachim Berendt described this tradition as sitting between the two poles of the strong sonority of Coleman Hawkins and the light flexible phrasing of Lester Young, which did so much to inspire the fleet improvisation of bebop in the 1950s. Other tenor saxophone influences include Ben Webster and Don Byas. By his mid-teens, Rollins became heavily influenced by alto saxophonist Charlie Parker. During his high school years, he was mentored by the pianist and composer Thelonious Monk, often rehearsing at Monk's apartment.
Rollins has played, at various times, a Selmer Mark VI tenor saxophone and a Buescher Aristocrat. During the 1970s he recorded on soprano saxophone for the album Easy Living. His preferred mouthpieces are made by Otto Link and Berg Larsen. He uses Frederick Hemke medium reeds.
Almost Like Being In Love
Sonny Rollins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What a rare mood I'm in!
Why, it's almost like being in love
There's a smile on my face
For the whole human race
Why it's almost like being in love
Like a bell that is ringing for me
And from the way that I feel
When the bell starts to peal
I would swear I was falling
I could swear I was falling
It's almost like being in love
The lyrics of Sonny Rollins's song Almost Like Being In Love are about the experience of being in love. The song has a light, upbeat rhythm that reflects the happy mood of the singer. The opening lines, "What a day this has been! What a rare mood I'm in!" suggest that the singer is having an exceptionally good day and is feeling an emotion that is out of the ordinary. The line "Why, it's almost like being in love" confirms that the singer is experiencing a feeling similar to being in love, but may not actually be in love.
The next verse underscores the singer's positive feelings towards the world around them. "There's a smile on my face/For the whole human race" suggests that the singer is not only happy but also feels kindly towards others. The repetition of the line "Why, it's almost like being in love" is a reminder that the singer's current experience is reminiscent of being in love. The third verse links the singer's feelings to music. "All the music of life seems to be/Like a bell that is ringing for me" suggests that the singer is in tune with the world and is experiencing a sense of harmony. The final lines, "When the bell starts to peal/I would swear I was falling/I could swear I was falling/It's almost like being in love" imply that the singer is ready to give themselves over to the feeling of being in love, even if it is not actually love.
Overall, Sonny Rollins's Almost Like Being In Love is a delightful song about the joy of being in the moment and experiencing positive feelings. The song's lyrics convey a sense of lightness and ease, and the upbeat style of the music reinforces the optimistic mood of the singer. This song is an excellent example of jazz music and how it has the power to make people happy.
Line by Line Meaning
What a day this has been!
Today has been such a memorable day!
What a rare mood I'm in!
I'm feeling a unique and unusual emotion right now!
Why, it's almost like being in love
My current mood is so strong that it resembles the feeling of being in love!
There's a smile on my face
I'm so happy right now that I can't stop smiling!
For the whole human race
My happiness encompasses everyone in the world!
Why it's almost like being in love
My emotions are so intense that they feel like the feeling of being in love!
All the music of life seems to be
Everything around me feels like it's bursting with musicality!
Like a bell that is ringing for me
It's as if there's a bell ringing just for me, signaling how wonderful everything is!
And from the way that I feel
Based on how I'm feeling right now,
When the bell starts to peal
Whenever the bell rings,
I would swear I was falling
I feel like I'm falling deeply in love!
I could swear I was falling
My feeling of falling in love is so strong, I could swear it's really happening!
It's almost like being in love
Everything I'm experiencing is so powerful that it's reminiscent of falling in love!
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLE PORTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@idolewensberg3843
What a day this has been
What a rare mood I'm in
Why it's almost like being in love
There's a smile on my face
For the whole human race
Why it's almost like being in love
All the music of life seems to be
(Just) Like a bell that is ringing for me
And from the way that I feel
When the bell starts to peel
I would swear I was falling, I could swear I was falling
- It's almost like being in love
@danstein130
The first MJQ personnel. Much more robust energy than the later iterations. Sonny at his early best.
@doce7606
Perhaps the single hippest tenor solo of all time..? Certainly one of Sonny's best ! the architecture of the lines so perfect, and the opening lick ! wow ! I absolutely loved transcribing this , and the overall 'vibe' lol, i LOVE it ! peace world and great post
@60otaku4
Thank you Doc E-san!!
Otaku4 (^_^)/
@doce7606
@60otaku4 're welcome, Otaku4-san !;
@idolewensberg3843
What a day this has been
What a rare mood I'm in
Why it's almost like being in love
There's a smile on my face
For the whole human race
Why it's almost like being in love
All the music of life seems to be
(Just) Like a bell that is ringing for me
And from the way that I feel
When the bell starts to peel
I would swear I was falling, I could swear I was falling
- It's almost like being in love
@yeankim690
what a great recording
@leoncoda
El primer baterista del MJQ fue KENNY CLARKE como se escucha aquí. Posteriormente le sustituyó CONNIE KAY
@elizabethabrantes4450
Great upload, i added to my playlist!
@rhythmfield
Klook’s fours are off the chain here - slick and tasteful
@user-oi4eo1ey2n
👑👑👑👑👑