Benny Goodman, clarinet
Te… Read Full Bio ↴The Benny Goodman Quartet consists of:
Benny Goodman, clarinet
Teddy Wilson, piano
Lionel Hampton, vibes, vocals
Gene Krupa, drums
I Got It Bad
The Benny Goodman Quartet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me to save my tears
Well I'm so mad about him
I can't live without him
Never treats me sweet and gentle
The way he should
I've got it bad
My poor heart is so sentimental
Not made of wood
I've got it so bad
And that ain't good
But when the fish are jumpin'
And Friday rolls around
My man an' I, we gin some
We pray some, and sin some
He don't love me like I love him
The way he should
I've got it bad
And that ain't good
Yes I've got it bad
And that ain't good
The Benny Goodman Quartet's "I Got It Bad" is a poignant love song that reveals the singer's intense passion towards an unrequited love interest. The opening lines suggest that while some advise her to stop crying and move on, she is unable to do so since she is completely engrossed in her love for him. Despite his callousness and lack of affection towards her, the singer has "got it bad" and cannot be happy without him.
The song continues to detail the singer's emotional state, emphasizing that her heart is "sentimental" and cannot be blamed for feeling so strongly about the object of her affection. She speaks about the rituals she shares with her lover, such as drinking gin and praying together on Fridays, illustrating the depth of their bond despite his lack of reciprocation.
The refrain of the song, "I've got it bad and that ain't good," is repeated throughout and powerfully conveys the frustration of being in love with someone who can't love you back. The melancholic melody of the song perfectly complements the lyrics' heavy emotional weight, emphasizing the pain caused by unrequited love.
Line by Line Meaning
Though folks with good intentionsTell me to save my tears
Even though people with good intentions tell me to hold back my tears, I cannot stop crying because of how much I love him.
Well I'm so mad about himI can't live without him
I am deeply and passionately in love with him and cannot imagine living without him.
Never treats me sweet and gentleThe way he should
He does not treat me with the tenderness and care that I deserve and that he knows he should provide me.
I've got it badAnd that ain't good
My feelings for him are strong and consuming, but the reality is that this is not a healthy or desirable situation.
My poor heart is so sentimentalNot made of wood
My heart is very sensitive and emotional, not tough like wood.
I've got it so badAnd that ain't good
My love for him is so intense that it is harmful to me, and this is definitely not a positive thing.
But when the fish are jumpin'And Friday rolls aroundMy man an' I, we gin someWe pray some, and sin some
Sometimes, my man and I indulge in vices together, like drinking and engaging in sinful behavior, but we also have moments of connection and spirituality.
He don't love me like I love himThe way he should
He does not reciprocate my love in the same way that I feel it and he knows that this is unfair to me.
I've got it badAnd that ain't good
My love for him is all-consuming and overwhelming but ultimately painful and undesirable.
Yes I've got it badAnd that ain't good
I am truly and deeply affected by my love for him, and this is not a good thing for me in the long run.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Duke Ellington, Paul Francis Webster
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MiaTheFailure
I absolutely adore 1940s Benny Goodman. I love the really harsh sounding horns and stuff. It sounds really cool.
@Trombonology
it seems that just about every outfit that took on an Ellington tune when it was new made a nod to Duke's orch with plunger-muted brass -- as here. Cootie was actually in Benny's band at the time of this recording! Peg does her best, but no one could touch Ivie's reading of this great torch song, and I'm just not a fan of Sauter's writing for this band. ... With Norvo, he was great, however.
@christopherlyons5900
Ivie's recording of the original lyrics is unbeatable, but I'll always take Ella and Duke's 1957 extended version, complete with prologue, and Johnny Hodges wailing away in the middle.
Honestly though, it's hard to find a bad take on this song. This is breezier. You can imagine a happy ending to the movie. If you know what I mean. Not as deep, but the shallows are nice sometimes. Sauter is a bit too busy, though.
@Trombonology
@@christopherlyons5900 Insightful observations! -- and, yes, I know exactly what you mean about the "happy ending" potential in this version.
@christopherlyons5900
@@Trombonology I looked up a couple of Lee's much later renditions ,and there's no implied happy ending there. The Elder Lee scares me a bit, but she could always sing. If that's all there is, it's enough. ;)
@Trombonology
@@christopherlyons5900 I know exactly what you mean, in all ways, and agree.