The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Celebrating over 40 years since their founding in 1977, New Orleans-based Dirty Dozen Brass Band has taken the traditional foundation of brass band music and incorporated it into a blend of genres including Bebop Jazz, Funk and R&B/Soul. This unique sound, described by the band as a ‘musical gumbo,’ has allowed the Dirty Dozen to tour across 5 continents and more than 30 countries, record 12 studio albums and collaborate with a range of artists from Modest Mouse to Widespread Panic to Norah Jones. Forty-plus years later, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band is a world famous music machine whose name is synonymous with genre-bending romps and high-octane performances.
Roger Lewis - Baritone Sax/Vocals
Kevin Harris - Tenor Sax/Vocals
Gregory Davis - Trumpet/Vocals
Kirk Joseph - Sousaphone
TJ Norris - Trombone/Vocals
Julian Addison - Drums
Takeshi Shimmura - Guitar
The History of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band
In 1977, The Dirty Dozen Social Aid and Pleasure Club in New Orleans began showcasing a traditional Crescent City brass band. It was a joining of two proud, but antiquated, traditions at the time: social aid and pleasure clubs dated back over a century to a time when black southerners could rarely afford life insurance, and the clubs would provide proper funeral arrangements. Brass bands, early predecessors of jazz as we know it, would often follow the funeral procession playing somber dirges, then once the family of the deceased was out of earshot, burst into jubilant dance tunes as casual onlookers danced in the streets. By the late '70s, few of either existed. The Dirty Dozen Social Aid and Pleasure Club decided to assemble this group as a house band, and over the course of these early gigs, the seven-member ensemble adopted the venue's name: The Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
Website: The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
I'll Fly Away
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll fly away;
To a home on God's celestial shore,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away).
I'll fly away, Oh Glory
I'll fly away; (in the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by,
When the shadows of this life have gone,
I'll fly away;
Like a bird from prison bars has flown,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away)
I'll fly away, Oh Glory
I'll fly away; (in the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away).
Just a few more weary days and then,
I'll fly away;
To a land where joy shall never end,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away)
I'll fly away, Oh Glory
I'll fly away; (in the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away).
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band's rendition of the classic gospel hymn "I'll Fly Away" is a powerful and moving tribute to the idea of transcending this mortal existence and reaching a higher plane beyond. The lyrics of the song speak of the singer's belief in a life beyond this one, a place that is waiting for them after they pass from this world. The idea of leaving this life behind and flying away to reach this heavenly realm is repeated throughout the song, with the repetition adding to the sense of urgency and desire to be free from the constraints of this world.
The imagery in the song is powerful, with the idea of a bird escaping from a prison providing a powerful metaphor for the singer's desire to be free from this life. The way the song builds, starting slowly before rising to a triumphant crescendo, adds to the sense of release and freedom the lyrics evoke. Overall, the song is a beautiful tribute to the power of faith and the idea of finding peace and joy beyond this life.
Line by Line Meaning
Some glad morning when this life is o'er,
When my time on earth is done, hopefully in a peaceful manner,
I'll fly away;
I will leave this world and transition into the next life,
To a home on God's celestial shore,
I will go to a place beyond this earthly realm that is guided by a divine being,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away).
I will escape the confines of this world and ascend to a higher, heavenly realm.
I'll fly away, Oh Glory
I will soar upwards in a triumphant manner, praising the divine spirit,
I'll fly away; (in the morning)
When the time is right, potentially when the sun rises and brings forth a new day,
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by,
When I pass away from this world, I will exclaim in praise and joy,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away).
I will leave this earthly existence behind and transcend into another realm.
When the shadows of this life have gone,
When the difficulties and struggles of this earthly existence have faded away,
I'll fly away;
I will escape the world's troubles and difficulties and enter into a carefree existence beyond,
Like a bird from prison bars has flown,
I will fly away from the restrictions and limitations of this life like a bird escaping from a cage,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away)
I will depart from this earthly plain and journey to another realm entirely.
Just a few more weary days and then,
After enduring some more difficult days in this world,
I'll fly away;
I will finally leave behind the hardships of this existence and take flight towards something greater,
To a land where joy shall never end,
I will journey to a place where happiness and positivity shall abound eternally,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away).
I will transcend into another realm beyond this earth, far away from its troubles and strife.
Contributed by Alyssa J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.