Herman was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As a child he worked as a singer in vaudeville, then became a professional saxophone player at age 15. When Isham Jones's band, of which Herman had been a member, broke up in 1936, he formed his own band, the Woody Herman Orchestra, with some of his band mates. This band became known for its orchestrations of the blues and was sometimes billed as "The Band That Plays The Blues".
On April 12, 1939 Woody Herman recorded his greatest commercial and mega popular hit record "Woodchoppers' Ball", featuring Woody on clarinet, Neal Ried on trombone, Saxie Mansfield on Sax, Steady Nelson on trumpet and Hy White on guitar. Other big early hits were "Blue Flame," "Dupree Blues", "Blues Upstairs and Downstairs" and "Blues in the Night" with Joe Bishop on flugelhorn, Tommy Linehans on piano, Cappy Lewis on trumpet, and the strong rhythm team of Walt Yoder and Frankie Carlson.
This popular swing band took off and was listed number three in the country in a popularity poll by Down Beat Magazine in 1940. This band recorded for the Decca label. The band was first pinned "Herman's Herd" in a Martin band instrument advertisement in the same magazine on April 1, 1941.
This band's music was heavily influenced by Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Its lively, swinging arrangements, combining bop themes with swing rhythm parts, were greatly admired; Igor Stravinsky wrote "Ebony Concerto" for this band. Other pieces for which the band was known include "Caldonia" and "Northwest Passage." During this time, Woody Herman recorded for the Columbia label. Featured musicians were trumpeter Sonny Berman,trumpeter/arranger Neil Hefti, trumpeter/vocalist Steady Nelson, tenor saxist Flip Phillips, trombonist Bill Harris, vibraphonist Red Norvo, pianist/arranger Ralph Burns, drummers Davey Tough and Don Lamond and bassist Chubby Jackson, who was the driving force/talent scout behind the bands progressive development.
Herman was forced to disband the orchestra in 1946 at the height of its success, his only financially successful band, to spend more time with his wife and family. During this time, he and his family had just moved into the former Hollywood home of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Another reason Herman may have disbanded was his wife Charlotte's growing problems with alcoholism and pill addiction. In 1947 Herman organized the Second Herd and in 1948 moved to the Capitol label. This band featured a cooler sound, provided by such musicians as Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Serge Chaloff, Al Cohn, Gene Ammons, Lou Levy, Oscar Pettiford, Terry Gibbs, Shelly Manne, and Herbie Steward. Among this band's hits were "Early Autumn," "The Goof and I," and "Four Brothers". This band was also known as the Four Brothers band.
Herman's many later bands included the Third Herd and the New Thundering Herd. He was known for hiring the best young musicians and using their arrangements. His band's book consequently came to be heavily influenced by rock and roll.
By the 1970s, Herman had returned to straight forward jazz, dropping some of the newer, even rock-oriented approaches. A highlight of the nineteen seventies was the appearance of the Woody Herman orchestra with Frank Sinatra at Madison Square Garden for his "Main Event" television special and "Main Event" recording for Reprise records.
He continued to perform into the 1980s, chiefly to pay back taxes caused by an incompetent manager in the 1960s. When his health began to fail, he delegated most of his duties to leader of the reed section, Frank Tiberi, before his death in 1987. Tiberi leads the band in performances to this day.
After the death of Herman, Charles Mingus, and other jazz greats, ASCAP created a retirement fund in 1991 to which artists were given the opportunity to fund their latter years when they no longer were recording artists.
Isn't This A Lovely Day
Woody Herman Lyrics
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The thunder and lightning
Seem to be having their way.
But as far as I'm concerned, it's a lovely day.
The turn in the weather
Will keep us together
So I can honestly say,
That as far as I'm concerned, it's a lovely day
Isn't this a lovely day to be caught in the rain.
You were going on your way, now you've got to remain.
Just as you were going, leaving me all at sea,
The clouds broke, they broke and oh what a break for me.
I can see the sun up high, though we're caught in a storm.
I can see where you and I could be cozy and warm.
Let the rain pitter patter
But it really doesn't matter
If the skies are gray.
Long as I can be with you, it's a lovely day.
The song "Isn't This A Lovely Day" by Woody Herman is a classic that has been performed by numerous artists. The lyrics of the song talk about how despite the frightening weather, it still remains a lovely day for the singer because they are with the person they love. The ominous weather serves as a metaphor for the uncertainty and unpredictability of life, but the singer finds comfort and joy with their loved one.
The first two lines of the song set the scene immediately by describing the weather as "frightening" with "thunder and lightning having their way." The weather serves as a dramatic backdrop to the song, but the singer maintains a positive outlook throughout. The turn in the weather is seen as a way to stay together, suggesting that challenges can bring people closer. The chorus is a memorable hook that emphasizes the theme of the song. The melody and rhythm of the song are upbeat and lively, adding to the sense of optimism and joy.
The second verse of the song continues the metaphor of the weather with the phrase "caught in the rain" and describes how the clouds breaking brought a fortunate change to the singer's plans. The lyrics create a vivid picture of the stormy weather with phrases like "pitter-patter" and "cozy and warm." The bridge is a perfect way to tie the song together, summarizing the singer's feelings in just a few lines. As long as they are with their loved one, it doesn't matter if the skies are gray or if it's raining.
Overall, "Isn't This A Lovely Day" is a beautiful song that highlights the beauty and importance of love and the joy it can bring even in the midst of challenging circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
The weather is frightening.
The weather is scary and intense.
The thunder and lightning
The thunder and lightning are dominant and taking over.
Seem to be having their way.
The thunder and lightning seem to be in control and ruling the situation.
But as far as I'm concerned, it's a lovely day.
Despite the intimidating weather, I still believe it's a beautiful day.
The turn in the weather
The change in the weather
Will keep us together
Will help us stay close to each other.
So I can honestly say,
Therefore, I can say with sincerity
That as far as I'm concerned, it's a lovely day
That from my perspective, it's still a wonderful and stunning day.
And everything's okay.
And everything is fine and under control.
Isn't this a lovely day to be caught in the rain.
Isn't it lovely to experience a rainy day like this?
You were going on your way, now you've got to remain.
You were originally leaving, but now you have to stay because of the rain.
Just as you were going, leaving me all at sea,
Just as you were leaving and leaving me puzzled and confused,
The clouds broke, they broke and oh what a break for me.
The clouds parted, creating a break in the sky, which is a fortunate occurrence for me.
I can see the sun up high, though we're caught in a storm.
Even though we're stuck in a storm, I can still see the sun shining in the sky.
I can see where you and I could be cozy and warm.
I can picture where we could snuggle up and feel warm and comfortable together.
Let the rain pitter patter
Let the rain make its gentle tapping sound.
But it really doesn't matter
But it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.
If the skies are gray.
Even if the sky is gray and cloudy.
Long as I can be with you, it's a lovely day.
As long as I'm with you, it's always a pleasant and delightful day.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind