He was born in Inglewood, California. Sims' family was involved in vaudeville, and, for his part, John learned to play both drums and clarinet at an early age. Zoot's father was a vaudeville hoofer, and Zoot prided himself on remembering many of the steps his father taught him.
Following in the footsteps of Lester Young, Sims developed into an innovative tenor saxophonist. Throughout his career, he played with renowned bands, including Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, and Buddy Rich. He was known among his peers as one of the strongest swingers in the field. Sims frequently led his own combos and sometimes toured with his friend Gerry Mulligan with Gerry's sextet, and later with his Concert Jazz Band. Zoot had a long, successful partnership as co-leader of a quintet with Al Cohn, which recorded under "Al and Zoot". That group was a favorite at the New York club "The Half Note." Late in his career, Sims added the soprano saxophone to his performances. Sims' nickname — Zoot — was acquired early in his career while he was on the Kenny Baker band in California. The name was later appropriated for a sax-playing Muppet.
Zoot Sims died in New York on March 23, 1985.
(2) Throughout his career, Zoot Sims was famous for epitomizing the swinging musician, never playing an inappropriate phrase. He always sounded inspired, and although his style did not change much after the early 1950s, Zoot's enthusiasm and creativity never wavered.
Zoot's family was involved in vaudeville, and he played drums and clarinet as a youth. His older brother, Ray Sims, developed into a fine trombonist who sounded like Bill Harris. At age 13, Sims switched permanently to the tenor, and his initial inspiration was Lester Young, although he soon developed his own cool-toned sound. Sims was a professional by the age of 15, landing his first important job with Bobby Sherwood's Orchestra, and he joined Benny Goodman's big band for the first time in 1943; he would be one of BG's favorite tenormen for the next 30 years. He recorded with Joe Bushkin in 1944, and even at that early stage, his style was largely set.
After a period in the Army, Sims was with Goodman from 1946-1947. He gained his initial fame as one of Woody Herman's "Four Brothers" during his time with the Second Herd (1947-1949). Zoot had brief stints with Buddy Rich's short-lived big band, Artie Shaw, Goodman (1950), Chubby Jackson, and Elliot Lawrence. He toured and recorded with Stan Kenton (1953) and Gerry Mulligan (1954-1956). Sims was also a star soloist with Mulligan's Concert Jazz Band of the early '60s and visited the Soviet Union with Benny Goodman in 1962. A freelancer throughout most of his career, Sims often led his own combos or co-led bands with his friend Al Cohn; the two tenors had very similar sounds and styles. Zoot started doubling on soprano quite effectively in the '70s. Through the years, he appeared in countless situations, and always seemed to come out ahead. Fortunately, Zoot Sims recorded frequently, leading sessions for Prestige, Metronome, Vogue, Dawn, Storyville, Argo, ABC-Paramount, Riverside, United Artists, Pacific Jazz, Bethlehem, Colpix, Impulse, Groove Merchant, Famous Door, Choice, Sonet, and a wonderful series for Pablo. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi
It's Hard To Be You
Zoot Sims Lyrics
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I wandered around and finally found the somebody who
Could make me be true, could make me feel blue,
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you.
Some others I've seen might never be mean
Might never be cross or try to be boss,
But they wouldn't do.
With all your faults, I love you still,
It had to be you, wonderful you,
It had to be you.
It had to be you, it had to be you.
I wandered around and finally found somebody who
Could make me be true, could make me be blue,
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you.
Some others I've seen might never be mean
Might never be cross or try to be boss,
But they wouldn't do.
For nobody else gave me a thrill.
With all your faults, I love you still.
It had to be you, wonderful you
It had to be you.
"It Had to Be You" is a popular jazz standard written by Isham Jones and Gus Kahn. The song has been recorded by many well-known artists such as Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, and Harry Connick Jr. Zoot Sims's version has a more laid-back, swing feel to it. The lyrics express the feeling of finally finding that one person who makes them feel true, blue, and even glad to be sad thinking of the person they love. The singer muses about the characteristics of other people in their life who might not be mean, cross or bossy but still wouldn't do because no one gives them the same thrill as the person they're singing about. Despite this person's faults, the singer loves them still and accepts that it had to be them.
The first line of the song, "It had to be you," serves as both the title and the opening line of the lyrics. The repetition of this phrase creates a sense of certainty and finality. The singer describes how they wandered around until they found the person who could make them feel true and blue. The use of the word "wandered" implies that the singer was lost in their search for love and the repetition of "could make me" emphasizes how this person can affect them deeply.
The chorus of the song describes the idea that the person who makes them feel this way is the only one for them. The singer explains how they have met people who might not be mean or cross, but they still wouldn't do because this person is the one who gives them a thrill. The final line, "It had to be you, wonderful you," emphasizes the fact that the singer accepts and loves this person for who they are, faults and all.
Line by Line Meaning
It had to be you, it had to be you.
There was no one else but you that could have filled this void in my life.
I wandered around and finally found the somebody who
After searching aimlessly, I finally found the one person who could complete me.
Could make me be true, could make me feel blue,
You have the ability to bring out my most authentic self, even if that means feeling sad sometimes.
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you.
Thinking of you, even in sad times, brings me joy and comfort.
Some others I've seen might never be mean
I've met other people who were not unkind,
Might never be cross or try to be boss,
some were never angry or overbearing,
But they wouldn't do.
but they were not the one for me.
For nobody else gave me a thrill.
It is only you that gives me excitement and joy in life.
With all your faults, I love you still,
I love you despite all of your imperfections.
It had to be you, wonderful you,
You are amazing just the way you are, and it had to be you that captured my heart.
It had to be you.
There was truly no one else that could have made me feel this way.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ISHAM JONES, GUS KAHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind