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
Over The Rainbow
Zoot Sims Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Really do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
High above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Really do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops,
High above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
The lyrics of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" evoke a sense of hope and longing for a better place. The singer speaks of a place that he has heard of in a lullaby, where the skies are blue and dreams really do come true. This place exists somewhere over the rainbow - "way up high." The rainbow symbolizes a bridge between the real world and a magical, idealized place that is out of reach for most people.
In the second stanza, the singer talks about a wish to go to that place where the clouds are far behind him and troubles melt like lemon drops. This suggests that the place beyond the rainbow is a place of happiness and freedom, where one can leave behind their problems and worries. The singer longs to be high above the chimney tops, where the air is clear and the view is unobstructed - this is where he wants to be found.
The third stanza concludes with a question: if happy little bluebirds can fly beyond the rainbow, why can't the singer? This question suggests a sense of frustration and disappointment that the singer cannot reach this place of happiness and freedom. It also implies that the singer perceives himself as trapped in a less-than-ideal situation.
Overall, the lyrics of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" express a longing for a better place and a sense of hope that such a place exists. At the same time, the lyrics acknowledge the reality that most people cannot easily reach that place and are left wishing for it.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
Above and far beyond what's visible to the naked eye, there is a place thought to be fictional or imaginary
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
In a peaceful and soothing melody, I heard of a place that's tranquil, safe and comforting
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
Far away from where we are, the sky is a clear and bright blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Really do come true.
The aspirations that you summon the courage to envision, actually materialize in the land over the rainbow
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
One day, I'll pin my hope and desires on a celestial entity and discover a place where I'm free from hindrance and oppression
Where troubles melt like lemon drops,
High above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me.
In the location with the sky-blue sky where I reside, miseries and difficulties disappear as fast as a melting candy, and it's above the smokestacks of the city that you'll locate me
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
There's a group of blue birds that fly where I desire to be, but I ask myself why I'm incapable of doing the same
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
I observe that the little bluebirds are happy flying above the rainbow, and I can't help but wonder why I can't experience the same bliss
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
Once more, I recall that beyond the visible horizons and clouds, there exists a paradise that I learnt of in a relaxing and melodious composition
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Really do come true.
Yet again, I'm reminded that the sky in this place is like a clean slate of blue, and what's more, the promptings that you would construe as impossible to achieve, genuinely happen in that realm
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Yip Harburg, Harold Arlen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Joaquin vidal oliver
Por Dios !!. Esta maravillosa obra de arte no fue escrita para bossa nova !!. Zoot grande, como siempre. Siento disentir en el tempo !.
Hilary April
Zoot was my favorite at the half note club ...Hudson and spring streets nyc a long time ago! He and Anita O'Day were regulars there. Miss the Italian hero's there...wonder if Judy Garland had one when she hung out there
BuckshotLaFunke1
Thank you for uploading this one. Unusual way of playing this song. Zoot is is on his customary good level, but I don't like that noisy double-tempo background. However, now I know it exists!
wyndhl eodumegwu
BuckshotLaFunke1:
I do concur: Zoot is smoking smoothly and excellently; which is his wont.
The funky-ish, groovy up-tempo seems to be in diametrical opposition to the title and spirit of the song.
Zoot is however able to navigate expertly through the chaotic turbulence of the rhythm - so to speak.
Levent Parman
Zoot Sims (tenor saxophone), Yancy Korosi (piano), Dewey Sampson (bass), James Martin (drums). "E.J.'s", Atlanta, GA, August 9, 1981.
Axel Biehl
Killer piano player - whew!
jon ancker
Oh YEAH!!!!! The Sophisticated Funk of ZOOT!!!!!!!!!! BEAUTIFUL...
paxwallacejazz
I like his tone till he vibratos geez.
Nathan Barnes
Virtuoso how you doing this fine evening
Vadim-Volodia Anthian -Girault
Yep