One Song, Two Separate Stories as Told by Jazz Legends
Christopher P. Horvath November 29, 2007
There are limitless possibilities within jazz for self-expression and individuality. The ability of jazz and its songs to be flexible, allows the musician to bring forth certain aspects of the song’s musical elements and themes which he wishes to emphasize. The song can be restructured; having lyrics added or taken away, changing instrumentation and arrangement, and improvising on the melody or theme of the song.
These
components of jazz are what allow two songs within jazz to be very different, even though they may come from the same foundation. Such is the case with two versions of “My One and Only Love” as performed by Louis Armstrong, and the combination of John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. These two versions show how different two songs can be, even though they may sound similar on the surface. The music and lyrics for “My One and Only Love” evolved from a 1947 song called “Music From Beyond the Moon,” with music written by Guy Wood and lyrics by Jack Lawrence. The song was recorded by a few artists in subsequent years, but none could create a hit from it. Later, Robert Mellin rewrote the lyrics into a song which Frank Sinatra recorded and sold in 1953 with a better chart rank (Tyle: 1). Both Wood and Mellin were fairly accomplished as they had written other hit songs during the time period as well. The song history is not of particular importance, except to note that it is not the same as the title song from the 1930’s musical My One and Only written by the Gershwin brothers. As for the actual song, among the many that later used the song was Johnny Hartman who joined John Coltrane’s quartet to make an album of classic jazz ballads, recorded March 7, 1963. Louis Armstrong recorded his own version in May of 1970, released on the album Louis Armstrong and His Friends. The album is a collection of different types of jazz songs, and was his second to last recording.
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Entering into the sixties, John Coltrane had recently left Miles Davis’s group, kicked his drug habits, and underwent a spiritual revival. He then formed his own quartet, and in 1961 he signed a contract giving him total control for his recordings, which would begin to shape his music making. Interestingly, after his hit release of “My Favorite Things” he decided to tone things down by recording a few ballad albums, including his album with Johnny Hartman. Coltrane often played in a reflective manner that was indicative of his personal spiritual search, but in many ways this song did not seem to mirror his usual approach to playing. His method usually showed through in a speedy manner, with rapid chord changes and complex harmonies, while this album illustrates his playing in a subdued, calm, and soothing way. He might have played this way because he wanted to provide some variety. Johnny Hartman, on the other hand, had a deep tenor voice, full and thick, and typically recorded in ballad fashion, but did his best work with jazz musicians. He was already a fan of Coltrane’s music, but was skeptical of how his singing would mesh with Coltrane’s playing, but upon his request decided to try, and was surprised by the ease with which they joined together (Ratliff: 81-82). During the sixties, Armstrong enjoyed great popularity in the global community, and he continued to play and record in his own style of jazz despite recent jazz innovations and changes. He toured around different countries Europe, and performed several shows in the United States as well. Unfortunately, by 1970 the Louis Armstrong who brought immense innovation to jazz and the trumpet, was now in ailing health. Thus, in his recording of “My One and Only Love” he was no longer able to play his trumpet and instead resorted to his singing for self-expression. However, when it came to jazz singing, Armstrong was just as creative with the phrasing, time, and melody as he was
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with his trumpet. His personality shined through just the same, and can be seen in the cheerfulness of “My One and Only Love” (Chilton: 292-293). The basic structure for “My One and Only Love” is an AABA song form, with lyrics following this idea, and yet each version structures the song differently. John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman’s version of the song has room for two choruses within the song. This two chorus structure allows for both Coltrane and Hartman to have a chance to creatively interpret the song, and puts the focus on both artists instead of just one. As such, it gives ample attention to Coltrane’s solo on the saxophone as to Hartman’s singing of the lyrics, and allows for each to work off of one another. Coltrane sets the head and the mood with his solo through the first chorus, and then in the second, Hartman builds upon the foundation while Coltrane continues to accompany the vocals with further ideas. In Louis Armstrong’s version, his singing is really the focus of the song. While the other members of the band play off of Armstrong, there lacks the suggestion of equality between them as in the other version, and consequently they do not receive as much attention during their own playing. Another noticeable point of comparison within the two songs is the instrumentation.
In the first version, John Coltrane plays his tenor saxophone while
Johnny Hartman sings in his tender way. While Coltrane is often known for his more experimental and busy type of playing, at the current time his playing is more subdued. Instead, he produces a mellow tone at a slow pace that highlights each note of his solo. He also plays along with Hartman which similarly adorns the soothing, deep, and soulful voice to create an air of romance and relaxation. At the same time, the accompanying
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piano, low-key bass, and brushes on the drum set add to the mood of warmth and candles which the song appears to build upon. In contrast to these elements, Louis Armstrong’s version has quite a different sound. To start off, there is a flute and violin in the entrance. This alone is a great distinction from the low tones of the other version, as the violin and flute play in a higher pitched manner than the tenor voice and saxophone. Also dissimilar is the effect produced by the drum set, which employs the use of hits on the drum rim. These first few elements give the feel of a theatrical mood, still romantic, but not as tender as Coltrane’s version.
Louis
Armstrong’s voice starkly contrasts Hartman’s with his signature raspy, harsh voice. Also, when listening to the song, there is a feeling that the song goes by quicker, rather than taking its time as Coltrane and Hartman’s version appeared. Something that really sticks out in each piece is the style of each soloist. As John Coltrane plays the opening of the song, the melody and form is recognizable, and yet he does such an interesting rendition of the tune. When listening to his solo, it is possible to hear the lyrics if they are familiar, and in that manner it is almost like Coltrane sings through his sax. At the same time, if it were sung the way he plays, it would sound more conspicuous than these singers’ versions. To give this effect he plays a lot with the time for each phrase or line giving more freedom as it moves away from rigidity, yet stays close to the melody. Sometimes he throws in extra notes, repeats a riff, or adorns a note to make it stand out. While adding these things in, he still manages to keep the mellow mood as his transitions flow smoothly, and he continues to play in a calm manner. Johnny Hartman, on the other hand, gives the illusion of closely following the time within each phrase.
Although he does stray, he does so in a less obvious way. As
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Hartman uses very clear diction, the words are clearly understood and closely match the original lyrics.
However, with the melody, he sings higher in his range and quickly
moves down to his deep notes without much notice. Typically, he seems to use vibrato at the end of most lines, although it’s in a subtle way that doesn’t draw so much attention to it. The deepness of his voice contrasted with the saxophone gives a feeling of calm lightness. Louis Armstrong’s soloist style falls somewhere in between the previous two artists. Like Coltrane, he plays a lot with the time within each phrase, spending more time on certain words than others. In addition, his rough voice seems to make certain words less understandable than Hartman’s singing, putting his words further from the original lyrics, and he sometimes throws in extra words or sounds when he finds himself with extra time in a phrase. Such an instance in noticeable in the last A section, with the line, “I give myself in sweet surrender.” His use of phrasing also makes the words more malleable, with more room for text painting which Hartman seems to neglect. The word ‘breeze’ is adorned with a wind-like ‘shh’ noise, while ‘heaven’ is pronounced with lightness and a higher range. In this version, the play between the violin and his singing produces a different mood to the song, as being more theatrical with a different flavor of romance. This is due to the different blending of sounds; where Coltrane and Hartman are smooth and warm, Armstrong is rough and orchestral. Due to the flexible components of jazz, separate artists can continue to take the same song and work it into something unique, expressive, and fresh that differs from its original. This effect can be gained through arrangements, tempo, instrumentation, tone, and individual soloist style, all of which create a different artistic interpretation or mood.
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John Coltrane, Johnny Hartman, and Louis Armstrong use strategies such as these to create their own versions of “My One and Only Love,� which are similar in many ways, but express the mood in different ways.
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Bibliography Chilton, John, and Max Jones. Louis, The Louis Armstrong Story 1900-1971. London: De Capo Press Inc, 1971. Hurd, Debra. “Wild Jazz.” (Cover Page Image) Ratliff, Ben. Coltrane. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007. Tyle, Chris. “My One and Only Love.” Jazz Standard. http://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-0/myoneandonlylove.htm Visited 25 November 2007
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John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman – “My One And Only Love” A Section (8 Bars) Coltrane comes in with the start of the song, establishing the melody in his solo which is played overtop of the background piano and bass. A Section (8 Bars) Coltrane plays another version of the A section melody on top of the rhythm parts, but chooses to emphasize different areas. B Section (8 Bars) There is a subtle change as the song moves to the B section, where the saxophone plays a different tune, that seems similar to the A section but has a different feel. It is a more spaced out playing within the phrasing. A Section (8 Bars) Coltrane takes the song back to another A section as the song finishes its first AABA chorus. At a couple different points the music stops for a bar or so, and continues on. It makes it difficult to count since it is a kind of rubato. T Section (2 Bars) Coltrane transitions from his saxophone playing to Johnny Hartman in these two bars. There is a change in the rhythm with the addition of the brushes for the drum set. A’ Section (8 Bars) Johnny Hartman enters at this point to sing the vocals for the song, and sings a chorus. He sings overtop of the piano just as Coltrane played over it. At the end of the section Coltrane plays a subtle saxophone turnaround leading into the next section. A’ Section (8 Bars) Hartman continues in this section with the same accompaniment and idea, continuing to follow the lyrics. Also, Coltrane provides another turnaround into the next section. B’ Section (8 Bars) Again, there is another subtle change as the song moves into another B section, although there is no real background change. The lyrics change away from the rest of the sections, with a difference in the last line, and a slightly varying form that the words follow. Also, in this section Coltrane has more interaction with the Johnny Hartman, as he plays riffs at the end of vocal phrases, in a delicate call and response. Once again, he plays another turnaround into the next section. A’ Section (8 Bars) Hartman moves into the last section of his chorus and finishes the lyrics.
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Ending Section (9 Bars) Hartman repeats the last line of the lyrics using rubato and no background accompaniment, which makes for difficult counting, but is about 5 bars. Then for another 4 bars, the saxophone and piano play off together, bringing the song to a close.
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Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra – “My One and Only Love” I Section (4 Bars) In this introduction the bass and flute play around until they settle into a rhythm and tempo for the song. A Section (8 Bars) Louis Armstrong comes in singing the lyrics for the first part, while the piano, bass, and drum set play the rhythm underneath. The piano plays responses to Armstrong’s vocals in a type of call and response at the end of each lyrical line. At the end the violin plays the turnaround. A Section (8 Bars) Armstrong continues to sing overtop of a more subdued drum and piano background, while the violin comes into focus at certain instances, including the turnaround. The piano continues to play at the end of each vocal phrase B Section (8 Bars) Louis Armstrong sings the next section while the rhythm continues to play, and the violin and flute take turns playing. The piano starts out playing the call and response, while the violin and flute begin to play underneath. A Section (8 Bars) Armstrong finishes off the first chorus as the piano and drums continue to play underneath. It follows the same as the previous A Sections. The violin comes in at the end of the section and leads into its next section. B’ Section (8 Bars) The violin continues from the last section with a section B solo playing above the drum set. The violin improvises on the melody for the section here, while following it fairly closely. A Section (8 Bars) Armstrong repeats the last section of the lyrics, while playing over the drum set, violin, and piano. The piano and violin take turns playing along with Armstrong. In the last bar of the section the flute enters in again. Ending Section (4 Bars) The flute continues to play with the drum, bass, and violin as Armstrong repeats the last line, and then all of the instruments fade out.
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Song Lyrics for “My One and Only Love� The very thought of you makes my heart sing Like an April breeze On the wings of spring And you appear in all your splendor My one and only love The shadows fall and spread their mystic charms In the hush of night While you're in my arms I feel your lips so warm and tender My one and only love The touch of your hand is like heaven A heaven that I've never known The blush on your cheek whenever I speak Tells me that you are my own You fill my eager heart with such desire Every kiss you give sets my soul on fire I give myself in sweet surrender My one and only love
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