Sing Along WIth Diz

Brew reminds us that this year marks 20 years since the death of Dizzy Gillespie-one of the great souls of jazz. 

Some time ago, I wrote words for every note of Dizzy's amazing 1945 solo on I Can't Get Started. I invite you all to listen and to sing along, using my lyrics. If you don't know the solo, there's a lot of notes and it's a challenge. I've tried to notate it in a way that makes sense musically. Give it a shot and try as often as you like. If you get it down, record it and send it to me and I'll gleefully post your rendition. Tell your vocalist friends.

Long live Diz.

INTRO

Someone teach me to win;

Don’t know how to begin;

I’m getting desperate to capture your heart,

Won’t believe that I can’t make you love me.

All my dreams are of you I fear,

The promise of your love brings me through

Days on my own,

My fate so unknown, depends on you alone.

Though many days have passed I still can’t

CHORUS

Start to prove that I love you.

Doesn’t seem right or fair, that the

Things I do aren’t convincing you,

You’re all I need, don’t you believe me.

Everything I say and I do is just to

Show you and to convince you;

Endlessly I search for new

Hills to climb. Wars to win, worlds to conquer.

Flying around the world

And outposts I’ve charted,

Don’t mean a damn with you,

Why is it so,

My exploits leave you cold?

I’m doing it all, hoping you fall, breaking the wall, give me a call,

Telling me you’ll always care;

And that you’ll always be near.

You’re still su--

BRIDGE

--preme to me,

Lyrics I write of you, still scheming to

See you night and day.

I see your face in every flower and your

Eyes in stars that shine above.

Obsessed with trying to possess you and caress you,

Feel your touch so tender and loving, beautiful eyes looking into mine,

Hoping that you’ll trust that I’m willing to share all I own and that I love you with-

My body and soul, such a hard road.

Don’t ever believe I would deceive or mistreat you, run you around,

Only sounds I want to greet you with is

Joyful, tell you that my heart’s full.

Notes that are true and fine, listen to them,

Say that you’ll be mine.

CODA

Remember that it’s not what I say or I do,

But how I feel.

Please try to find the

Meaning inside all the foolish things I say and do.

Open up your heart,

Let me get started, with you.