Een lesje hoe je met minimale muzikale middelen een maximaal emotioneel resultaat bereikt. “The Waterfront” werd in 1933 gecomponeerd door Johnny Green en Edward Heyman. De song is talloze malen gecoverd, o.a. door Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong en Frank Sinatra. Hooker’s versie verschilt zowel tekstueel als muzikaal zoveel van het origineel, dat de platenmaatschappij hem de credits voor de compositie van de song gaf.
I cover the waterfront
Watchin’ the ship go by
I could see everybody’s baby
But I couldn’t see mine
Watchin’ the ship go by
I could see everybody’s baby
But I couldn’t see mine
I could see the ships pullin’ in
To the harbor
I could see the people
Meeting their loved one
Shakin’ hand
To the harbor
I could see the people
Meeting their loved one
Shakin’ hand
I sat there
So all alone
Coverin’ the waterfront
So all alone
Coverin’ the waterfront
And after a while
All the people
Left the harbor
And headed for their destination
Left the harbor
And headed for their destination
All the ships
Left the harbor
And headed for their next destination
I sat there
Coverin’ the waterfront
Left the harbor
And headed for their next destination
I sat there
Coverin’ the waterfront
And after a while
I looked down the ocean
As far as I could see – in the fog
I saw a ship
It headed this way
Comin’ out the foam
It must be my baby
Comin’ down
I looked down the ocean
As far as I could see – in the fog
I saw a ship
It headed this way
Comin’ out the foam
It must be my baby
Comin’ down
And after a while the ship pulled into the harbor
Rollin’ slow, so cripple
And my baby, stepped off board
I was still, coverin’ the waterfront
Rollin’ slow, so cripple
And my baby, stepped off board
I was still, coverin’ the waterfront
Said, ‘Johnny, our ship had trouble with the fog
And that’s why we’re so late, so late
Comin’ home, comin’ down’
Uitgelichte afbeelding: By I, Sumori, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2328040
