Come Rain or Come Shine

Performed by Joe Williams

I'm gonna love you like nobody's loved you

Come rain or come shine

High as a mountain and deep as a river

Come rain or come shine

I guess when you met me it was just one of those things

But don't ever bet me

Cause I'm gonna be true if you let me

You're gonna love me like nobody's loved me

Come rain or come shine

Happy together, unhappy together

And won't it be fine

Days may be cloudy or sunny

We're in or we're out of the money

But I'm with you always

I'm with you rain or shine...

I didn't know this song existed until I saw the movie Leaving Las Vegas. After watching it a few times I noticed the tune playing in the background in a scene with Ben, played by NicholasCage and Sera, played by Elisabeth Shue. In the movie, Ben is a hopeless drunk who meets Sera, a prostitute. The two fall in love and comfort one another's sorrows. Despite the fact it's neither raining nor shining in the scene, the song still sounds good.

Sera: So, Ben with and “N”, what brings you to Las Vegas? A business 14)convention?

Ben: No, I came here to drink myself to death. Cashed through all my money, paid my 15)Amex card. I'm going to sell the car tomorrow.

Sera: So how long is it going to take for you to drink yourself to death?

Ben: I think about four weeks. I don't know for sure but I think. I got enough for about $250 to $300 a day.

Sera: That should do it. What am I, a luxury?

Ben: Yes, you're a luxury and your meter just ran out.

Sera: That's a nice watch.

Ben: Do you like it?

Sera: Yes. You can talk a little bit more. I don't have to be anywhere. Come on, talk.

Ben: I need a lay. Yeah. I kept running out of 16)booze and the store would be closed because I'd forget to look at my watch.

Sera: Yeah. I used to live in LA.

Ben: Yeah?

Sera: Yeah. But I don't anymore. I think the tough times are finally behind me. I mean there'll always be bad things but my life is good. It's just as I want it to be. That's good. It's good being here with you.

With the movies as my tutor I also learned of other jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins and Sonny Stitt. On the Sunny Side of the Street is one tune that features Gillespie on trumpet and Rollins and Stitt on saxophones. On the Sunny Side appeared on the soundtrack of the 1991 17)blockbuster JFK.

The film JFK takes place in New Orleans, which is said to be the birthplace of jazz as well as the birthplace of famed trumpeter Louis Armstrong. What would jazz be without Armstrong? Well it would probably be like eating instant noodles without any water-hard to swallow and bland.

Armstrong was a great New Orleans trumpeter and singer who lived from 1901 to 1971 and helped jazz reach all corners of the globe. Of course movies helped to spread his fame as he played and acted in several films. As for me, I first heard of Louis in the 1988 Vietnam War movie Good Morning Vietnam! When I first saw that movie I remember thinking that was the perfect song for that film, because despite the conflicts that create war all people want to enjoy the same simplicities of life.

What A Wonderful World

Written by George Weiss and Bob Thiele

Performed by Louis ArmstrongI see trees of green, red roses too

I see them bloom in front of me and you

And I think to myself what a wonderful world

I see skies of blue and clouds of white

The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night

And I think to myself what a wonderful world

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in disguise

Are also on the faces of people going by

I see friends shaking hands saying, “How do you do?”

They're really saying, “I love you.”

I hear babies crying. I watch them grow.

They'll learn much more than I'll ever know

And I think to myself what a wonderful world

Yes I think to myself, what a wonderful world

Oh yes

I still think about that Ornette Coleman concert with my dad and think of how much I've learned about jazz since then. If it hadn't been for the movies I might have forgotten about jazz altogether. By the way, I still don't like listening to Coleman's music but who knows? Maybe I'll hear some of his music in a film some day.