“All the Things You Could Be by Now If Sigmund Freud’s Wife Was Your Mother” appeared on Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus (1961). And it begins with this cryptic, hard-to-decipher dedication to mothers everywhere:
And now, ladies and gentleman, you have been such a wonderful audience. We have a special treat in store for you. This is a composition dedicated to all mothers. And it’s titled “All The Things You Could Be By Now If Sigmund Freud’s Wife Was Your Mother.” Which means if Sigmund Freud’s wife was your mother, all the things you could be by now. Which means nothing, you got it? Thank you.
Or was that a cryptic, hard-to-decipher non-dedication to mothers everywhere? With Mingus, you never can tell.
Rounding out Mingus’ quartet is Ted Curson on trumpet, Eric Dolphy on alto saxophone and bass clarinet, and Dannie Richmond on drums.
Related Content:
Charles Mingus’ Instructions For Toilet Training Your Cat, Read by The Wire’s Reg E. Cathey
Charles Mingus Explains in His Grammy-Winning Essay “What is a Jazz Composer?”
Charles Mingus and His Eviction From His New York City Loft, Captured in Moving 1968 Film
Classic Charles Mingus Performance on Belgian Television, 1964
Leave a Reply