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Monday, February 18, 2013

Ina Ray Hutton and Her Melodears - "Truckin" & "Doin' The Suzy Q"

Posted on 9:00 AM by Unknown
Edited by Azizi Powell

This post presents information about Jazz band leader, singer, and dancer Ina Ray Hutton. Two videos of Ina Ray Hutton and her all female band (Melodears) are showcases in this post. Both of these videos refer to very popular Jazz (Swing) dances of the 1930s.

Information about Ina Ray Hutton's sister, singer June Hutton, is also included in this post for supplemental purposes.

The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT INA RAY HUTTON
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ina_Ray_Hutton
"Ina Ray Hutton (March 13, 1916 – February 19, 1984) was an American female leader during the Big band era, and sister to June Hutton.

Hutton was born as Odessa Cowan in Chicago, Illinois of African American descent.[1] She began dancing and singing in stage revues at the age of eight. Cowan's mother Marvel Ray was a local pianist and entertainer in Chicago. She attended Hyde Park High School on the South Side of Chicago. In the 1930s she appeared on Broadway in George White's Scandals and The Ziegfeld Follies.
In 1934 she was asked by vaudeville agent Alex Hyde to lead an all-girl orchestra, the Melodears, which featured musicians including trumpet player Frances Klein, pianist Ruth Lowe Sandler, guitarist Marian Gange, trumpeter Mardell "Owen" Winstead and trombonist Alyse Wells during its existence.[2][3] Hutton and her Melodears were one of the first all-girl bands to be filmed for Paramount shorts...

The group disbanded in 1939. In 1940 she led an all-male orchestra that was featured in the film Even Since Venus (1944); it was disbanded in 1946. During the 1950s, she returned to the all-girl format for variety television programs including the Ina Ray Hutton Show for a local station on the West Coast"...
-snip-
From http://www.blackpast.org/?q=aah/hutton-ina-ray-nee-odessa-cowan-1916-1984
"Hutton, Ina Ray, née Odessa Cowan (1916–1984)
Ina Ray Hutton led the Melodears, one of the first all-female swing bands to be recorded and filmed. She passed as white throughout her musical career, as the leader of several bands from the 1930s through the 1960s. But when Hutton was a child, United States Census records called her and her family “negro,” and “mulatto,” when the Bureau used that term. Her family occasionally appeared in the society pages of a black newspaper"...
-snip-
Here is a brief clip from the Wikipedia page for Ina Ray Hutton's sister June Hutton:
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Hutton
"June Hutton (August 11, 1920 – May 2, 1973[1]) was an American popular singer.

Born June Cowan in Chicago she and her older sister, Ina Ray Hutton, a band leader in the 1930s and 40s, passed as white throughout their musical careers. United States Census records identified her family as “negro,” and “mulatto,” when the Bureau used that term.[2] Though their family occasionally appeared in the society pages of a black newspaper, both sisters had light complexions and by the late 1930s, dyed their hair blonde. Ina Ray Hutton changed her last name to "Hutton" (inspired by heiress Barbara Hutton), and in 1941, her younger sister June joined the band of her older sister, first singing under the name of Elaine Merritt, eventually changing her last name to "Hutton' as well"...

****
FEATURED VIDEOS
Video #1: Ina Ray Hutton and Her Melodears - Truckin'



Jan Klompstra, Uploaded on Aug 14, 2006
All-female dance band of the 30s.
Leader and singer: sexy Ina Ray Hutton
-snip-
Click http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3truck.htm for information about the Jazz dance "Truckin". That website indicates that this dance first originated in Harlem in 1927.

****
Video #2: Ina Ray Hutton and Her Melodears - Doin' The Suzy Q



Jan Klompstra, Uploaded on Aug 13, 2006
All-female dance band with sexy leader-singer Ina

A commenter on that video's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FvJvcZMn3U indicated that this song & film clip are from 1936.
-snip-
Click http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3suzyq1.htmfor information about the Jazz dance the "Suzy Q". That website indicates that this dance first originated in 1935.

****
RELATED LINK
Click http://www.jambalayah.com/node/1146 for a post on my Jambalayah website that includes videos of a number of African American originated jazz dances (from the 1920 through the 1940s), including the Suzy Q and Truckin. A video demonstrating the Susie Q is clearly labeled. Brief demonstrations of the Susie Q step, the Truckin step, and 82 other Jazz dance steps are found in the video that is entitled "Alphabetical Jazz Steps 2 (Bigger & Longer)"

****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to Ina Ray Hutton and Her Melodears for their musical legacy. Thanks to the composers of these songs, and thanks to the uploaders of these videos.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.
Read More
Posted in African American Jazz, Jazz dances, Jitterbug dances, Swing dances, Swing music, Truckin | No comments

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Dorothy Love Coates & the Original Gospel Harmonettes - Get Away Jordan

Posted on 4:37 AM by Unknown
Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a sound file of & song lyrics for Dorothy Love Coates & The Original Gospel Harmonettes' rendition of "Get Away Jordon". Brief information and links to information about this Gospel singer and Gospel group are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for historical, religious, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

****
INFORMATION & COMMENTS ABOUT THE GOSPEL SONG "GET AWAY JORDAN"
"Get Away Jordan" as sung by Dorothy Love Coates & the Original Gospel Harmonettes is a gospelized Spiritual, meaning that the song's tune & some of its lyrics are based on the traditional African American Spiritual of that name. Given that the Gospel versions of "Get Away Jordan" date from the 1950s, this song would be considered "real old school Gospel". In this context and in most contexts, "old school" isn't the same as "old fashioned" since it doesn't have the same negative connotations as "old fashioned". My sense is that "real old school Gospel" is African American Gospel music from the 1950s (and before that) and the 1960s while "old school Gospel" is African American Gospel music from the 1960s to the 1990s. That said, some might even categorize Gospel music from the 1990s as "old school".

In my opinion, gospelized versions of "Get Away Jordan" is much more familiar to African Americans than traditional Spiritual versions. However, regrettably, it seems to me that many even church going African Americans are no longer very familiar with old school Gospel songs such as "Get Away Jordan".

Click http://www.negrospirituals.com/news-song/get_away_jordan.htm for a version of the traditional lyrics to the Spiritual "Get Away Jordan".

****
INFORMATION ABOUT DOROTHY LOVE COATES & THE ORIGINAL GOSPEL HARMONETTES
Click for information about Dorothy Love Coates (January 30, 1928 –April 9, 2002). According to that article, this group's rendition of "Get Away Jordan" was recorded in 1951.

Also, click
http://books.google.com/books?id=tDYftTBTFyEC&pg=PA92&lpg=PA92&dq=who+wrote+get+away+jordan&source=bl&ots=eWZx9z5Da3&sig=mvRjbWmvx3q6e35U0VvbEURBauQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=hMYgUdroOOnC0QHFpYCADg&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=who%20wrote%20get%20away%20jordan&f=false
Uncloudy Days: The Gospel Music Encyclopedia By Bill Carpenter for information about Dorothy Love Coates.

This entry in this Gospel encyclopedia indicates that Dorothy Love Coates & the Original Gospel Harmonettes sung a cover of Roberta Martin's "Get Away Jordan", with an additional verse written by Dorothy Love Coates. This song was a hit, but Dorothy received no credit for that added verse. "As the song took off, making money for the label, the songwriter, and everyone involved with it but her, Coates decided to write her own songs.
-snip-
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXmMI-uYY_s for a video iploaded by ArtistIncorporated that is entitled "Dorothy Love Coates - Short History".

FEATURED SOUND FILE
Dorothy Love Coates & The Original Gospel Harmonettes Get Away Jordon



Cutepreacher, Uploaded on Apr 1, 2008

Dorothy Love Coates and the Original Gospel Harmonettes Give us some Birmingham flavor. HTe audience goes crazy!!

****
LYRICS - GET AWAY JORDAN (as performed in the sound file by Dorothy Love Coates & The Original Gospel Harmonettes)
Spoken Introduction:
Leader talking while the rest of the group hums & sings softly in the background:
When I get there, I know He’ll be standing there and saying
“Well done, my good and faithful servant.
He said “Come unto Me and rest.”
Then I’m gonna take off this cross that I worne down through the years and stick my sword in the sand of time and study war no more.
I’m gonna look around me, but I won’t have to look for Jesus ‘cause I know that He’s gonna be there.
Then I’m just gonna stand and put one foot on the chilly banks of Jordan and say “Get away, Jordan, now, I wanna cross over to see my Lord.

(Leader) Get Away
Get Away Jordan
(Leader) Get Away
Get Away Old Chilly Jordan
(Leader) Oh! Get Away
Get Away Jordan
I wanna cross over to see my Lord

(((((((Repeat))))))

(Leader) You know I promised the Lord if He would set me free
Yes I wanna cross over to see my Lord
(Leader) I'll go on and find out what the end might be
Yes I wanna cross over to see my Lord

(Leader)One day, one day as I was walking along
Yes, I wanna cross over to see my Lord
(Leader)Yea, you know I heard a voice but I saw no one
Yes, I wanna cross over to see my Lord
(Leader)You know the voice I heard sounded so sweet chile
Yes, I wanna cross over to see my Lord
(Leader) It came down from my head to the sole of my feet
Yes, I wanna cross over to see my Lord

(Leader) Get Away
Get Away Jordan
(Leader) Get Away
Get Away, Old Chilly Jordan
(Leader) Oh! Get Back
Get back Jordan
Yes, I wanna cross over to see my Lord

(Leader)You know one of these mornings it won't be long
Yes, I wanna cross over to see my Lord
(Leader) You gonna look for me, chile, and I'll be gone
Yes, I wanna cross over to see my Lord
(Leader) But a few more risings and settings of the sun
Yes, I wanna cross over to see my Lord
(Leader)This old battle be fought and the victory won
Yes, I wanna cross over to see my Lord

(Leader) You know the friends that I used to love so dear
Yes, I wanna cross over to see my Lord
(Leader) They've gone on to Glory and left me here
Yes, I wanna cross over to see my Lord

(Leader) When my feet gets cold, my eyes are shut, my body's been chilled by the hand of death.
Tongue glued to the roof of my mouth, my hands lay folded across my breast, You don't have to worry about the I felt, God Almighty done told me he'll be right there. Pick me up o'er His wings of love, and carry my soul to the Heaven up above. They tell that Jordan is deep and wide, but I promise Mother I'll see her on the other side.

(Leader) Get Away
Get Away Jordan
(Leader) Get Away
Get Away, Old Chilly Jordan
(Leader) Oh! Get Back
Get back Jordan
Yes, I wanna cross over to see my Lord

(((((((Repeat))))))

Lyrics from http://www.music-lyrics-gospel.com/gospel_music_lyrics/get_away_jordan_12575.asp
with the addition of the word "Yes" to the line "I wanna cross over to see my Lord", and the capitolization of the word "he" for Jesus. I also transcribed the introduction to this song. Corrections & additions are welcome.

RELATED LINK
Click http://www.amazon.com/Uncloudy-Days-Gospel-Music-Encyclopedia/dp/B004JZWRVW for information about the book Uncloudy Days: The Gospel Music Encyclopedia by Bill Carpenter.

Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qmUE4orjHw for a sound file of Mahalia Jackson singing a different version of the Gospel song "Get Away Jordan".

****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composers of this song. My thanks to Dorothy Love Coates & the Original Gospel Harmonettes for their musical legacy. My thanks also to the quoted transcriber of this song, and the uploader of this featured sound file.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.
Read More
Posted in African American Gospel, African American Vernacular English | No comments

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Eiizabeth Cotton - "Shake Sugaree" (sound file, lyrics, & meanings)

Posted on 12:17 PM by Unknown
Edited by Azizi Powell

This post presents a sound file of Elizabeth Cotton's song "Shake Sugaree" as sung by her grand-daughter Brenda Evans. This post also provides information about that song and a discussion of the meaning of the song and its title.

The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes

INFORMATION ABOUT ELIZABETH COTTON
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Cotten
"Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten (January 5, 1893 – June 29, 1987) was an American blues and folk musician, singer, and songwriter...

Her approach involved using a right-handed guitar (usually in standard tuning), not re-strung for left-handed playing, essentially, holding a right-handed guitar upside down. This position required her to play the bass lines with her fingers and the melody with her thumb. Her signature alternating bass style has become known as "Cotten picking"...

Over the course of the early 1960s, Cotten went on to play more shows with big names in the burgeoning folk revival. Some of these included Mississippi John Hurt, John Lee Hooker, and Muddy Waters at venues such as the Newport Folk Festival and the Smithsonian Festival of American Folklife.

The newfound interest in her work inspired her to write more material to play and in 1967, she released a record created with her grandchildren which took its name from one of the songs she had written, Shake Sugaree."...


FEATURED SOUND FILE

Elizabeth Cotten - Shake Sugaree



archibaldodelacruz1, Uploaded on Apr 23, 2010

Vol. 2: Shake Sugaree (1967)

Vocals: Brenda evans
-snip-
LYRICS: SHAKE SUGAREE
(Libba Cotten)

Have a little song.
Won't take long.
Sing it right,
Once or twice.

Oh, Lawdy me,
Didn't I shake sugaree?
Everything I got is done and pawned.*
Everything I got is done and pawned.

Pawn my watch.
Pawn my chain.
Pawn everything that was in my name.

Oh, Lawdy me,
Didn't I shake sugaree?
Everything I got is done and pawned.
Everything I got is done and pawned.

Pawn my buggy,
Horse and cart.
Pawn everything that was on my lot.

Oh, Lawdy me,
Didn't I shake sugaree?
Everything I got is done and pawned.
Everything I got is done and pawned

Pawn my chair.
Pawn my bed.
Ain't got nowhere to lay my head.

Oh, Lawdy me,
Didn't I shake sugaree?
Everything I got is done and pawned.
Everything I got is done and pawned.

Pawn my tobacco.
Pawn my pipe.
Pawned everything that was in my sight.

Oh, Lawdy me,
Didn't I shake sugaree?
Everything I got is done and pawned.
Everything I got is done and pawned.

Have a little secret
I ain't gonna tell.
I'm going to heaven in a ground pea shell.**

Oh, Lawdy me,
Didn't I shake sugaree?
Everything I got is done and pawned.
Everything I got is done and pawned.

Pawn my farm.
Pawn my plough.
Pawned everything, even pawned my old cow.

Oh, Lawdy me,
Didn't I shake sugaree?
Everything I got is done and pawned.
Everything I got is done and pawned.

Pawn my hat,
Pawn my shoes.
Pawned everything that I could use.

Oh, Lawdy me
Didn't I shake sugaree?
Everything I got is done and pawned.
Everything I got is done and pawned.

Have a little secret,
I ain't gonna tell
I'm goin' to heaven and I ain't gonna..."***

Oh, Lawdy me,
Didn't I shake sugaree?
Everything I got is done and pawned.
Everything I got is done and pawned.

Chew my tobacco.
Spit my juice.
Would raise Cain but it ain't a bit ah use. ****

Oh, Lawdy me,
Didn't I shake sugaree?
Everything I got is done and pawned.
Everything I got is done and pawned.
Everything I got is done and pawned.
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell from the above recording.

Editorial comments:
*I believe that "done and pawned" in the line "everything I have is done and pawned" is a creative form of the African American vernacular English "done pawned" meaning I pawned (everything) a while ago.

Although the word "pawn" is what the singer appears to be vocalizing, I believe the past tense "pawned" is actually meant. (For instance, "pawned my watch".)

**"Ground pea shell" is often given as "brown pea shell". The word "brown" might be what the vocalist is singing.

***"Gonna" here means "going to".
I believe that the word "hell" is omitted from this line but is understood. That purposeful omission is commonly occurs in folk songs.

**** "to raise Cain" means "to make a lot of trouble; to raise hell"
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/raise+Cain

INFORMATION ABOUT SHAKE SUGAREE
From http://ramone666.blogspot.com/2008/04/shake-sugaree.html
"Shake Sugaree is a song I´ve always loved, especially in the original version as performed by the amazing Elizabeth Cotten. "I've a little secret, I ain't gonna tell... I'm goin' to heaven in a ground pea shell... Oh, Lordy me, didn't I shake sugaree, everything I got is down in pawn..." It´s Elizabeth ´Libba´ Cotten (1895-1987) on guitar here only by the way, as her great grandchild Brenda Evans is singing it. And what a voice she´s got... Brenda was only twelve (!) at the time, and contributed to the lyrics together with her brother Johnny and her two cousins Sue and Wendy, on gran Elizabeth´s melody. According to Cotten in the liner notes "the first verse, my eldest great grandson, he made that himself, and from that each child would say a word and add to it. To tell the truth, I don´t know what got it started, but it must have been something said or something done". Find this jewel on the cd Shake Sugaree (Smithsonian Folkways)."
-snip-
That blog post also has information about other renditions of Elizabeth Cotton's song "Shake Sugaree" by Taj Mahal, Bob Dylan, and others. This song is different in lyrics & tune from the Greatful Dead's song "Sugaree". There's no doubt that in the
Greatful Dead song "Sugaree" is a term of endearment like "Sugar" and "Honey". However, there are multiple theories about the meaning of the word "sugaree" and the phrase "shake sugaree" in the Elizabeth Cotton song since neither Elizabeth Cotton, nor her grand-daughter, vocalist Brenda Evans, nor any other family member has ever explained what "shake sugaree" means.

THEORIES ABOUT THE MEANING/S OF "SHAKE SUGAREE"
There are a number of websites which provide their opinions of the meaning of the word "sugaree" and/or the phrase "shake sugaree" as though what they are writing is an indisputable fact. However, weenie campbell.com presents & discusses a number of theories in a four page discussion which began on May 08, 2012 & ended (to date) on June 20, 2012. Click http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=8616 for the first page of that discussion.

Here are some of the theories that were presented on that forum:
1. The word "sugaree" in Cotton's song is an affectionate name, and the phrase is actually "Shake, Sugaree" ("Dance, Sugaree")
Note that there is a late 1950s song entitled "Sugaree" which was recorded several times by White American vocalists. Here's a comment from the above mentioned weeniecampbell.com discussion: "the Marty Robbins' song, "Sugaree," had been recorded three different times, the first time by the Jordanaires in 1957. If it received airplay or if the record was played at home, the children could have picked it up (it's catchy) and worked it into the song. Here are the Jordanaires on Youtube singing "Sugaree": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIyoJdL304cM

2. The phrase 'shake sugaree' "means having a good time and is related to throwing sugar on the floor and then dancing on it, producing a percussive sound when the feet move on the sugared floor". Click http://rickmckeon.com/guitarlessons/shakel.pdf [rev. 12/4/07 for this note: "At house parties they used to shake sugar on the floor so it would crunch when stepped on, hence “to shake sugaree” meant to have a good time dancing. Even today, there’s a dance step called the “sugar step” which is an action like grinding sugar on the floor."
-snip-
Also, click
http://www.sugaronthefloor.com/ for another explanation of "sugar on the floor".

3. "Sugaree" is a form of the word "shivaree" and, in this context "shake sugaree" means "have a good time, partied (have a party). Here's some information from about the word "shivaree":
"Charivari (or shivaree or chivaree, also called "rough music") is the term for a French folk custom in which the community gave a noisy, discordant mock serenade, also pounding on pots and pans, at the home of newlyweds...

The early French colonists took the custom of charivari (or shivaree in the United States) to their settlements in Quebec. Some historians believe the custom spread to English-speaking areas of Lower Canada and eventually into the American South, but it was independently common in English society, so was likely part of Anglo-American customs"...
-snip-
Lyle Lofgren, one of the key bloggers on the weeniecampbell.com discussion cited above, wrote this about "shivarees"
“We had shivarees out in the country in Minnesota when I was a kid -- all the neighbors would assemble in front of a newlywed's house at about 10:00 at night, and all of us would yell, bang on plow coulters and other noisemakers, and in general create a disturbance until the couple appeared at the door to acknowledge our presence. I believed at the time that it was a common occurrence among country folk, although I've never asked other farm-raised people about it"...
-snip-
In 1999 folk singer Art Thieme gave this explanation for the meaning of the phrase "shake sugaree" on the Mudcat Cafe discussion about Elizabeth Cotton's song "Shake Sugaree" http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=11390:
"This was like we'll "have a shivaree"---a part---a celebration. Like sayin' "din't we have a time" or "didn't we boogie".
["part" was corrected in the next post to “party”]

4. "Sugaree" refers to a long extinct North Carolina tribe of Indians & mixed race people named the Shoccoree (also spelled Shakory, Cacores among others. The implication is that the North Carolina resident Elizabeth Cotton may either have been aware of this population or may have been descended from that population. According to that theory, the word "shake" means to "dance ecstatically."
-snip-
For what it's worth, I prefer theory #3, but I think that "shake sugaree" could at the same time also mean theory #2. I don't accept theory #1 (that "sugaree" is a name or nickname) because there's no space between the vocalization of the word "shake" and "sugaree" as there would be if "sugaree" were a name/nickname. I consider theory #4 to be a bit of a stretch (as the bloggers on the weeniecampbell.com forum also came to feel) since just because words sound alike doesn't mean that they are related.

I vehemently disagree with the statement found in the article about the song "Sugaree" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugaree that Elizabeth Cotton's "Shake Sugaree" is about dying.

Although it was originally sung by a twelve year old, I believe that the lyrics of "Shake Sugaree" are written in the voice of an older person who is looking back on her or his life, reminiscing about the hardships of that life, but still saying "I had some real good times".

It's that sad but still upbeat feeling that this song conveys which makes it so appealing to many people, including me.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to Elizabeth Cotton, and her grand children for composing this song. Thanks also to Brenda Evans for singing this song, and Elizabeth Cotton for her guitar playing on this song & for her wonderful musical legacy.

My thanks also to the authors of the articles & the bloggers whose comments were quoted in this post. Thanks to the uploader for this featured sound file.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.

Read More
Posted in African American folk song, Blues | No comments

Friday, February 15, 2013

The Harlem Shake (Origins, Old School Examples, & Internet Meme)

Posted on 5:44 PM by Unknown
Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides examples of & information about the Ethiopian Eskista dance which is said to have inspired the original modern day Harlem Shake in the United States in 1981. This post also features two videos of the old Harlem Shake (early 2000s), and a video of the Chicken Noodle Soup dance (2006) that came from the old Harlem Shake. Two Harlem Shake instructional videos are also featured in this post and this post also includes information about & a video compilation of the Harlem Shake Internet meme (2013).

The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE HARLEM SHAKE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlem_shake_(dance)
"The Harlem Shake is a dance that originally began in Harlem, New York. Since its beginnings it has spread to other urban areas and became popular in music videos. The announcers at the Entertainer's Basketball Classic at Rucker Park claim that the modern day Harlem Shake was started by a man by the name of "Al B" (nickname Sisqo or Cisco). Al B was an alcoholic who would perform the dance upon request. Because of its founder, the dance was originally called the "albee" in Rucker and Harlem, but then later became known as the Harlem Shake.[1]...

The Harlem Shake is based on an Ethiopian dance called the Eskista.[2] [3]

... Though starting in 1981, the Harlem Shake became mainstream in 2001 when G. Dep featured the dance in his music video “Let's Get It”.[2]

The Harlem Shake is commonly associated with a similar dance move called The Chicken Noodle Soup. The Chicken Noodle Soup evolved from the Harlem Shake and exploded into popularity in the summer of 2006 when DJ Webstar and Young B brought it to the mainstream.[2]

...The [Harlem Shake] dance has repopularized [4] as of February 2013, with many people including celebrities such T-Pain uploading videos on youtube.com of them doing the dance."
-snip-
I very much doubt that Al B, the alleged originator of the 1981 Harlem Shake, or many other 1980s and 1990s Harlem Shake dancers knew anything about the Ethiopian "Eskista" dance. It appears from several online sites that Al B attributed his inspiration for the dance that came to be called "The Harlem Shake" to the shaking movements made by alcoholics. Al B also is said to have indicated that his inspiration for the dance was how he imagined Egyptian mummies would shake if they danced. Note: A citation for this information is given in the Related Links section below.

As to the connection between the Harlem Shake of 1980s, the 1990s and the mid 2000s & the Ethiopian Eskista dance, I think that it's much more likely that someone who knew about the Eskista dance and saw the albee/Harlem Shake dance, recognized the similarities between those two dances. After all, even before the advent of YouTube, there probably were people in New York City who had read about or had seen films of Ethiopian culture, including the Eskista dances. And even in the 1980s when the first modern day* Harlem Shake is said to have originated, there certainly were people in New York City who had visited Ethiopia. Also, undoubtedly there were people from Ethiopia in New York City and in other American cities who were familiar with the Eskista dance & with the Harlem Shake (albee) dance. That said, the body popping movements of the Eskista dance and the Harlem Shake (albee) reflect both of those dances Black African sources. Furthermore, the statement that the Harlem Shake was inspired by the Ethiopian Eskista dance helps raise awareness of that traditional Affrican dance. For that reason, even though I think it's not entirely accurate, I'm okay with the statement that the Harlem Shake is based on the Eskista dance.

*I italized the words "modern day" to highlight those words because I wonder if there were African American dances and/or Caribbean dances that emphasized shoulder popping or shoulder twisting decades before the early 1980s or even decades before the popping and locking Hip-Hop dances of the 1960s & 1970s. Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popping for information about "popping".

For instance, were the shoulder movements in the once very popular Jazz dance "truckin" which first emerged in Harlem around 1927 similar to the Harlem Shake shoulder movements?
From http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3truck.htm
"The main feature of Truckin' is the shoulders which rise and fall as the dancers move toward each other as the fore finger points up and wiggles back and forth like a windshield wiper".

I'd love for dance historians to add some input about this.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ESKISTA DANCE
From http://development.thinkaboutit.eu/think3/post/ethiopian_traditional_dance_eskesta/
Ethiopian traditional dance: Eskesta, by Martina Petkova, Published 29th July 2010
..."Ideology – the Ethiopian name “Eskesta” means actually “Dancing shoulders”; it is often practiced in the Northern parts of Ethiopia (Amhara group) where the indigenous tribes of Amhara, Wollo, Gondar etc. are still performing the dance of Eskesta. The motives and characteristics of the dance are often interchanged during the dance by the performers of the variety of war songs, hunting songs, Shepherd songs, love songs and work songs. The best dancer is appointed to the leader of the group and respectively the best singer...

It also is said that this dance was invented because of the snakes. Ethiopian people were often observing the “dance”/movements of the snake, shaking in the same way their neck. On the other hand, in the sphere of indigenous Ethiopian music the influence of the rattlesnake while shaking its tail (the sound it produces) has created a certain way of singing as well.

Furthermore, other symbols and rituals that can be described are these connected with the costumes which each dancer wears. They are often made of woven cotton called “gabbi” or “netella” and painted with different colors depending on the gender of the dancer.

Technique – dance performed both from men and women with their head, neck, chest and shoulders, shaking in specific ways; the music played during the dance is often produced with the traditional Ethiopian instruments like krar, flute, drums and mesenko. The dancers sometimes sing or in some places of the dance utilize the silence in order to stress out some prevailing moments of the dance. There are however some variations depending on the areas in which this dance is performed – Wollo, Gondar or Gojjam."...
-snip-
DISCLAIMER: With regard to the author's comment that the Eskista dance imitates the movement of snakes, I also read a comment in a YouTube viewer comment thread that the female Eskista dancers were supposed to be imitating the movement of birds. I'm not sure if either or both of these theories are accurate.

I'd love to add links to and quotes from Ethiopians about the history & meanings of the Eskista dance.

THREE VIDEOS OF THE ESKISTA DANCE
Example #1: Gonder Kinet Troupe - Gedame



cybrmstr, Uploaded on Dec 17, 2008

One of the best Iskista

****
Example #2: Ethiopian Eskista



Addis1625, Uploaded on Jan 12, 2010

****
Example #3: Mahlet Wagnew - Great Ethiopian Eskista (Dance)



Ethiopiantv, Uploaded on Dec 18, 2010
-snip-
This young woman was a contestant on the Ethiopian Idol television show.

****
THE OLD HARLEM SHAKE (United States early 2000s)
Example #1: G Dep-Let's Get It


Dezerin3, Uploaded on Mar 3, 2009
The Saga Continues....
-snip-
The spaces in the audio of this video are indications that this is a clean version of this Hip-Hop song. Please be aware that this YouTube video comment thread and other YouTube comment threads of videos featured on this page contain comments that include profanity, racist remarks, sexually explicit remarks and other content that isn't acceptable for children.

****
Example #2: How to do the Harlem Shake



Phronesis7, Uploaded on Jul 14, 2007

A bunch o kids from Harlem (I think) show people how to do the Harlem Shake....
-snip-
This video may actually be from the 1990s or earlier.

****
INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS ON HOW TO DO THE (ORIGINAL) HARLEM SHAKE
Example #1: How to Do the Harlem Shake



dancing·627, Uploaded on Mar 25, 2010

The Harlem shake is a dance move that involves pivoting the shoulder out while bringing the other shoulder out at the same time. Discover how the Harlem shake is mainly comprised of shoulder shaking with help from professional hip-hop dancers and choreographers in this free video on doing the Harlem shake.

****
Example #2: How to Do the Harlem Shake



Mahalodotcom, Published on Sep 27, 2011

****
THE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP DANCE

Chicken Noodle Soup


WebstarVEVO, Uploaded on Nov 22, 2009

Music video by Webstar, Young B performing Chicken Noodle Soup. (C) 2006 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

****
THE HARLEM SHAKE - INTERNET MEME
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlem_shake_(meme)
"The Harlem Shake is an Internet phenomenon based on viral videos that began to gain popularity in early February 2013,[1] following the release of a video by the YouTube comedy vlogger Filthy Frank. The original video was published on January 30, 2013, which featured a compilation comedy, where he then made his later video the Harlem Shake containing the original extended gag. The meme originated in Queensland, Australia after five Australian teenagers known as 'The Sunny Coast Skate' created a Harlem Shake video, that went viral due to their large following on YouTube.

The videos feature the song Harlem Shake by electronic musician Baauer, and a dancing style not to be confused with the original Harlem Shake.[2] Normally, each video begins with one person (often masked) dancing to the song alone for 15 seconds, surrounded by other people unaware of the dancing individual. When the bass drops, the camera transitions to the entire crowd doing the dance for the next 15 seconds, often wearing a minimum of clothes or crazy outfits or costumes while wielding strange props.[3] The success of the video was attributed to its break out moment and short length [4] of which the first version of the widely accepted and adopted internet meme was created by five teenagers known as The Sunny Coast Skate from Queensland, Australia.[5][6] The phenomenon spread due to the number of people replicating and uploading similar videos.[6] In the first nine days, over 11,000 versions of the popular internet meme had been uploaded, garnering over 44 million unique views, and averaging over 4,000 new variations each day.[6]"

****
The Best of Harlem Shake



HTFDIGH,Published on Feb 17, 2013

****
RELATED LINKS
Click http://www.thefader.com/2013/02/15/fader-explains-harlem-shake/ for more information about the history of the 1981 albee and more details about the history of the 2013 Harlem Shake Internet meme (Alert: There's one early example of profanity in that article.)

Click http://www.vulture.com/2013/02/5-music-videos-featuring-the-actual-harlem-shake.html for examples of R&B/Hip-Hip videos of real Harlem Shake dancing (with the times given that that dancing occurs in those videos). However, some of those videos are NSFW (Not Safe For Watching At Work - and therefore, in my opinion, aren't suitable for children.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/02/west-african-roots-of-harlem-shake.html for the pancocojams post "West African Roots Of The Harlem Shake Shoulder Movements"

****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composers of these songs, and thanks to all of the performers & dancers in these featured videos. My thanks also to the authors of the articles that are quoted in this post, and the uploaders of these featured videos.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.
Read More
Posted in Eskista dance, Ethiopian music and dance, Harlem Shake, Hip Hop music and dance, Internet memes, Jazz dances | No comments

3LW- "Playas Gon' Play" & Jill Scott - "Hate On Me"

Posted on 9:56 AM by Unknown
Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides definitions & song examples of the African American Vernacular English terms "playa" and "hater".

The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

THE MEANING OF THE WORD "PLAYA"
"Playa" (pronounced "play-yah") is the Hip-Hop form of the word "player". A playa is a person (male or female) who doesn't take romantic relationships seriously, but "plays" (with) a person and usually more than one person's emotions.

Here's a definition of "playa" from http://onlineslangdictionary.com/meaning-definition-of/playa:
Player
"someone who dates more than one person at a time, usually just for sex or other perks. Will typically do anything to have sex with someone. Carries a heavy negative connotation. Usually used to describe males, but could be used to describe females who act in this manner. Often pronounced 'playa.' "
-snip-
The saying "playas gonna play" means that it's the nature of some people to be players, but that isn't going to stop the person saying that from being "for real", for instance, with regard to love, just because some people are playas, doesn't meant that it will stop you from eventually being a part of a romantic relationship in which both people are "for real"- meaning one in which both people are serious about their affections and long term plans for & with each other.

****
THE MEANING OF THE WORD "HATER"
A "hater" is a female or male who constantly puts another person down (insults, disses, rips on, gossips about, makes catty remarks about and/or constantly finds fault with another person), usually because of jealousy.

THE MEANING OF THE PHRASE "HATERS GONNA HATE"
From http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/haters-gonna-hate
"Haters Gonna Hate is a catchphrase used to indicate a disregard for hostile remarks addressed towards the speaker. This expression has its roots in American hip hop, and spawned an image macro series featuring pictures of celebrities, animals and cartoon characters strutting or posing in a conceited manner.
-snip-
From http://www.ask.com/answers/59427481/what-does-haters-gonna-hate-mean
kelvinkarimi: 2012
"Haters gonna hate" means that this person will always find something negative to say, and will never have any words of motivation or to uplift you. Someone who does not motivate you and who is always fault finding and trying to bring you down, is called a hater."
-snip-
"Hate on me hater" is a statement that indicates that the speaker isn't going to let the hatred (expressed by putdowns, and other statements or actions) bother him or her.

****
FEATURED VIDEOS AND LYRICS
Example #1: 3LW [3 Little Women]- Playas Gon' Play




3LWVEVO·5 videosUploaded on Feb 26, 2010

Music video by 3LW performing Playas Gon' Play. [2000]
-snip-
LYRICS: PLAYAS GONNA PLAY

[Intro]
The hit maker
The playas gon' play
Them haters gonna hate
Them callers gonna call
Them ballers gonna ball
(Let 'em know)

I, I don't mind (ha)
What people say or do (nah, nah)
But I, I do mind
What you believe is true
You are the only one
Getting all my love
'cause what they do (what they do)
Ain't nothin' new

Playas, they gonna play
And haters, they gonna hate
Ballers, they gonna ball
Shot callers, they gonna call
That ain't got nothin' to do
With me and you
That's the way it is
That's the way it is

So-called friends
Don't want to see me with you
Behind your back
Callin' my cell and pager too
No matter what they do
I will stay true
Only to you
Only to you

Playas, they gonna play
And haters, they gonna hate
Ballers, they gonna ball
Shot callers, they gonna call
That ain't got nothin' to do
With me and you
That's the way it is
That's the way it is

I want you to know (I want you to know)
I'll never let you go (I'll never let you go)
We gotta talk about everything you hear
'cause I know that it ain't true
You can trust my love
And I can trust yours too
Our love will be forever, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Little Women
They gon' ball shorty
They gon' play shorty
That's how they do shorty
We comin' through shorty
The hit maker shorty

Playas gon' play
Playas, they gonna play
And haters, they gonna hate
Ballers, they gonna ball
Shot callers, they gonna call
That ain't got nothin' to do
With me and you
That's the way it is
That's the way it is

Playas, they gonna play
And haters, they gonna hate
Ballers, they gonna ball
Shot callers, they gonna call
That ain't got nothin' to do
With me and you
That's the way it is
That's the way it is

Playas, they gonna play
And haters, they gonna hate
Ballers, they gonna ball
Shot callers, they gonna call
That ain't got nothin' to do
With me and you
That's the way it is
That's the way it is

Playas gonna play (uh)
Haters gonna hate (right)
That's the way it is (yeah)
That's just how it's been (let 'em know, let 'em know)

Playas (Little Women why'all)
And haters (9 lives why'all)
Playas (the hit maker why'all, woo)
And haters

Playas gonna play (oh, oh)
Haters gonna hate (yeah)
Ballers gonna ball (oh, oh)
Callers gonna call
Yeah

http://www.lyrics007.com/3LW%20Lyrics/Playas%20Gon'%20Play%20Lyrics.html
-snip-
In the context of this song a "baller" is "a person who is flashy with their money. Someone who has lots of money and enjoys showing it off in front of others buy buying expensive and extravagant things such as cars, clothes, jewelry, etc."
Last edited on Sep 03 2011. Submitted by The Last Don on Aug 30 2011. http://onlineslangdictionary.com/meaning-definition-of/baller
-snip-
In the context of that song [and that definition] "to ball" is to act like a big baller. (A "baller" is often referred to as a "big baller").
-snip-
In the context of this song, a "caller" and a "shot caller" is someone who is in charge, i.e. someone who "call the shots", make all the decisions. A shot caller is considered or wants to be considered the most important person in any setting.

****
Examples #2: Jill Scott "Hate On Me"



hiddenbeachmedia, Uploaded on Aug 9, 2007 [2007]
-snip-
At .05 of this video, Jill Scott makes a side eye gesture. That gestures shows what she feels about those who "hate on" her. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/03/puttin-on-black-side-eye-videos.html for a post about side eye.
-snip-
LYRICS: HATE ON ME

If I could give you the world
On a silver platter
Would even matter
You'd still be mad at me
If I can find in all this
A dozen roses
Which I would give to you
You'd still be miserable
In reality
I'm gon be who I be
And I don't feel no faults
For all the lies that you bought
You can try as you may
Break me down when I say

That it ain't up to you
Gon on do what you do

[Chorus:]
Hate on me hater
Now or Later
Cause I'm gonna do me
You'll be made baby

(Go head and hate)
Go head and hate on me hater
I'm not afraid of
What I got I paid for
You can hate on me...

Ooh if I gave you peaches
Out of my on garden
And I made you a peach cobbler
Would you slap me out?
Wonder if I gave you diamonds
Out of my on womb
Would you feel the love in that
Or ask why not the moon
If I gave you sanity
For the whole of humanity
Had all the solutions for the pain and pollution
No Matter Where I live
Despite the things I give
You'll always be this way
So go ahead and ...

[Chorus x2]

You Cannot...
Hate On me
Cause my mind is free
Feel my destiny
So Shall it Be
[Repeat x2]
[Chorus]

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jillscott/hateonme.html

****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composers of these songs, and to all of the vocalists & musicians in these featured videos. My thanks also to the commenters and authors who are quoted in this post and the uploaders of these featured videos.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.



Read More
Posted in African American English, African American Rhythm and Blues, Hip-Hop music, side eye | No comments

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Whitey's Lindy Hoppers (information & film clips)

Posted on 4:08 AM by Unknown
Edited by Azizi Powell

This post presents information about and film clips of Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, a very influential Jazz (Swing) American dance group in the late 1930s and early 1940s. A bonus video tribute to Frankie Manning, a core member & choreographer of that group, is also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

INFORMATION ABOUT WHITEY'S LINDY HOPPERS
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitey's_Lindy_Hoppers
"Whitey's Lindy Hoppers was a professional performing group of Savoy Ballroom swing dancers, started in 1935 by Herbert "Whitey" White. The group took on many different forms, with up to 12 different groups performing under this name or one of a number of different names used for the group over the years, including Whitey's Hopping Maniacs, Harlem Congaroo Dancers, and The Hot Chocolates. In addition to touring both nationally and internationally, the group appeared in a number of feature films and Broadway productions and counted Dorothy Dandridge and Sammy Davis Jr. among their celebrity regulars. By the summer of 1943, with most of its best male dancers got drafted, the Whitey's Lindy Hoppers had pretty much disbanded. The Savoy Ballroom closed in 1958."...
-snip-
From http://www.savoystyle.com/whiteys_lindy_hoppers.html
Archives of Early Lindy Hop -Biographies of Early Swing Dancers

"It is almost 70 years since Herbert "Whitey" White started a professional performing group of Savoy Ballroom swing dancers in 1935. Yet the film clips of Whitey's Lindy Hoppers continue to delight and astonish audiences and inspire new generations of swing dancers...

Whitey's Lindy Hoppers was the brainchild of Herbert "Whitey" White. An African-American man known as "Whitey" because of the streak of white in his hair, he was a former boxer who became a bouncer at the Savoy Ballroom. At one time, more than 70 swing dancers were employed by Whitey. He had a good eye for talent and, like a good coach, he knew how to nurture it. He gave many future entertainers their start in show business...

No matter how far their professional careers went, Whitey's dancers were always, first and foremost, social dancers and true jazz dance improvisors, even after they had a number of choreographed routines under their belts. In this they paralleled the musicians of the great Big Bands, who could perform tight arrangements and still blow completely original jazz improvisations night after night.

The interaction between the improvisations of the great dancers and the great musicians made for fireworks! The dancers transposed the rhythms and riffs into movement and the musicians, watching, responded to what they saw with a frenzy of jazz innovation"...

****
FEATURED VIDEOS
Example #1: whitey's lindyhoppers -- history



7roach, Uploaded on Oct 15, 2007

whitey's lindyhoppers
featuring clips from Hot Chocolates and A Day at the Races

****
Example #2: Whitey's Lindy Hoppers Radio City Revels 1938


Olivier Cotton. Uploaded on Jun 3, 2010

****
Example #3: Whitey's Lindy Hoppers performing the Big Apple (1939)



Tanoa Stewart, Uploaded on Jan 25, 2007

Whitey's Lindy Hoppers performing the Big Apple followed by some crazy Lindy Hoppin'. From the movie Keep Punching, 1939 - Brought to you by the San Francisco Jitterbugs, www.jitterbugs.info

****
Example #4: Hot Chocolate (1941) Duke Ellington & Whitney's Lindy Hopper



Scottdavid4321, Uploaded on Oct 7, 2008
An old jazz clip

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Example #5: Whiteys Lindy Hoppers .. Helzapoppin.



Uploaded by docludi2 on Sep 7, 2010

Probably the greatest Lindy hop sequence ever filmed. Whitey's Lindy Hoppers from the film Helzapoppin… [1941]

****
BONUS VIDEO

Frankie Manning Tribute Video


swingbud,Uploaded on Aug 25, 2010

We're pleased to present the new video tribute to Frankie Manning, produced by Swing Bud Films, "Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Swing." Whether you are a longtime Swing dancer, or new to the dance floor, we hope you will enjoy and be inspired by this introduction to one of America's great dancer / choreographers.

****
RELATED LINKS
Click http://www.savoystyle.com/hellzapoppin.html for information about the "Hellzapoppin" dance scene and a listing of other early lindy hop dance scenes.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/04/archival-lindy-hop-swing-dance-videos.html for another pancocojams post about Whitey's Lindy Hoppers. That post includes information about the early history of the Lindy Hop dance.

Click http://cocojams.com/content/comments-about-racism-movie-day-races to read a compilation of YouTube comments about whether the Whitey's Lindy Hoppers dance scene in the "Day At The Races" film is racist or not.

Also, for a largely non-dance related critique of this film clip and a non-dance related critique of neo-Swing in general, click http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2011/07/05/race-appropriation-lindy-hop-how-to-honor-our-heroes/ Race, Appropriation, & Lindy Hop: How to Honor our Heroes.

****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to Whitey's Lindy Hoppers for their dance legacy. My thanks also to the musicians and producers of these film clips. Thanks also to the uploaders of these videos and the authors of the information that is quoted in this post.

Also, thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.

Read More
Posted in Jazz dances, Jitterbug dances, Lindy Hop, Swing dances, Swing music | No comments

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Jimmie Lunceford - Rhythm Is Our Business (Jazz)

Posted on 5:43 AM by Unknown
Edited by Azizi Powell

This post presents a sound file of the Jimmie Lunceford And His Orchestra performing "Rhythm Is Our Business". Information about Jimmie Lunceford and the lyrics for this song are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

INFORMATION ABOUT JIMMIE LUNCEFORD
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmie_Lunceford
"James Melvin "Jimmie" Lunceford (June 6, 1902 – July 12, 1947) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and bandleader in the swing era...

In 1927, while an athletic instructor at Manassas High School in Memphis, Tennessee, he organized a student band, the Chickasaw Syncopators, whose name was changed to the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra. Under the new name, the band started its professional career in 1929, and made its first recordings in 1930...

Lunceford's orchestra, with their tight musicianship and the often outrageous humor in their music and lyrics, made an ideal band for the club, and Lunceford's reputation began to steadily grow.[7] Jimmie Luncefords band differed from other great bands of the time because their work was better known for its ensemble than its solo work. Additionally, he was known for using a two-beat rhythm, called the Lunceford two-beat, as opposed to the standard four-beat rhythm. This distinctive "Lunceford style" was largely the result of the imaginative arrangements by trumpeter Sy Oliver, which set high standards for dance-band arrangers of the time.[9]

Though not well known as a musician, Jimmie Lunceford was trained on several instruments and was even featured on flute in "Liza".[10]

Comedy and vaudeville played a distinct part in Lunceford's presentation. Songs such as "Rhythm Is Our Business", "I'm Nuts about Screwy Music", "I Want the Waiter (With the Water)", and "Four or Five Times" displayed a playful sense of swing, often through clever arrangements by trumpeter Sy Oliver and bizarre lyrics. Lunceford's stage shows often included costumes, skits, and obvious jabs at mainstream white jazz bands, such as Paul Whiteman's and Guy Lombardo's.

Despite the band's comic veneer, Lunceford always maintained professionalism in the music befitting a former teacher; this professionalism paid off and during the apex of swing in the 1930s, the Orchestra was considered the equal of Duke Ellington's, Earl Hines' or Count Basie's"...

FEATURED VIDEO - Rhythm Is Our Business



saxdad59, Uploaded on Aug 16, 2008
-snip-
Here's a comment from this video's comment thread identifying key band members http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Tgef-Xhqn0
Grouchy2day, 2012
"The drummer was James Crawford. Joe Thomas on tenor sax, Paul Webster on trumpet, Moses Allen on bass and the vocalist was Willie Smith (who also plays alto sax).
-snip-
This clip is also given at 2:00 to 3:34 in the 6:33 video entitled JImmie Lunceford And His Orchestra http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNfUtfdwTes

SONG LYRICS: RHYTHM IS OUR BUSINESS
(Sammy Cahn / Saul Chaplin / Jimmie Lunceford)

Rhythm is our business, rhythm is what we sell,
Rhythm is our business, business sure is swell,
Now, if you blue, rhythm's what you need
If you got rhythm you're sure to succeed,
Rhythm is our business, business sure is swell.

He's the drummer man, in the band
Crosby's on the drums, in the band
Oh, when he does tricks with the sticks
The boys in the band all play hot licks

He plays saxophone in the band
Joe plays the saxophone in the band
Oh, when he goes up that scale
(One line of scat singing followed by saxophone break)

Mose plays on the bass in the band
Mose plays on that bass in the band
Now when he picks on those strings
Happiness to you he brings
(Short bass break)

He blows on the trumpet in the band
Steve blows on that trumpet in the band
Oh, he's the guy, hits `em high
Makes you think he's in the sky
(Trumpet Break)

Oh rhythm is our business!

(Transcribed from the Jimmie Lunceford
recording by Bill Huntley - November 2005)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmie_Lunceford

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra for their musical legacy. My thanks also to the author of the article, the transcriber of this song, and the uploader of this featured sound file.

Also, thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.
Read More
Posted in Jazz, Swing music | No comments
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Blog Archive

  • ▼  2013 (322)
    • ▼  September (18)
      • Pluto Shervington - Ram Goat Liver
      • Lord Nelson - King Liar (Calypso sound file, lyric...
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      • Down In The Canebrake (Lyrics, Sound File, & Comme...
      • Four Examples Of "Senzeni Na?"
      • Various African Funeral Customs Including South Af...
      • Colors Associated With Funerals In Ghana, West Africa
      • Wearing Red Dresses For Mourning (Song Examples & ...
      • Christy Essien Igbokwe - Seun Rere (videos, commen...
      • Examples Of The Line "We Don't Die We Multiply"
      • Peckin - Dance Movement & Jazz Compositions
      • "A Tisket A Tasket" (information, lyrics, and video)
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      • Racially Derogatory Variants Of Old Shoe Boots And...
      • Gus Cannon - Old John Booker You Call That Gone (i...
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