Fats Waller & Ada Brown Performing "That Ain't Right" (Clip From 1943 Movie "Stormy Weather")

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube clip from the 1943 movie Stormy Weather that features Fats Waller and Ada Brown performing "That Ain't Right".

The lyrics of this song-including Fats Waller's word play (comebacks) are included in this post along with selected comments from the discussion thread of this YouTube video.

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Fats Waller, Ada Brown, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, and all others who are featured in this movie clip and thanks for their musical legacies. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO:
Fats Waller & Ada Brown - That Ain't Right - Stormy Weather (1943)



bessjazz, Published on Apr 21, 2010

Fats Waller & Ada Brown : That Ain't Right (Nat 'King' Cole & Irving Mills), with Lena Horne, dancer , Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, drummer Zutty Singleton, bassist Slam Stewart, Trumpeter Benny Carter...in "Stormy Weather" (1943) by Andrew L. Stone, for Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.
-snip-
The sign on the "nightclub" reads "Fats Waller and the Beale Street Boys". "Beale Street Boys" were an actual band which was rather popular for a short time. Click bealestreetboys.html for information about this band.

Here are selected comments from this "video's" discussion thread. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.:

Michael Klein, 2015
"Fats Waller---one of those select dozen or so artists that were unique and one-of-a-kind; thank the stars for records and film, that's all I can say!"

1. Vicki Buoy, 2011
"i JUST LOVE THIS NUMBER .. Fats is so good with his comebacks and Ada is just great"

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2. napoleonalex1, 2013
"A piece of history great clip!!!"

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3. alphasun1, 2013
"This film was packed with talent, led by Waller."

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3. Great Pianists, 2013
"Back in those days, there was no good method for recording sound and action at the same time (or at least music and action, I think they could do dialogue), so these old "soundies" and music scenes in movies, etc. are almost all generally overdubbed. In other words, they'd record this in a studio, and then once on-set, the recording would be played back off-camera, and the musicians would have to mime as best as possible along with what was played. Stupid, but the way it was for awhile."

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REPLY
4. Tommy Black, 2018
"You can see that it's mimed, because you can hear a right-hand piano tremolo when Fats's hand is still."

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5. ChristopherClarkArt, 2014
" "Suffer, excess baggage, suffer!" Wow, Fats Waller is hysterical."

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6. jakeyake1992, 2014
"Beef to me mama beef to me. I dont like pork nohow"

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7. MaabudZ, 2014
"I've loved Fats Waller for years. It's great music no question. I suppose we have to take into the context of the time the whole "shine" smiling darkies aura presented, It is an unfortunate legacy of slavery and prejudice. Clearly Fats and some others created a place for themselves in the world through their talent and genius and I'm grateful for their gifts. It's just that I find some of the behavior in this clip embarassing at the same time as I enjoy it. Lest we forget."

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REPLY
8. Joe Harkins, 2014
"I understand the comments of concern about the "shine' aspects of this clip. But let's look at the whole film and you will see it is not the blaxploitation trifle that some think. Start with the Wikipedia entry for "Stormy Weather" the movie). How boorish of YT not to allow links.

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REPLY
9. Ewerb7, 2014
"This is just classic. I know some people think this is demeaning to blacks, but I think this is quite the opposite. It shows what incredible brilliance in music, acting, dance, and humor blacks have contributed to society. I just love this stuff."

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REPLY
10. Surixurient, 2015
"I suppose we have to take into the context of the time the whole "shine" smiling darkies aura presented, It is an unfortunate legacy of slavery and prejudice."

Actually, that is just how people acted in these type of films, smiling and happy go lucky. Watch TCM or something. There is no need to find racism in everything.

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REPLY
11. Cosmicblast77, 2015
"I love it, yes one can bring up the race issue and the sterotypical attitudes of the early part of the century, but you have to admit, the music and their talent was great. Great music."

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REPLY
12. The film is based on the life of a legend whose work survives in early films and clips with Shirley Temple. Then consider who participated in this film. It might be asked, who is funning who?"

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REPLY
13. Joanne Smith, 2017
"To the person who says theres no need to find racism in everything...
U r ignorant to the facts:
Hollywood producers MADE Little Rascals black characters speak bad grammar, they wore the raggediest clothing, & played SUBservient roles.
Willie Best & Steppin Fechit deplorable stereotypical roles were imposed upon them by white Hollywood film makers. But I guess if I were white I'd probably b in denial of racism too. As is the case w 95% white population.

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REPLY
14. Billy Desmond, 2018
"You live now, not 1936, things were different back then. It's amazing how Fats Waller talant shines through so strongly. This shows he was truly one of the greats!. What a marvelous - talented musician."

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REPLY
15. GOLIATHdominates, 2018
"Wait, what? How could blues and stride piano possibly be demeaning to black people? The entire American songbook is based on what was going on in New Orleans...

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REPLY
16. adam barnes, 2018
"Ewerb7 you gotta be white..smh..ur racism is showing.

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17. Christopher Calloway Brooks, 2015
"It's the killer diller!"

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18. Garoosh, 2015
"Now thats an alto!"

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19. Goblintrain, 2015
"OMFW... I know Fats, but who is that deep voiced woman? OMFW What a great singer!!!"

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REPLY
20. Brandon H, 2015
"Ada Brown. Pioneer of the Kansas City blues scene."

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REPLY
21. Kevin Boone, 2016
"@Brandon H Thank you. I asked a gentleman on this site if he knew who she was...and I scroll down...and I have my answer. Ada and her twin performed at the Cotton Club. Did you know she is the mother of jazz trumpeter Eddie Henderson, who is also a medical doctor, Julliard and Oberlin Conservatory of Music educator, and former figure skating champion? 
xuereb, 2017
"Ada had some chops!"

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22. Michael Klein, 2015
"Fats Waller---one of those select dozen or so artists that were unique and one-of-a-kind; thank the stars for records and film, that's all I can say!"

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23. m3tafunj, 2018
"I didn't know the phrases "ballin'" and "beefin'" went back this far!"

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24. Iain Wilson, 2018
"It's a pun "I was born bawling (like a baby) and I'm gonna ball the rest of my life"

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25. Chris Lund, 2018
"2:17 "Ah, beef to me mama, beef to me. I don't like pork no how."
My favorite line."

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26. Carrie L Cody, 2018
"The amount of talent on that screen at one time is INSANE!"

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27. calvin jackson, 2018
"Sing it Ada!!! That lady is laying this song down!!!! Thank you for this post!! I love seeing black singers from the 1930's and 40's because this brings me close to my dad. This was his time of youth and its just great to see what music and singing and songs were like at this time of jim crow and segregation.

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28. Art Gray, 2018
"WIBC radio in Indianapolis had a dj who used "Take It Easy" as his theme music. It reminds me of afternoons with my Grandmother after school. The lyrics also gave me some words to live by. Thanks, Mr. Waller!"

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29. M A, 2018
"The caliber of improv and ad-libbing :)"

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30. FiveMusic, 2018
"Anyone notice the unreasonable amount of hats on top the piano?"

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REPLY
31. MilkyCheeseMan, 2018
"it's the band's and people's hats"

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REPLY
32. 4Youalone3, 2018
"It was deemed impolite to wear a hat inside."

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REPLY
33. Bill Holt, 2018
"Everybody wore hats in 1943. Church pews even had a hook for every seat just to hang your hat. Derbys were out but porkpies and especially fedoras were in.

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34. Jerry Johnson, 2018
"May 21st: Happy birthday Jazz Pianist-Composer-Singer-Actor Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (1904-1943) Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame; songs: "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Ain't Misbehavin'" inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame. Thank you and God bless. RIP Icon. Thanks for the upload, bessjazz. Blessings"

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35. Veronica Grey, 2018
"Is it Bill 'Bojangles' ?"

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REPLY
36. lsmyp Lsmyp, 2019
"Yes Bill "Bo Jangles" Robinson he also starred in many of Shirley Temple Movies."
-snip-
This exchange is in reference to the Black janitor who near the end of this movie clip said "I wish someone would book me someplace".

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37. Crossphase, 2018
“You’ve got the world in a jar..- yeah and where’s the stopper.” I love this play on words. Unless it literally meant ajar in which.. well damn"

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38. NoirReine, 2018
"Black Excellence!"

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39.Carrie L Cody
"The entire film is like that. I don't think they could make this movies equal these days."

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LYRICS: THAT AIN'T RIGHT
(Fats Waller)

Baby, baby
What is the matter with you?
(Ain't nothing wrong with me, babes; nothing at all)

Baby, baby
What is the matter with you?
(One never knows, do one?)
You got the world in a jar (Yeah, but where's the stopper?)
And you've got nothin' to do
(Do you hear that mess? She's always layin' it on me!)
You know I always told ya
You'd be the death of me
And when I'm always with you
I get the third degree
That ain't right
(Aw, tell these folks anything, but tell me the truth!)
Oh, that ain't right at all
(What's wrong wid her? What's wrong wid her?)
Yes, you're takin' all my money
And going out havin' a ball
(Baby, I was born ballin' and I'm gonna ball the rest o' my life!)
I took you to a night club
I bought you that pink champagne
You rode home in a taxi
While I caught that subway train
That ain't right!
Oh, that ain't right at all!
That you're takin' all my money
And goin' out havin' yourself a ball
(Oh, beef to me, momma, beef to me! I don't like pork no how...)
I went to a fortune teller (Yeah?)
And had my fortune told (What'd she say?)
She said you didn't love me
All you wanted was my gold (She was right! How did she know?)
That ain't right!
Oh, t'ain't right at all! (Everyone wants some gold, baby!)
Yeah, you're takin' all my money
And goin' out havin' yourself a ball
(Suffer! Suffer, excess baggage, suffer!)

Source: https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Fats-Waller/That-Ain-t-Right

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