maynardcat, Oct. 7, 2010
The Varsity Drag introduction is an error. The Black Bottom replaced "The Charleston" as the next most popular dance of the 1920's. Released June 28, 1926. Written by Buddy De Sylva, Lew Brown and Ray Henderson. In 1925, DeSylva became one third of the songwriting team with lyricist Lew Brown and composer Ray Henderson. De Sylva, Brown and Henderson became one of the top Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the era. Black bottom dancing was for the young and energetic. This song and style of dancing were popular in the1920's. The dancers performing, and the orchestra are from 1956, Rod Alexander Gemze de Lappe and The Dance Jubilee Troupe. Billy Pierce (14 June 1890 – 11 April 1933) was an African American choreographer, dancer and dance studio owner who has been credited with the invention of the Black Bottom dance that became a national craze in the mid-1920s. -snip- The publisher of this video corrected his mistake that the song in the video was "The Varsity Drag" instead of "Black Bottom". Both songs were written by the same composers in 1927. "The Varsity Drag" was featured in the Broadway show Good News. Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Varsity_Drag for information about that song.
Latest revision- Nov. 28, 2021
This is Part III of a three part pancocojams series on the Black Bottom, the title of a number of African American originated Jazz dances and songs that were very popular beginning aroun 1926.
This post presents lyrics for three 1920s songs about the Black Bottom dance. YouTube videos for two of these versions are also included in this post.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the composers and choreographers of Black Bottom songs and dances. Thanks to all those who are are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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THREE "BLACK BOTTOM" SONGS
Version #1: 'Original Black Bottom Dance - Percy Bradford (1919)
Hop down front and then you Doodle back,
Mooch to your left and then you Mooch to the right
Hands on your hips and do the Mess Around,
Break a Leg until you're near the ground
Now that's the Old Black Bottom Dance.
Now listen folks, open your ears,
This rhythm you will hear-
Charleston was on the afterbeat-
Old Black Bottom'll make you shake your feet,
Believe me it's a wow.
Now learn this dance somehow
Started in Georgia and it went to France
it's got everybody in a trance
It's a wing, that Old Black Bottom Dance.
-snip-
This is the song that is sung in the first video that is embedded in this post.
-snip-
streetswing.com indicates that doodle in that song meant "slide" and "break a leg" meant "wooble".
Perry Bradford (February 14, 1893 - April 20, 1970) was an African American composer, songwriter, and vaudeville performer. Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry_Bradford for information about Perry Bradford.
(Ray Henderson [music], Buddy De Sylva & Lew Brown, lyrics) Oh, the black bottom of the Swanee river Sometimes like to shake and shiveer, But it makes the darkies feel like struttin' around, I watchin'! They found a way to imitate it; I know they exaggerate it, But I wish that you could see the dance that they found! Every high brown gal and her bon-bon buddy Go down where the tracks are muddy To do a step that soon will be renowned! They call it black bottom, a new twister, Sure got 'em, oh sister! They clap their hands and do a raggedy trot, it's hot! Old fellows with lumbago, With high yellers, away they go! They jump right in and give it all that they've got! They say that when the river bottom covered with ooze, Start in to squirm, Couples dance, here's the movement they use, Just like a worm! Black bottom, A new rhythm, When you spot 'em, You go with 'em! And do that black black bottom all the day long! They say that when the river bottom covered with ooze, Start in to squirm, Couples dance, here's the movement they use, Just like a worm! Black bottom, A new rhythm, When you spot 'em, You go with 'em! And do that black black bottom all the day long, All day long, long, all day long! Online Source: https://www.lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/b/blackbottom.html (Transcribed by Peter Akers - March 2011)
-snip-
The Ray Henderson et al version of "Black Bottom" is featured in the 1926 Broadway show George White Scandals.
Here's information from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_White%27s_Scandals
about that Broadway show:
"George White's Scandals were a long-running string of
Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modeled after
the Ziegfeld Follies.[1] The "Scandals" launched the careers of many
entertainers, including W. C. Fields, the Three Stooges, Ray Bolger, Helen
Morgan, Ethel Merman, Ann Miller, Eleanor Powell, Bert Lahr and Rudy Vallée….
Much of George Gershwin's early work appeared in the 1920–24 editions of
Scandals. The Black Bottom, danced by Ziegfeld Follies star Ann Pennington and
Tom Patricola, touched off a national dance craze."...
-snip-
Here's an excerpt that I included in Part I of this pancocojams series.
This is a passage from Just Remember This (Colin Bratkovich · 2014, Page 397,Google Books)
…"with “dance” origins perhaps existing into the earlier part of the century, the early 1920s found (black) entities (who also sang) such as Alberta Hunter and Ethel Ridley claiming to have originated the contemporary [Black Bottom] dance subsequently claimed by (white) entities, especially George White’s own Anne Pennington. Indeed, this “Black Bottom” song ditty, featured in George White’s Sandals of 1926 -penned by the white team of Ray Henderson, Buddy de Sylva, and Lew Brown with the lyrics full of black slang and obvious racial references-became a vocal as well, and, like the Charleston which had proceeded it, this ditty reeked of a rip off. "...
-snip-
I added the song title in brackets and written in italics. The words in parenthesis were found in that passage.
****
With regard to the racial referents that are used in this "Black Botton" song that was written by White Americans:
"Darkies" was and still is a very offensive racial term that was/is rarely used by Black Americans.
"High brown" is a no longer used Black American term for a light brown skin person of some Black African descent.
"High yellow" is a no longer used Black American term for very little skinned person of some Black African descent.
Read other excerpts in Part I of this pancocojams series for more information and comments about this song.
****
Version #3: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom | Official Music
Abdelkodouss Belhaimer, Dec. 20, 2020
Chicago, 1927. A recording session. Tensions rise between Ma
Rainey (Viola Davis), her ambitious horn player (Chadwick Boseman), and the
white management determined to control the legendary “Mother of the Blues.”
Based on Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson's play.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, directed by George C. Wolfe.
Starring Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Colman Domingo, Michael Potts, Glynn
Turman, Dusan Brown and Taylour Paige. Coming to Netflix December 18.
-snip-
Here's the lyrics to "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom":
(written by Ma Rainey, 1927)
Now, you heard the rest
Ah boys, I'm gonna show you the best
Ma Rainey's gonna show you her black bottom
[Verse]
Way down south in Alabamy
I got a friend they call dancin' Sammy
Who's crazy about all the latest dancin'
Black Bottom Stomp and the [?] prancin'
The other night at a swell affair
Soon as the boys found out that I was there
They said, "Come on, Ma, let's go to the cabaret"
When I got there you oughta hear me say
[Chorus]
Want to see the dance you call the black bottom
I wanna learn that dance
Want to see the dance you call your big black bottom
That puts you in a trance
All the boys in the neighborhood
They say your black bottom is really good
Come on and show me your black bottom
I wanna learn that dance
[Chorus]
I want to see the dance you call the black bottom
I wanna learn that dance
Come on and show the dance you call your big black bottom
It puts you in a trance
Early last morning 'bout the break of day
Grandpa told my grandmother, heard him say
"Get over here and you show the old man your black bottom
I want to learn that dance"
Now I'm gonna show y'all my black bottom
They pay to see that dance
Wait until you see me do my big black bottom
It puts you in a trance
Ah, do it Ma, do it, honey
Look out now Ma, you gettin' kinda rough there
You better be yourself now, careful now
Not too strong, not too strong, Ma
I done showed y'all my black bottom
You ought to learn that dance
Online source: https://genius.com/Ma-rainey-ma-raineys-black-bottom-lyrics
-snip-
Here's some information about Ma Rainey
"Gertrude "Ma" Rainey (née Pridgett; April 26, 1886 – December 22, 1939)[1][2][3] was an influential American blues singer and early blues recording artist.[4] Dubbed the "Mother of the Blues", she bridged earlier vaudeville and the authentic expression of southern blues, influencing a generation of blues singers.[5]
Gertrude Pridgett began performing as a teenager and became
known as "Ma" Rainey after her marriage to Will "Pa" Rainey
in 1904. They toured with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels and later formed their own
group, Rainey and Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues. Her first recording was
made in 1923. In the following five years, she made over 100 recordings,
including "Bo-Weevil Blues" (1923), "Moonshine Blues"
(1923), "See See Rider Blues" (1924), "Ma Rainey's Black
Bottom" (1927), and "Soon This Morning" (1927).[6]"...
****
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma_Rainey%27s_Black_Bottom for information about the August Wilson play "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom".
****
This concludes Part III of this three part pancocojams series.
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