This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of a 1944 film clip of Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five performing "Deacon Jones" in the American movie Meet Miss Bobby Sox.
Selected comments about the song "Deacon Jones" from that video's discussion thread are included in this post.
The lyrics to this version of "Deacon Jones" are also included in this post along with information about Louis Jordan.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Louis Jordan for his musical legacy. Thanks also to the Tympany Five and thanks to the publisher of this film clip on YouTube. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post. -snip- Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/09/information-selected-comments-about.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "Information & Selected Comments About The 19th Century Bawdy Folk Character Deacon Jones (with lyrics)."
**** INFORMATION ABOUT LOUIS JORDAN From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Jordan "Louis Thomas Jordan[a] (July 8, 1908 – February 4, 1975)[1]
was an American saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and bandleader
who was popular from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Known as "The King
of the Jukebox", he earned his highest profile towards the end of the
swing era. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an
"early influence" in 1987.[2]
Jordan was a talented singer with great comedic flair, and
he fronted his own band for more than twenty years. He duetted with some of the
biggest solo singing stars of his time, including Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald
and Louis Armstrong. Jordan was also an actor and a film personality—he
appeared in dozens of "soundies" (promotional film clips); the one
for "Caldonia" is the most readily available for viewing on various
websites.[3][4] He also made numerous cameos in mainstream features and short
films, and starred in two musical feature films made especially for him. He was
an instrumentalist who played all forms of the saxophone but specialized in the
alto. He also played the piano and clarinet.
[...]
Jordan ranks fifth in the list of the most successful
African-American recording artists according to Joel Whitburn's analysis of
Billboard magazine's R&B chart, and was the most popular rhythm and blues
artist with his "jump blues" recordings[5] of the pre-Rock n' Roll
era. Though comprehensive sales figures are not available, he had at least four
million-selling hits during his career. Jordan regularly topped the R&B
"race" charts and was one of the first black recording artists to
achieve significant crossover[6] in popularity with the mainstream
(predominantly white) American audience, having simultaneous Top Ten hits on
the pop charts on several occasions."...
**** LYRICS FOR "DEACON JONES" (As sung by Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five)
Brothers an' sisters an' sisterettes, Deacon Jones sends his deepest regrets. To the members of the flock who are new around here, There's somethin' 'bout the deacon that I want to make clear:
Who's honored an' respected? (Deacon Jones!) Uh-huh, an' who's so kind an' unaffected? (Deacon Jones!) Mm-hmm, an' when a sinner's moanin' low, Who will listen to his tale of woe? (Lordy, Lordy, hallelujah, Deacon Jones!)
Now, who's handsome an' good lookin'? (Deacon Jones!) Mm-hmm, an' who is it that can smell a rooster cookin'? (Deacon Jones!) Mm-hmm, an' who gets all the chicken breast, An' leaves the giblets for the rest? (Lordy, Lordy, hallelujah, Deacon Jones!)
Now, who is loved by all his neighbors? (Deacon Jones!) Mm-hmm, an' who is it that will help you with your labors? (Deacon Jones!) Uh-huh, he'll help you beat the rug, An' also help you find a cider jug. (Lordy, Lordy, hallelujah, Deacon Jones!)
Now, who's in charge of the contributions? (Deacon Jones!) Mm-hmm, an' who attends to the distributions? (Deacon Jones!) Mm-hmm, an' before any of the dough is spent, Who is it that takes out his ten percent? (Lordy, Lordy, hallelujah, Deacon Jones!)
CHORUS
Now, who attends the fraternal meetin's? (Deacon Jones!) That's right, an' who extends all the hearty greetin's? (Deacon Jones!) Mm-hmm, an' who's in charge of all the dues, An' who's the only one with shoes? (Lordy, Lordy, hallelujah, Deacon Jones!)
Now, who's the first to church on Sunday? (Deacon Jones!) Mm-hmm, an' who's the last at work on Monday? (Deacon Jones!) That's right, an' all the balance of the week, Who is it that goes fishin' down the creek? (Lordy, Lordy, hallelujah, Deacon Jones!)
1. richardsull119, 2009 "Who's loved by all the congregation? (Deacon Jones!) And who gives them consoloation? (Deacon Jones!) When a sister's feeling blue Who is it that consoles her in her pew? (Deacon Jones!) Lordy Lord Hallelujah, Deacon Jones!
Who's the country's greatest lover? (Deacon Jones!) Who makes all other cats take cover? (Deacon Jones!) And when your gal is leaving you, Just tell me, who is she going to? (Deacon Jones!) Lordy Lord Hallelujah, Deacon Jones!"
** 2. richardsull119, 2009 "These are different verses from what I have on CD! This is
great!
In case anyone stumbles on this video without knowing Louis
Jordan, here are the alternate verses:
Who will keep a sister singing? (Deacon Jones!) Who will also keep her phone a-ringing? (Deacon Jones!) And when she's all alone at night, Who will help her see the light? (Deacon Jones!) Lordy Lord Hallelujah, Deacon Jones!
** 3. Dave Ryan, 2011 "Jordan looks like he is having so much fun doing this Deacon
Jones bit. He really was a talent and absolutely the Father of rock and roll
and lordy, lordy hallelujah how he could play that sax."
** 4. hebneh, 2011 "The kooky white-rimmed glasses are a wonderful touch.
Too bad the audience of teenagers didn't look more animated
when those shots got intercut with this rollicking performance.
Deacon Jones would get mentioned in songs in later years, as
one of the people enjoying good rockin' tonight, and so on.
** Reply 5. schizoidboy, 2011 "@hebneh To be honest I don't think they were allowed to get
animated. It was one thing if an African American got up and danced to this
song it would have horrified a white audience if the white kids started dancing
to the music. Point of interest one show back in the early sixties got canceled
when Frankie Lymon of the Teenagers was shown dancing with a white girl. That's
how things were in those days."
** 6. Daniel Martin, 2011 "Was Deacon jones a real person? or is he, and i know i'l
probs getter a lot of hatefor thsi referance but was Deacon Jones like the
saint jimmy of 1940 ?"
** Reply 7. Drew Pressler, 2018 "There was a football player in the 60s and 70s named Deacon
Jones"
** 8. The American Storyteller, 2012 "This version cleans up the original record, which was filled
with thinly disguised sexual references to the Deacon's philandering. In either
case, LJ was my all time favorite entertainer. The super lunatic madman supreme
and sultan of saxophone and storytelling. Its impossible to listen to Jordan
and not laugh, dance, or smile."
** 9. Pete Hammer, 2017 "The original recording had slightly more risque lyric
alluding to the good ole' deacon's sexual prowess.
This pancocojams post provides information about the music genre known as "Jump Blues" and information about Louis Jordan, a popular Jump Blues musicians/composers.
Part I also provides information about the song "Beans And Cornbread" and a sound file of that Jump Blues song performed by its composer Louis Jordan and his band.
A YouTube song file of "Beans And Cornbread" is included in this post along with the lyrics for this song.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Louis Jordan for his musical legacy and thanks to the musical contribution of all members of Louis Jordan's band, The Tympany Five. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these sound files on YouTube.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT "JUMP BLUES"
From
"Jump blues is an up-tempo style of blues, usually played by small groups and featuring horn instruments. It was popular in the 1940s and was a precursor of rhythm and blues and rock and roll.[2] Appreciation of
Jump Blues was renewed in the 1990s as part of the swing revival.
[...]
Jump was especially popular in the late 1940s and early 1950s, through artists such as Louis Jordan, Big Joe Turner, Roy Brown, Charles Brown, Helen Humes, T-Bone Walker, Roy Milton, Billy Wright, Wynonie Harris, Louis Prima, and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee.[2]
[...]
Stylistic origins: Blues, swing, boogie-woogie
Cultural origins: Late 1930s, U.S.
Typical instruments: Brass instruments, electric guitar, piano, double bass, drums"...
****
INFORMATION ABOUT LOUIS JORDAN
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Jordan
"Louis Thomas Jordan[1] (July 8, 1908 – February 4, 1975)[2] was an American musician, songwriter and bandleader who was popular from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Known as "The King of the Jukebox", his highest profile came towards the end of the swing era.
Jordan was a talented singer with great comedic flair, and he fronted his own band for more than twenty years...
He was an instrumentalist who played all forms of the saxophone but specialized in the alto. He also played the piano and clarinet. A productive songwriter, he wrote or co-wrote many songs that were influential classics of 20th-century popular music.
Jordan began his career in big-band swing jazz in the 1930s, but he became known as one of the leading practitioners, innovators and popularizers of jump blues, a swinging, up-tempo, dance-oriented hybrid of jazz, blues and boogie-woogie. Typically performed by smaller bands consisting of five or six players, jump music featured shouted, highly syncopated vocals and earthy, comedic lyrics on contemporary urban themes. It strongly emphasized the rhythm section of piano, bass and drums; after the mid-1940s, this mix was often augmented by electric guitar. Jordan's band also pioneered the use of the electronic organ."...
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "BEANS AND CORNBREAD"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beans_and_Corn_Bread
""Beans and Corn Bread" is a 1949 jump blues song by Louis Jordan and Tympany Five, released by Decca. It was written by Jordan under his wife's name, Fleecie Moore,[1] and Fred B. Clark.
It is used as the theme song for the WTBS program Dinner and a Movie as well as being featured in the 1992 film Malcolm X."...
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
Example #1: Louis Jordan & The Tympany Five ~ Beans and Cornbread (1949)
NoRosesForMe, Jan 14, 2009
Food fight!! ....Literally.
This song makes me hungry! Really does.
Louis was one of the best entertainers ever.
As far as I know he never did a bad song.
Always fun to hear!
Thanks for watching.
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV7_2oy8LMY for a sound file of this song that depicts a can of beans fighting a corn bread figure/
****
LYRICS: BEANS AND CORNBREAD
(Louis Jordan)
Beans and Cornbread had a fight
Beans knocked Cornbread out of sight
Cornbread said, "Now that's alright
Meet me on the corner tomorrow night
"I'll be ready, I'll be ready tomorrow night. (2x)
I'll be ready, I'll be ready to have a fight."
That's what Beans said to Cornbread
"I'll be ready tomorrow night."
Beans told Cornbread, "You ain't straight
You better wake up or I'll gash your gate
Been in this pot since half past two
Swelling and puffing and almost due."
"I'll be ready, I'll be ready tomorrow night."
That's what Beans told Cornbread
"Always getting mad at me
I ain't mad at you
I'll be ready tomorrow night
I'll be ready, mmmmm."
Beans grabbed Cornbread by the toe
"Beans," said Cornbread, "let me go."
Cornbread said, "I'll lay you low
I'm gonna fight you, you so-and-so."
"Meet me on the corner
Meet me on the corner tomorrow night."
That's what Beans said to Cornbread
"You're so bad, you always wanna fight
Meet me on the corner tomorrow night
And I'm gonna beat the hell out'ya
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Meet me on the corner tomorrow night."
Beans hit Cornbread on the head
Cornbread said, "I'm almost dead."
Beans told Cornbread, "Get up, man
You know that we go hand-in-hand."
"Beans and Cornbread
Beans and Cornbread, hand-in-hand."
That's what Beans said to Cornbread
"We should stick together hand-in-hand
We should hang out together like wieners and sauerkraut
We should stick together like hot dogs and mustard
We should get up every morning
And hang out together like sisters and brothers
["Yeah!"]
Every Saturday night, we should hang out like chitlins and potato salad
["Yeah!"]
Like strawberries and shortcake
["Yeah!"]
Like corned beef and cabbage
["Yeah!"]
Like liver and onions
["Yeah!"]
Like red beans and rice
["Yeah!"]
Like bagel and lox
["Yeah!"]
Like sour cream and biscuits
["Yeah!"]
Like bread and butter
["Yeah!"]
Like hot cakes and molasses."
["Yeah!"]
Beans told Cornbread
["Yeah!"]
"It makes no difference what you think about me
["Yeah!"]
But it makes a whole lotta difference what I think about you
["Yeah!"]
We should hang out together like hot cakes and molasses."
["Yeah!"]
That's what Beans said to Cornbread
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series on the children's game "Hide & Seek" (also known as "Hide & Go Seek".
Part II presents information about Big Joe Turner and showcases YouTube examples of the Blues song "Hide And Seek" as it was performed by that Bluesman. The lyrics for Big Joe Turner's "Hide And Seek" allude to the children's game "hide and seek" and include some rhyming verses that are similar to the Gullah children's hide & seek rhyme entitled "All Hid".
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/10/all-hid-african-american-childrens.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. Part I showcases an African American children's rhyme that was used as a prelude to the chasing portion of "Hide & Seek" games. This rhyme is part of the Gullah culture of Georgia and is included in the book Step It Down: Games, Plays, Songs, Stories from Afro-American Heritage (University of Georgia Press, originally published in 1972, Brown Thrasher Edition, 1987). This rhyme is also included in Old Mother Hippletoe: Rural and Urban Children’s Songs New World NW 291 (1978).
Most of this post is a reprint of a post that was published in November 2014 on cocojams2, another blog that I curate that focuses on some examples of African American children's rhymes and cheers. This pancocojams post also includes an Addendum that presents information about the Gullah people.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
Thanks to Big Joe Turner for his musical legacy. Thanks to the composers of this song and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT BIG JOE TURNER
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Joe_Turner
"Joseph Vernon "Big Joe" Turner Jr. (May 18, 1911 – November 24, 1985) was an American blues shouter from Kansas City, Missouri. According to songwriter Doc Pomus, "Rock and roll would have never happened without him." His greatest fame was due to his rock-and-roll recordings in the 1950s, particularly "Shake, Rattle and Roll", but his career as a performer endured from the 1920s into the 1980s.[1]
He was among the first to mix R&B with boogie-woogie, resulting in jump blues—a style that presaged the birth of rock and roll. Indeed, Turner’s original recording of “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” cut for Atlantic Records in 1954, remains one of the cornerstones numbers of the rock and roll revolution. Turner’s lengthy career touched on most every significant development in popular music during this century, taking him from the big bands of the Swing Era to boogie-woogie, rhythm & blues and rock and roll. James Austin of Rhino Records noted that “[Turner’s] raucous style first blended R&B with boogie-woogie. The result was jump blues, and Joe was its foremost practitioner.”
How important was he to the development of rock and roll? “Rock and roll would have never happened without him,” opined legendary songwriter Doc Pomus.
[...]
As a young man, Turner worked at various joints—including the Backbiter’s Club and the Sunset Café—as a bouncer, bartender and singer. It was here that he hooked up with pianist Pete Johnson (nominally referred to in the songs “Roll ‘Em Pete” and “Johnson & Turner Blues"). Turner also sang with the big bands of Count Basie and Benny Moten when they came through town.
Turner and Johnson helped popularize boogie-woogie and jump blues in the late Thirties and early Forties. “Everybody was singing slow blues when I was young,” Turner told Rhino’s James Austin, “and I thought I’d put a beat to it and sing it uptempo.” Crowds would clamor for Johnson to play some boogie—“Roll ‘em, Pete! Make ‘em jump!”—and he would oblige. Thus did this duo help ignite a musical trend in the nightclubs of Kansas City and beyond. The songs Turner sang (and sometimes wrote) were often risqué, employing coy slang words and metaphors for sex in ways that would amuse a partying club crowd."...
****
LYRICS- HIDE AND SEEK
(as performed by Big Joe Turner)
Come on, little baby, play hide 'n' go seek with me
Come on, little baby, play hide 'n' go seek with me
We're gonna play the game, the way it oughta be
Now, I spy, kick 'em in the eye
I'm gonna get you sweetie pie
Oh-boy, oh-boy, oh-boy
Have me some fun tonight
Go way over yonder' hide behind the big oak tree
Go way over yonder' hide behind the big oak tree
Ain't nobody gonna play the game, but you and me
Now, ten, twenty, twenty-five, thirty
Thirty-five, fourty... lawdy miss clawdy
Oh-boy, oh-boy, oh-boy
Get me some love tonight
Now, all ain't here, can't hide over
You can't hide behind a four leaf clover
Oh-boy, oh-boy, oh-boy
Have me some fun tonight
Now, I spy, kick 'em in the eye
I'm gonna get you sweetie pie
Oh-boy, oh-boy, oh-boy
Have me some fun tonight
Are you ready? No-no-no-no
Are you ready? No-no-no-no
Are you ready? No-no-no-no
Are you ready? No-no-no-no
Are you ready? Yes-yes!
Here I come!
source: https://genius.com/Joe-turner-hide-and-seek-lyrics
-snip-
The summary given for the video given as Example #1 below indicates that Ethel Byrd and Paul Winley were the writers of the song "Hide & Seek" (as performed by Big Joe Turner).
Notice how this song is made up of two line rhyming or near rhyming verses like the Gullah children's rhyme "All Hid" (featured on Part I of this pancocojams series.) For example:
"Now, ten, twenty, twenty-five, thirty
Thirty-five, fourty... lawdy miss clawdy"
[and]
"Now, all ain't here, can't hide over
You can't hide behind a four leaf clover"
-snip-
Here's information about the words "lawdy miss clawdy"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawdy_Miss_Clawdy
" "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" is a rhythm and blues song by New Orleans singer/songwriter Lloyd Price that "grandly introduced The New Orleans Sound".[1] It was first recorded by Price in 1952 with Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew during his first session for Art Rupe and Specialty Records. The song became one of the biggest selling R&B records of 1952 and crossed over to other audiences. "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" inspired many songs and has been recorded by a variety of artists."...
-snip-
"Lawdy" is an African American Vernacular English form of the word "Lordy" and "Clawdy" is a nickname for the female name "Claudine".
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
Example #1: Hide & Seek [sound file]
Big Joe Turner - Topic, Jan 23, 2017
Provided to YouTube by Rhino Atlantic
Hide & Seek · Joe Turner
Greatest Hits
℗ 1955 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Producer: Ahmet Ertegun
Saxophone: Al Sears
Guitar: Elmore James
Saxophone: Grady Jackson
Producer: Jerry Wexler
Bass Guitar: Jimmy Richardson
Piano: Johnny Jones
Saxophone: McKinley Easton
Trumpet: Sonny Cohen
Drums: Ted Saunders
Writer: Ethel Byrd
Writer: Paul Winley
****
Example #2: Big Joe Turner - Hide And Seek - Version 2 (1966)
leandro daniel gauna, Apr 14, 2013
Hola amantes de la buena musica ,aqui les dejo un video
de esta gran artista compositor "BIG JOE TURNER"
Selected comments from some of the discussion thread for the "Ragg Mopp" sound file are also included in that post.
The content of this post is provided for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
Thanks to the composer/s of these songs and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in YouTube examples that are embedded in this post and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
Example #1: RaggMopp
anw52, Published on Feb 23, 2008 -snip- Here's information about The Treniers From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Treniers "The Treniers were an American R&B and jump blues musical group[1] led by identical twins Cliff and Claude Trenier. They were originally billed as The Trenier Twins, who performed alongside the Gene Gilbeaux Quartet, but shortened their name to The Treniers when Gilbeaux and other musicians became integral members of the group....
[...]
One of the first times rock and roll appeared on national television was in May 1954 when the Treniers appeared on the Colgate Comedy Hour, hosted by Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. During the playing of their songs, Martin and Lewis participated in the antics, and when the drummer got up and stepped aside, Jerry Lewis sat down and played drums for one song." -snip- Here's information about that above mentioned television appearance: From https://www.metafilter.com/114299/The-Treniers "Do you know The Treniers? Back in the 40s and 50s, they straddled the lines between jump blues, swing, early rock'n'roll, jazz dance, hep jive and comedy. They were a whole hella fun, and they happened to be the backing band for what must be the best dance performance Jerry Lewis ever gave the world. That particular clip, BTW, from a Dean Martin/Jerry Lewis "Colgate Comedy Hour" in 1954, is purported to be the first rock'n'roll performance on national television, and it may well have been." posted by flapjax, March 28, 2012
**** Example #3: The Treniers - Rag Mop (1963)
vintage video clips, Published on Jun 21, 2018
**** Example #3: Rag Mop by the Ames Brothers 1950
jukejointjohnny48, Published on May 4, 2014
-snip-
Here are selected comments from this sound file's discussion thread, with numbers added for referencing purposes:
1. J Boog, 2017
"wow this sounds really hip for 1950. one of the first early rock n roll songs?"
**
REPLY
2. Dario Witer, 2017
"It's not a rock song at all; it's more like a bluesy boogie woogie."
**
REPLY
3. Pottergoggles, 2017
"It's a style called Western Swing. Been around since the 40s. Buncha C+W players who could play jazz."
**
4. Leon Childs jr, 2017
"The version that went to no.1."
****
Example #4: Time For Beany - Cecil and Harry Truman Do "Raggmopp"
TheBeanyandCecil, Published on Jun 14, 2011
Harry Truman accompanies on piano as Cecil the Sea Sick Sea Serpent sings "Raggmopp." An energetic Stan Freberg helps Cecil give it all he's got on live television at its best! Circa 1950.
-snip-
Here's a comment from this video's discussion thread:
Nora Steel, 2015 "Wow! Thank you for posting this..I loved Beanie and
Cecil, the sea sick serpent! I STILL remember Cecil singing rap mop! lol a
million thank you's for the memories!! Click
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkqmrwPAh08 for a short 1962 clip of an
animated Cecil singing this song.
This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series presents information about and YouTube examples of the song "Ragg Mopp".
Part I presents information about and examples of the song "Get The Mop" and its adaptation - the much more widely known song "Ragg Mopp".
Selected comments from the discussion thread for the "Ragg Mopp" sound file are also included in this post.
Part II presents YouTube examples of the song "Ragg Mopp" from The Ames Brothers, The Treniers, and the Beany and Cecil television cartoon series.
The content of this post is provided for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
Thanks to the composer/s of these songs and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in YouTube examples that are embedded in this post and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
****
WHAT IS A RAG MOP?
From https://www.thespruce.com/what-are-rag-mops-1901105
"Rag mops are a more old-fashioned style of mop that uses rags or strings on the mop head to absorb mop water and clean the floor. Both string and strip style mops fall into this category. Usually, the strips of absorbent fabric or thick strings are attached by being sewn onto the mop head. This is necessary since glue could disintegrate with different kinds of floor cleaner.”...
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE OF THE SONG "GET THAT MOP" : Henry Red Allen 1946 Get The MOP w. Higginbotham soundie
hoffmannjazz, Published on Jan 16, 2012
in 1951 Red Allen had won on trial being alone composer in music and lyrics of Get The Mop (The Ignorant stick) = MOP = identical at all with Rag Mop , first played at the Garrick Stage, Chicago 1/21/46, NYC., R.C.A. Victor Studios (411 Fifth Avenue,) Soundies Distributing Corp. Of America, Inc. each 1 reel , ad., dir.:William F.Crouch - HENRY "RED" ALLEN & HIS ORCH.: Red Allen (t,v) Jay C.Higginbotham (tb) Don Stovall (as) Bill Thompson (p) Benny Moten (b) Alvin Burroughs (d) & Johni Weaver & Harry Turner (dancing); different stage-backgrounds; The sideline photography was done during the week commencing either January 21 and/or 28, 1946 , (probably the former), probably Filmcraft Studios (2826 Decatur Avenue, Bronx, New York City).Henry "Red" Allen and the combo were paid $210.00 for their soundtrack work in this series of soundies. The group was possibly paid and additional $300.00 for their sideline work in the five soundies in this series...
-snip-
The first sentence in that summary reads "in 1951 Red Allen had won [the] trial being [declared the lone] composer in music and lyrics of Get The Mop" was first [and] is identical to "Rag Mop"...
****
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "GET THAT MOP"
From https://secondhandsongs.com/work/136205/all
"Get the Mop 59th in 1946
Written by Henry Allen
Language: English
ISWC : T-070.064.002-3
Published by INTERNATIONAL-MUSIC INC
First recording by Henry "Red" Allen and Orchestra featuring J. C. Higginbotham (January 14, 1946)
First release by Henry "Red" Allen and Orchestra featuring J. C. Higginbotham (1946)
ADAPTATIONS
An adaptation is a musical work which uses most of the music or lyrics of another musical work.
Get the Mop written by Henry Allen English 1946
Rag Mop written by Johnnie Lee Wills, Deacon Anderson English December 1949
Rat Fink written by Allan Sherman English 1963
-snip-
As a matter of information: Henry “Red” Allen was African American (His nickname "Red" was probably given to him because he was a light skinned Black person.)
Johnnie Lee Willis, Deacon Anderson were White Americans and Allan Sherman was a White American.
****
LYRICS: "GET THAT MOP"
(Henry Allen, 1946)
Various Artists – Get The Mop - Henry Red Allen Lyrics
(a prestissimo boogie!)
'Wamp-wamp'
(horns)
M
M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P, get the mop!
M-O-P-P
Mop, mop, mop, mop
M
M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P, get the mop!
M-O-P-P
Mop, mop, mop, mop
(sax, trumpet)
M
M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P, get the mop!
M-O-P-P
Mop, mop, mop, mop
M
M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P, get the mop!
M-O-P-P
Mop, mop, mop, mop
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: RAGG MOPP Johnny Lee Wills & His Boys
MissIvy, Published on Jan 13, 2011
RAGG MOPP Johnny Lee Wills & His Boys
-snip-
Here are some comments from this sound file's discussion thread with numbers added for referencing purposes only:
1. lyon406, 2011
"1949"
**
2. Mack thornton, 2012
"deacon anderson wrote this song not Johnny Lee Wills. I know him and played with him on several occasions. He was a great steel man. Played 6 string lap steel."
**
REPLY
3. Brazilian Atlantis, 2014
"deacon anderson wrote this song not Johnny Lee Wills." Henry Allen wrote it and copyrighted it in 1946 as "Get The Mop."
**
4. King Bee, 2014
"Beany and Cecil brought me here! Just kiddin'-love Western Swing...jazzy piano breaks and all"
-snip- Beany and Cecil is the name of an American televised cartoon series in which that the sea monster Cecil often song this song. An example of this song from Beany & Cecil is found in Part II of this pancocojams series.
**
5. Dinkys Workshop, 2016
"not as entertaining as the black group who recorded it also, but the hair is the same in both bands."
**
REPLY
6. pattycakes smith, 2016
"+Dinkys Workshop what black group? all i know is the ames brothers and now this one , the ames brothers were jewish , let me know another one if you have it"
-snip-
An example of this song from The Ames Brothers and an example from The Treniers are found in Part II of this pancocojams series.
**
REPLY
7. Shawn Hawkins, 2016
"+pattycakes smith the treniers"
**
8. Ian Blakesley, 2016
"The Treniers performed this on a "Colgate Comedy Hour" in the early 1950s. I believe Jerry Lewis (co-host with Dean Martin) joined in with the band .
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "RAGG MOPP"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rag_Mop
" "Rag Mop" was a popular American song of the late 1940s-early 1950s.
The song, a 12-bar blues, was written by Tulsa Western Swing bandleader Johnnie Lee Wills and steel guitarist Deacon Anderson and published in 1949. Considered a novelty song, the lyrics consisted mostly of spelling out the title of the song; because of the spelling used in the song, it is sometimes referred to as "Ragg Mopp".
While Johnnie Lee Wills and his band recorded it for Bullet Records in 1950, the most popular version of this song was recorded by The Ames Brothers, and released by Coral Records as catalog number 60140. The song was part of a double-sided hit; the flip side was "Sentimental Me." The record first reached the Billboard magazine charts on January 6, 1950 and lasted 14 weeks on the chart, peaking at #1.[1] The song was re-released in 1951 by Coral as catalog number 60397, with the flip side "Hoop-Dee-Doo".[2] The group re-recorded the song several times. The 1950 recording is considered an example of proto-rock and roll as it contained elements that would later go into the defining of the genre.
In popular culture
On The Honeymooners episode "Battle of the Sexes" Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton sing the song as they dance and clean the Kramden's apartment.[3]
On the Beany and Cecil cartoon show, Cecil the sea-sick sea serpent would frequently sing the song.
Alvin and the Chipmunks covered the song for their 1965 album The Chipmunks Sing with Children.
This song was played on M*A*S*H in Season 9, Episode 6 ("A War for All Seasons"), after Hawkeye and BJ ordered a radio from the Sears Catalog. The song irritates Major Winchester, as he is a strict classical music lover ("Those people can neither sing nor spell!"). In Season 11, episode 1 ("Hey, Look Me Over"), Nurse Kellye accuses Hawkeye of treating her like a rag mop; when he is taken aback by her comment, she elaborates "That's right! R-A-G-G M-O-P-P, rag mop!" ”...
-snip-
That Wikipedia page doesn't include any information about Henry Allen's 1946 song "Get The Mop" and the law suit that Henry Allen won which concluded that the 1949 song "Ragg Mobb" was based on that 1946 song.
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LYRICS: RAGG MOPP
M
I say M-O
M-O-P
M-O-P-P
Mop
M-O-P-P
Mop Mop Mop Mop
R
I say R-A
R-A-G
R-A-G-G
Rag
R-A-G-G M-O-P-P
Rag Mop
Source: https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/17331089/The+Ames+Brothers/Rag+Mop
-snip-
"Ragg Mopp" is usually credited to Johnnie Lee Wills and Deacon Anderson. However, there's no doubt that that song's tune and words owe a lot to Henry "Red" Allen's song "Get That Mop".
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This concludes Part I of this two part series.
This post showcases a sound file of the 1949 Jump Blues song "Rock The Joint" by Jimmy Preston and the Prestonians. A 1949 cover of "Rock The Joint" by Chris Powell and the Five Blue Flames, and a 1952 cover of "Rock The Joint" by Bill Haley and the Saddlemen are also showcased in this post.
Information and comments about that record are also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and aesthetic reasons.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the composers of this song. Thanks also to Jimmy Preston, Chris Powell, & Bill Haley as well as their singers and musicians for their musical legacies. In addition, thanks to all those quoted in this post, with a special hat tip to Joseph Scott. Also, thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "ROCK THE JOINT"
From http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.com/2011/07/rock-joint.html "Rock The Joint!", Monday, 18 July 2011
"It [“Rock The Joint”] was a wild and raucous jump blues recorded in May 1949 by Jimmy Preston and his Prestonians. It was covered by Bill Haley and the Saddlemen in 1952, and thus became a milestone in the development of rock and roll. That’s what most fans of R&B and early rock and roll know about “Rock The Joint.” But there’s much more to the story of this record than that short summary.
Our playlist starts with three records which influenced “Rock The Joint.” They were recorded within a few days of each other at three widely separate locations. There’s also the first cover version by a white band, which preceded the Bill Haley version, and that brings us to a whole music and dance scene which was a conduit for white kids picking up on R&B but which is rarely mentioned in histories of rock and roll, at least not the ones I’ve read...
A follow up [to Jimmy Preston and the Prestonians‘ early 1949 hit jump blues song “Hucklebuck Daddy”] in the same vein was obviously called for and Gotham A&R man Doc Bagby brought along “Rock The Joint,” a song he had co-written with his band assistant Wendell Keane and his band singer Harry Crafton...
The resulting performance was even more frantic than “Hucklebuck Daddy,” but without the single entendre lyrics. “Rock the Joint” was a clarion call to have a whale of a time with its pounding beat, squealing saxophones and drunken yelling. It sounded like a small riot (not many injured) was taking place in the studio. The disc achieved the same success as "Hucklebuck Daddy,” peaking at number 6 in Billboard’s renamed Rhythm and Blues chart."...
On September 22nd, 1949, Columbia Records recorded a cover version by another Philadelphia jump band, Chris Powell and the Five Blue Flames. “Combo pitches a mad ball in the “Good Rockin’ school. Gangbuster tenor, handclapping, unison chanting and a live beat add to a solid side,” noted Billboard in its issue on the 12th November, 1949"...
-snip-
That entire post is a must read for those interested in the real history about this song and about early Rock & Roll and Rockabilly.
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From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_the_Joint
"Rock the Joint", also known as "We're Gonna Rock This Joint Tonight", is a boogie song recorded by various proto-rock and roll singers, notably Jimmy Preston and early rock and roll singers, most notably Bill Haley. Preston's version has been cited as a contender for being "the first rock and roll record", and Haley's is widely considered the first rockabilly record....
The song's authorship is credited to Harry Crafton, Wendell "Don" Keane and Harry "Doc" Bagby, who were musicians contracted to the Gotham label in New York...
The version by Jimmy Preston and His Prestonians was recorded in Philadelphia in May 1949 and released on the Gotham label, reaching #6 on the national R&B chart later that year....
Two years later, Bill Haley and the Saddlemen had already achieved some success with their cover of Ike Turner's (and/or Jackie Brenston's) "Rocket 88", but were looking for another hit. They were persuaded by their producer, Essex Records owner Dave Miller to cover "Rock The Joint" - a song which, like "Rocket 88", had already been successful with R&B audiences. Haley recorded the song (the exact location is unknown but is believed to have been recorded in the band's hometown of Chester, Pennsylvania [1]) in February or March 1952, but made up verses of his own to appeal to his country audience, named a succession of hillbilly dances (such as the Sugarfoot Rag and Virginia Reel) in place of Preston's hucklebuck and jitterbug, and also used different instrumentation on the track, and more back echo."...
[Pancocojams Editor: This is an excerpt of a comment (which is one of several comments) that was posted by GUEST,Joseph Scott on a Mudcat Folk music forum discussion thread about a NPR radio show. That show discussed White American folklorist collector Alan Lomax's collection of African American folk music.
In two later comments Joseph Scott identified himself as a blues researcher. Scott wrote that that NPR show "is partly about giving Alan credit, whether or not you actually know what you're talking about, to balance it partly being about criticizing Alan, whether or not you actually know what you're talking about)" and "the show gets almost nothing right" .]
Here's that excerpt:
"..."One more [point that was made on that radio show]: "It's possible that without Alan Lomax we wouldn't have had rock and roll as we know it."
Oh my God hahahahahaha! The rock and roll sound a la "Rock The Joint" by Chris Powell 1949 and "Rock That Boogie" by Jimmy Smith 1949 existed as of 1949 because black jump blues musicians got the idea to update mid-'40s jump blues to sound like gospel music as a sacrilegious joke. ("Rocking," deacons, etc. in the lyrics were references to "rocking in the bosom of Abraham" etc., and the prominent backbeat had not been in almost any mid-'40s jump blues and was brought over from black gospel to serve the obvious joke, which offended black parents, which pleased black kids.) The fully developed rock and roll sound a la late '50s Little Richard was already top ten nationally on the black charts in 1949 ("Boogie At Midnight" Roy Brown, etc.). That modernistic jump blues made for young blacks had NOTHING to do with researching old folk songs, it had to do with professional jazz-oriented black-pop-oriented black musicians putting a new (fairly slight, all and all) twist on the likes of professional jazz-oriented black-pop-oriented mid-'40s Louis Jordan, Roy Milton, etc. Roy Brown didn't know who Son House was at the time, because why would he want to? He was in the music _business_ and trying to get young blacks _interested_ in dancing to his music as of 1947-1949."...
-snip-
As the title to that Mudcat thread suggests, many of the commenters to that thread took offense to that NPR (National Public Radio) show about Alan Lomax. Read that excerpted comment in full and in particular read later comments posted by Joseph Scott which provide point by point debunks (with the pertinent minute in that radio show] about why that guest blogger disagrees with the interviewee Karl Hagstrom Miller.
-snip-
Additional information and comments about "Rock The Joint" are found after the sound files showcased below.
"To rock" means "to dance with a lot of energy and otherwise have a good time"
(In the context of this song title) "joint" is an African American slang term for a place (a building).
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FEATURED EXAMPLES
These sound files are presented in chronological order based on the song's recording date, with the oldest record given first.
Example #1: Rock The Joint - Jimmy Preston & His Prestonians 1949
60s70sTheBest, Published on Jul 27, 2014
In the later part of the 1940's, a craze had begun in the Rhythm and Blues market for songs about "rocking" thus giving birth to a new underground genre of music. In 1947, Wild Bill Moore recorded a modest hit "We're Gonna Rock, We're Gonna Roll" that is considered as one of candidates for the first rock and roll record.A record by R&B Jimmy Preston and His Prestonians in 1949 called "Rock the Joint" definitely helped fuel that movement. Preston later would be identified as one of the founders of rock and roll. The same song was covered by Chris Powell and the Five Blue Flames the same year and is believed to have strongly influenced Bill Haley to record his own hopped-up "Rockabilly" version that attracted the attention of the white listening audience eager for the new style of music. Later, Haley's (and His Comets) recording of "Rock Around The Clock" became a milestone in the emergence of Rock and Roll.
-snip-
From http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.com/2011/07/rock-joint.html
Jimmy Preston? His biggest hit was a 1950 cover on the Derby label of Louis Prima’s “Oh Babe.” In a Joe Lutcher style moment of clarity or madness, depending upon your point of view, he gave up music in 1952, having decided to go about the Lord’s work. He died in Philadelphia in 1984.
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Example #2: Chris Powell and the Five Blue Flames - Rock the Joint
Mario Roberts, Uploaded on Jan 31, 2012
Recorded September 22, 1949 and issued on Columbia 30175. This was a Philadelphia based R&B group. This recording was a cover of the original version done earlier in 1949 by Jimmy Preston and His Prestonians, another Philadelphia area group.
-snip-
From http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.com/2011/07/rock-joint.html
"Drummer / vocalist Chris Powell continued to record for Columbia and its subsidiary Okeh until 1952. He then recorded for Philadelphia label Grand and thereafter for Groove until 1956. And then he was gone."
-snip-
Selected comment from that video's viewer comment thread:
Joseph Scott, November 2014
"Here's an example of the outright falsehoods that are being told by some about rockabilly and rock and roll: the subtitle of the 2007 book The Rockabilly Legends by Jerry Naylor and Steve Halliday is They Called It Rockabilly Long Before They Called It Rock And Roll. But the historical evidence shows the exact reverse. E.g., a 1951 press release for the Dominoes ("Sixty-Minute Man") called them "the greatest Rock and Roll performers in the world," and there are NO known examples of anyone calling anything rockabilly that early (which only began happening after people began combining the rock and roll sound, such as this, with the hillbilly sound -- a combination that itself only started happening after the rock and roll sound was a top ten fad on the black charts in 1949)."
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Example #3: Bill Haley & The Comets-Rock The Joint
Fantupo Marsupialis, Published on Sep 23, 2011
Selected comment from that video's viewer comment thread:
Joseph Scott, 2014
[In response to an earlier comment]
“Has to be amongst the very first rock and roll tunes" Some of the earliest rock and roll recordings were "Rock The Joint" by Jimmy Preston, "Rock The Joint" by Chris Powell, "Rock That Boogie" by Jimmy Smith, "Rockin' All Day" by Jimmy McCracklin, "Rock And Roll" by Bill Moore, "We're Gonna Rock" by Bill Moore, "Hole In The Wall" by Albennie Jones with Sam Price and his Rockin' Rhythm, "Boogie At Midnight" by Roy Brown, and "Jump And Shout" by Erline "Rock And Roll" Harris. Those were all recorded before 1950.”
-snip- http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.com/2011/07/rock-joint.html
"Bill Haley became a global superstar. His “Rock Around The Clock” is the top selling rock and roll disc of all time. But fame and money and reputation are transitory and wilder and more youthful rock and roll acts pushed him aside. Although the hits soon petered out (his last Billboard Top Twenty placing was in 1956) he remained a big name, especially in the UK. He was served poorly by many rock and roll histories"...
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UPDATE: February 13, 2016
Hat tip to Chris Gardner for alerting me to a 1951 cover version by Jimmy Cavallo which was used as the theme music for the WPWA (Chester, Pa.) Radio Programme "Judge Rhythm's Court". Read Chris' comment below.
Jimmy Cavallo - Rock The Joint - R&B 45
CheesebrewWaxArchive, Published on Feb 7, 2015
Jimmy Cavallo & His House Rockers, Rock The Joint, BSD Records 1005
Recorded 1955, New York
This post showcases 8 videos of the 1945 Jazz song "Caldonia" (pronounced cal-DOHN-yah). Information about this song and lyrics for this song are also included in this post. Information about "Jump Blues" and "soundies" are also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the composer of this song, and to Louis Jordan and the other featured artists for their musical legacies. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos, and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "CALDONIA"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caldonia
"Caldonia" is a jump blues song, first recorded in 1945 by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five. A version by Erskine Hawkins, also in 1945, was described by Billboard magazine as "rock and roll", the first time that phrase was used in print to describe any style of music.
In 1942, Jordan had started on an unparalleled run of success on the Billboard Harlem Hit Parade (forerunner of the R&B chart), which by 1945 had included four number-one hits, and eventually made Jordan by far the most successful R&B chart act of the 1940s. "Caldonia" became his fifth number one on what was at that point called the "Race Records" chart. It debuted on the chart in May 1945 and reached number one in June, where it stayed for seven weeks. On the pop chart, the song peaked at number six under the title "Caldonia Boogie".
The writing of the song is credited to Jordan's wife of the time, Fleecie Moore. However, in all probability it was actually written by Jordan, who used his wife's name to enable him to work with an additional music publisher....
The song is best remembered for its punchline, "Caldonia! Caldonia! What makes your big head so hard?"...
Jordan also filmed a "soundie" of the song, shown in movie theatres at the time.
-snip-
"Jump blues is an up-tempo blues usually played by small groups and featuring horns. It was very popular in the 1940s, and the movement was a precursor to the arrival of rhythm and blues and rock and roll.[1] More recently, there was renewed interest in jump blues in the 1990s as part of the swing revival." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jump_blues
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"Soundies were three-minute musical films, produced in New York City, Chicago, and Hollywood, between 1940 and 1946, often including short dance sequences, similar to later music videos. The completed Soundies were generally released within a few months of their filming; the last group was released in March 1947. The films were displayed on the Panoram, a coin-operated film jukebox or machine music, in nightclubs, bars, restaurants, factory lounges, and amusement centers" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soundie
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LYRICS: CALDONIA
(Louis Jordan)
Walking with my baby, she got great big feet
Long, lean and cranky and ain't had nothing to eat
But she's my baby, I love her just the same
I'm crazy about my baby 'cause Caldonia is her name
Caldonia, Caldonia
What makes your big head so hard?
I love you, I love you just the same
I'm crazy about you, baby, 'cause Caldonia is your name
You know my mother told me to leave Caldonia alone
No kidding, that what she said
She said, "Son, the woman ain't no good, leave her alone"
But mama didn't know what Caldonia had been putting down
So I'm going down to Caldonia's house and ask her just one more time
Caldonia, Caldonia
What makes your big head so hard?
I love you, love you just the same
I'm crazy about you, baby, 'cause Caldonia is your name
Source: http://www.mojohand.com/blueslyrics/caledonia.htm
[Reformatted for this post]
-snip-
Editor's Comments:
"Caldonia" is a form of the female name "Caledonia".
**
"She's long" means "she's tall".
**
In African American vernacular English "having a big head" means being conceited arrogant and having a "hard head" means being very stubborn.
**
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Jordan for information about Louis Jordan (July 8, 1908 – February 4, 1975), this song's composer and original performer.
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FEATURED EXAMPLES
These videos are presented in chronological order based on their posting dates with the oldest videos given first.
Multiple versions of a song are presented not to rank which one is best, but to showcase some of the different interpretations artists have given of this song.
Example #1: Frank "Sugar chile" Robinson - Caldonia
Rockin Birdie, Uploaded on Aug 26, 2006
From movie "No Leave No Love" 1946
Frank "Sugarchile" Robinson
SUGAR CHILE ROBINSON (By Dave Penny)
Born Frank Robinson, 1940, Detroit, Michigan
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rcq93txBdtM for the complete summary statement that includes more information about "Sugar chile" Robinson.
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Example #2: Caldonia / Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five.
Elwood Yodogawa, Uploaded on Aug 28, 2008
...They are one of the origins of rock n roll, and an excellent piece of music of boogie-woogie...
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Example #3: Caldonia by Erskine Hawkins 1945
cdbpdx, Uploaded on Jul 30, 2009
Caldonia recorded in 1945 by Erskine Hawkins with vocal by Ace Harris. Pretty cool version of this popular tune. Enjoy!
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Example #4: Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - Caldonia Live 2000
furmamala, Uploaded on Oct 7, 2009
Live at Montreux Jazz Festival 2000
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Example #5: BB King - Caldonia
christian6021Uploaded on Oct 15, 2009
Live At Montreux
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Example #6: Caledonia - Memphis Slim
brenduchiful, Published on Jun 15, 2012
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Example #7: JAMES BROWN Caldonia
IkeDyson SOULTUBE,Published on Sep 29, 2014
Early JB!
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Example #8: Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five - Caldonia (Live)
