Bent Fabricius-Bjerre (b. December 7, 1924 - d. 28 July 2020) —better known… Read Full Bio ↴Bent Fabricius-Bjerre (b. December 7, 1924 - d. 28 July 2020) —better known for many years as Bent Fabric—is a Danish jazz and pop pianist and composer whose long career spanning numerous genres, and spare, lyric piano style, has often been overshadowed by his longtime signature composition and hit, the 1962 instrumental "Alley Cat."

This simple, unpretentious, jazz-oriented dance song became an international hit and earned Fabric an American Grammy award in 1963 as well as a best-selling album under the same name. "Alley Cat" also became a constant at scores of formal dance receptions such as weddings, Sweet Sixteens, Bar Mitzvahs, and others for years afterward---so much so that, within only a few years of the song's original appearance, almost nobody hearing it (or joining in the novel dance created for it) could identify who wrote and recorded the song in the first place, never mind distinguish Fabric's unadorned quartet (piano, guitar, upright bass, and percussion) from the numerous versions played at such affairs. Numerous enough that the song eventually became a kind of tacky joke as popular music tastes and attitudes changed.

That was almost unfair to Fabric, whose melodic flair and unflashy style helped him create a fine series of jazz-pop instrumental recordings in the early-to-mid 1960s (including a memorable collaboration with British clarinetist and jazz titan Mr. Acker Bilk). These included The Happy Puppy, Organ Grinder's Swing, Drunken Penguin, Never Tease Tigers, Operation Lovebirds, and Relaxing with Bent Fabric.

He later composed scores for countless Danish movies and TV series under his given name, including Matador and Olsenbanden, as well as for the Danish Royal Ballet. The 21st Century saw him make a comeback in pop music, under the stage name by which he's best known, with a dance/pop project that leaned in part on modernising many of his earlier songs including "The Alley Cat." The title track from the project, Jukebox, became a hit in his native Denmark, a chart-topper in Japan, and a sleeper hit in the United States; its title track was used in a Coca Cola campaign in Germany and now used on ten different soundtracks for American movies.

Jukebox
Bent Fabric Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm like a jukebox baby
And I know you'll be followin' me
You're gonna raise your hands and go crazy
Yeah I know you'll be followin' me

Just keep your ear to the ground
Keep your ear to the ground
Just keep your ear to the ground

Keep your ear to the ground

(repeat)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Bent Fabric's song "Jukebox" can be interpreted as a metaphorical representation of the singer's confidence and magnetic personality. The singer compares themselves to a jukebox, indicating that they have an established place in the social scene and are a source of entertainment for others. The phrase "you'll be followin' me" suggests that the singer is aware of their own popularity and expects to be the center of attention wherever they go. The use of the word "crazy" further emphasizes this point, as it suggests that the singer's impact on others is so great that they can cause people to act irrationally.

The repeated phrase, "Just keep your ear to the ground," can be interpreted in a few different ways. It may suggest that the singer is confident in their ability to be a trendsetter and that if others pay attention to them, they will be able to stay ahead of the curve. Alternatively, it could be seen as a warning to others to be aware of the singer's influence and to stay on their toes so as not to get left behind. Overall, the lyrics to "Jukebox" portray a confident, magnetic persona who knows their own worth and expects others to recognize it as well.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm like a jukebox baby
I'm a music player that you can count on to entertain you.

And I know you'll be followin' me
You'll be in awe of my musical selection and won't be able to resist staying near me.

You're gonna raise your hands and go crazy
You'll be so elated from the music that you'll lift your hands up and dance ecstatically.

Yeah I know you'll be followin' me
I'm confident that my music is so good, you won't be able to leave my side.

Just keep your ear to the ground
Stay vigilant and attentive to the sounds around you, including my music.

Keep your ear to the ground
Pay attention to the audible sensations, like the beat of the music, around you.

Just keep your ear to the ground
Continuously listen to the sounds happening around you to fully immerse yourself in the music experience.

Keep your ear to the ground
Stay aware of the audible sensations surrounding you so you don't miss any musical moments.

Contributed by Gavin M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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