Carter was born Lillie Mae Jones on 16th May 1929 in Flint, Michigan and grew up in Detroit, where her father led a church choir. She studied piano at the Detroit Conservatory. She won a talent contest and became a regular on the local club circuit, singing and playing piano. When she was sixteen, she sang with Charlie Parker. She later performed with Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis and toured with Lionel Hampton (from whom she received the nickname "Betty Bebop"), when she perfected her scat singing of bebop.
Her career was eclipsed somewhat during the 1960s and 1970s, though a series of duets with Ray Charles in 1961, including the R&B-chart-topping "Baby, It's Cold Outside", brought her a measure of popular recognition. She recorded for various labels during this period, including Peacock, ABC-Paramount, and Atco, but was rarely satisfied with the resulting product. An episode in which a record company A&R man tried to abscond with a set of her master recordings led her to establish her own record label, Bet-Car, in 1970. Some of her most outstanding recordings were first issued on Bet-Car, including the double album The Audience with Betty Carter (1980). She was well-received at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1977 and 1978. In 1987 Carter signed with Verve Records. She won a Grammy in 1988 for her album Look What I Got! and sang in a guest appearance on The Cosby Show in that year.
She died on 26th September 1998.
The Hucklebuck
Betty Carter Lyrics
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When the lights are down low
Grab your baby, then go
Do the hucklebuck
Do the hucklebuck
If you don't know how to do it boy, you're out of luck
Push your partner out
Start a little movement in your sacroiliac
Wiggle like a snake, waddle like a duck
That's the way you do it when you do the hucklebuck
Hey boys, not now
I'll tell you when, now look out, bop!
"The Hucklebuck" by Betty Carter is a lively and playful song that describes a dance called the hucklebuck. The lyrics encourage listeners to participate in the dance and have a good time. The song begins with a simple invitation to learn the dance, emphasizing the importance of dancing with a partner and enjoying oneself.
The chorus of the song repeatedly calls for listeners to "Do the hucklebuck." This phrase is accompanied by the suggestion that those who do not know how to perform the dance are missing out. It implies that the hucklebuck is a popular and enjoyable dance that everyone should be familiar with. The lyrics create a sense of anticipation and excitement, urging people to join in on the fun.
The subsequent lines describe the specific movements involved in the hucklebuck. The song instructs dancers to push their partners away and then arch their backs, initiating a rhythmic motion in their sacroiliac, which is a joint in the lower back. The lyrics vividly compare the dancer's movements to those of a snake wiggling and a duck waddling. These descriptions add a playful and whimsical element to the song, enhancing the overall joyful and energetic atmosphere.
Towards the end of the lyrics, the singer interrupts the dance instructions with the exclamation "Hey boys, not now! I'll tell you when, now look out, bop!" This interruption introduces an unexpected element and further builds the excitement and anticipation. It implies that something surprising or exciting is about to happen, perhaps a change in the music or a certain move that should be executed at that precise moment.
In summary, Betty Carter's "The Hucklebuck" encourages listeners to let loose and participate in a lively dance. The lyrics describe the dance steps, emphasizing the need for a partner and the enjoyment of the dance itself. The playful descriptions of movement and the unexpected interruption inject the song with energy and create an atmosphere of fun and anticipation.
Line by Line Meaning
Here's a dance you should know
Introducing a dance that you ought to learn
When the lights are down low
When the environment is dimly lit
Grab your baby, then go
Take hold of your partner and proceed
Do the hucklebuck
Perform the dance called the hucklebuck
If you don't know how to do it boy, you're out of luck
If you lack knowledge of this dance, you're unfortunate
Push your partner out
Gently push your companion away from you
Then you hunch your back
Arch your back forward
Start a little movement in your sacroiliac
Initiate slight movements in your sacroiliac joint
Wiggle like a snake, waddle like a duck
Move your body sinuously like a snake, sway like a duck
That's the way you do it when you do the hucklebuck
That's the proper technique for executing the hucklebuck
Hey boys, not now
Attention, gentlemen, the timing is not right at this moment
I'll tell you when, now look out, bop!
I will inform you when to proceed, be aware and make a swift move
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROY ALFRED, ANDY GIBSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind