The band was originally formed in 1989 by leader Scott Morris. He and Kurt Sodergren are the two "original" members, with the rest of the band joining later on. The band concentrated on the swing of the 1940s and '50s, playing clubs and lounges in their early years.
The band launched two CDs, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Watchu' Want for Christmas? under their own label (Big Bad Records) before getting their big break when their songs "You & Me & The Bottle Makes Three Tonight (Baby)" and "Go Daddy-O" were featured in the 1996 comedy Swingers.
From there they were signed by Capitol Records. With Capitol the band released Americana Deluxe (also known as a second Big Bad Voodoo Daddy) and This Beautiful Life. The band has continued their tours, performances and album releases Save My Soul, Live, and Everything You Want For Christmas, with one high point being their appearance at the 1999 Super Bowl half-time show.
Over the last few years, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy has experienced great success playing on the Pops programs of American Symphony Orchestras and regular US tours.
Most recently, BBVD released a tribute album titled How Big Can You Get?: The Music of Cab Calloway. As part of the live concerts promoting this recent album, the band continues to perform new material, including the track "5-10-15 Times I Love You" which frontman Scotty Morris says will be recorded as part of a new album in early 2011.
Band Members:
* Scott Morris "Scotty" (vocals and guitar) - core member
* Kurt Sodergren (drums and percussion) - core member
* Dirk Shumaker (string bass) - core member
* Andrew Rowley "Andy" (baritone saxophone) - core member
* Glen Marehevka "The Kid" (trumpet) - core member
* Karl Hunter (saxophone and clarinet) - core member
* Joshua Levy "Josh" (piano) - core member
* Tony Bonsera (lead trumpet)
* Alex Henderson (trombone) (also part of The Brian Setzer Orchestra)
** Ron Blake (former lead trumpet) left Big Bad Voodoo Daddy to go on tour with Green Day.
I Wanna Be Like You
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've reached the top, and had to stop,
And that's what's bothering me
I wanna be a man, a man cub stroll right into town
and be just like the other men I'm tired of monkeying around
Chorus:
So woowooooh, I wanna be just like you
You see it's true, an ape like me
can learn to be human too, yeah
Now, don't you mess with me man-cub
I made a deal with you
What I desire is man's red fire
So I can be just like you
An' don't you mess with me man-cub
Tell me what to do give me the power of man's red flower
so I can be just like you
The lyrics to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy's "I Wanna Be Like You" is a song about a character named King Louie from the 1967 Disney film "The Jungle Book," who wishes to be a human. He feels limited by his current state as a monkey, despite being at the top of the jungle hierarchy. As King of the Swingers and a Jungle VIP, he has reached the pinnacle of his current existence but he is no longer satisfied with it. He wants to be a "man cub," which signifies a human child. He believes being a man would grant him power and allow him to fit in with the other men. The chorus repeats his desire to be like the human character, Mowgli, who navigates the human-dominated town with ease.
King Louie's intentions become clear in the second verse, where he expresses his desire for "man's red fire," which refers to fire. He believes that fire is what separates men from animals, and he wants it to make him more like a human. The idea of the transformation from animal to human is a classic Disney trope, used in other films such as "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast."
Line by Line Meaning
Now I'm the king of the swingers, boy Jungle V.I.P.
I am the top of my game, the most important figure in the jungle.
I've reached the top, and had to stop, And that's what's bothering me
I have achieved everything I set out to achieve and I am now bored.
I wanna be a man, a man cub stroll right into town and be just like the other men I'm tired of monkeying around
I want to be like the humans, able to stroll into town with confidence and acceptance. I am tired of being seen as a monkey.
So woowooooh, I wanna be just like you I wanna walk like you, talk like you do You see it's true, an ape like me can learn to be human too, yeah
I want to emulate the humans in every way possible, from walking and talking to thinking and behaving. I believe that even a primate like me can learn to be human.
Now, don't you mess with me man-cub I made a deal with you What I desire is man's red fire So I can be just like you
Do not underestimate me, human child. I have struck a deal with you, and what I want is the magical red fire that only humans possess. This will help me to become more like you.
An' don't you mess with me man-cub Tell me what to do give me the power of man's red flower so I can be just like you
To reiterate, do not try to outsmart me, human child. I want you to give me explicit instructions on how to obtain the red fire that will make me more like you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind