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.
The Old Man Of The Mountain
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He walks along with the folks all laugh
With a twinkle in his eye he passes them by
The old man of the mountain
But he's got long hair and his feet are bare
They say he's mad as an old march hare
His cares are none and he owes no one
He talks with the birds when he's lonely
Sleeps with the sky as a tent
Feast make a feast when he's hungry
And God charges no rent
May he live as long as an old oak tree
And laugh at fools like you and me
I often sigh and wish that I was
The old man of the mountain.
Yes, I often sigh and wish that I was
The old man of the mountain.
The lyrics to "The Old Man Of The Mountain" convey the image of an eccentric, carefree man who wanders aimlessly with a long white beard and a crooked staff, while people around him laugh. He is called the old man of the mountain, and though he appears mad to some, he is happy and owes nothing to anyone. He talks to birds when he is lonely and sleeps under the sky as if it were a tent. Despite having nothing and being carefree, people secretly envy him and wish they were the old man of the mountain.
The song portrays the old man of the mountain as a symbol of freedom and happiness, living a life free from societal pressures and material possessions. Through his interactions with nature, he has found a sense of purpose and belonging, and the song suggests that we can find happiness by following his example. This is a message that resonates with many people who yearn for a simpler life, away from the complexities of the modern world.
Line by Line Meaning
With a long white beard and his crooked staff
The old man of the mountain has a long white beard and carries a crooked staff for support as he walks.
He walks along with the folks all laugh
People laugh as the old man walks by them.
With a twinkle in his eye he passes them by
The old man of the mountain has a mischievous glint in his eye as he walks by.
The old man of the mountain
This line reinforces that the song is about the old man.
But he's got long hair and his feet are bare
The old man has long hair and walks around barefoot.
They say he's mad as an old march hare
There are rumors that the old man is crazy.
His cares are none and he owes no one
The old man has no worries or debts.
The old man of the mountain
This line reinforces that the song is about the old man.
He talks with the birds when he's lonely
When the old man is lonely, he talks to birds.
Sleeps with the sky as a tent
The old man sleeps outside under the open sky.
Feast make a feast when he's hungry
The old man makes a feast for himself when he's hungry.
And God charges no rent
The old man doesn't pay for his shelter because it's provided by nature.
May he live as long as an old oak tree
The hope is that the old man lives as long as a very old oak tree.
And laugh at fools like you and me
The old man finds it amusing to laugh at people who are not as carefree as he is.
I often sigh and wish that I was
The singer expresses a desire to be like the old man.
The old man of the mountain.
This line reinforces that the song is about the old man.
Yes, I often sigh and wish that I was
The singer reiterates their desire to be like the old man.
The old man of the mountain.
This line reinforces that the song is about the old man.
Contributed by Jordan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.