It was widely believed, for many years, that Beiderbecke's real name was Leon Bismark Beiderbecke. It is now known that this — like so many other myths about Beiderbecke — is untrue. His real name was Leon Bix Beiderbecke. Bismark was a family name, reflecting the family's German origins, but it was not given to Beiderbecke. "Bix" was a family nickname of his father and older brother, given him as a proper name.
Leon Bix Beiderbecke was born in Davenport, Iowa to a middle-class family. As a teenager he would sneak off to the banks of the Mississippi to listen to the bands play on the riverboats that would come up from the south.
Partially due to frequent absences due to illness, Beiderbecke's grades suffered. His parents felt that sending him to the exclusive Lake Forest Academy in Lake Forest, Illinois, just northwest of Chicago, would provide the attention and discipline needed to improve his schooling.
Beiderbecke's schooling there soon suffered when the only subjects he showed avid interest in were music and sports. Bix soon began going into Chicago as often as possible to catch the hot jazz bands of the day at clubs and speakeasies around Chicago, and too often didn't return in time or was found out the next day.
Beiderbecke was soon asked to leave the Academy due to his academic failings and extra-curricular activities in Chicago, and began his musical career in earnest.
Beiderbecke first recorded with his band "The Wolverine Orchestra" (usually called just The Wolverines, named for "Wolverine Blues" by Jelly Roll Morton because they played it so often) in 1924, then became a sought-after musician in Chicago, Illinois and New York City, New York. He made innovative and influential recordings with Frankie Trumbauer ("Tram") and the Jean Goldkette Orchestra. When the Goldkette Orchestra disbanded after their last recording ("In My Merry Oldsmobile"), in May 1927, Bix and Trumbauer, a 'C' Melody and alto saxophone player, briefly joined Adrian Rollini's band at the Club New Yorker, New York, before moving on to the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, the most popular and highest paid band of the day.
Beiderbecke suffered health problems from an early age, though the relentless schedule of the road and heavy drinking leading to alcoholism began to contribute to and exacerbate a decline in his health. Bix suffered from severe pain in his legs and other ill effects of prohibition era alcohol and with declining work around the New York City area, he took a turn for the worse.
Though his death certificate described the cause of death as pneumonia, and he was in seriously ill health, the circumstances immediately surrounding his death are still unclear. He died at the age of 28, in his apartment at 43-30 46th Street, Sunnyside, Queens, within the confines of the City of New York on August 6, 1931.
River Boat Shuffle
Bix Beiderbecke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mississippi floaters,
Gather all about!
Gather all about!
Got some things to tell ya.
Not a thing to sell ya.
Listen and you'll all find out.
What I'm about to say
So, come a little closer,
Just a little closer,
Got a lotta news to shout! Say!
Good people, you're invited tonight
To the Riverboat Shuffle!
Good people, we got rhythm tonight
At the Riverboat Shuffle!
They tell me that slidepipe tooter is grand,
Best in Loosianna;
So bring your freighter, come and alligator that band.
Mister Hawkins on the tenor!
Good people, you'll hear Milenberg Joys
In a special orches-stration!
Even Mamma Dinah will be there to strut for the boys
I'n a room full of noise.
She'll teach you to shuffle it right,
So, bring your baby;
The lyrics to Bix Beiderbecke And Frankie Trumbauer's song Riverboat Shuffle depict a frantic call to gather all the workers and people involved in the cotton trade along the Mississippi River. Although the singers claim to have nothing to sell, they have some important news to share that will take everyone's breath away. The scene is set for a night of celebration with the promise of good music and rhythm at the Riverboat Shuffle.
The song is an invitation for all to join a big event where the best musical talents from Louisiana will perform. The lyrics specifically mention some of the artists who will be playing on this occasion, such as the slidepipe tooter and Mister Hawkins on the tenor. The event promises to be so great that even Mamma Dinah will be there to dance and teach people how to shuffle right. This is an invitation for everyone to bring their loved ones and come together to enjoy the music, dance, and celebration provided by the Riverboat Shuffle.
Overall, the lyrics to Riverboat Shuffle can be seen as a symbol of the importance of coming together despite differences to enjoy the good things in life. It's an opportunity to dance, connect with others and enjoy the rhythm of great music, all provided through the Riverboat Shuffle event.
Line by Line Meaning
All you cotton toters,
Everyone who handles cotton,
Mississippi floaters,
Those who work or travel on the Mississippi river,
Gather all about!
Come together in one place!
Got some things to tell ya.
I have some important information for you.
Not a thing to sell ya.
I'm not here to sell you anything.
Listen and you'll all find out.
If you listen, I will tell you what's going on.
What I'm about to say
The information I am about to reveal
WIll take your breath away,
Will be very surprising
So, come a little closer,
Move closer to me,
Just a little closer,
Even closer than before
Got a lotta news to shout! Say!
I have a lot of exciting news to share with you!
Good people, you're invited tonight
Everyone is invited to join us tonight
To the Riverboat Shuffle!
We are having a party on the riverboat!
Good people, we got rhythm tonight
We have great music tonight
At the Riverboat Shuffle!
Come to the riverboat party!
They tell me that slidepipe tooter is grand,
I heard that the musician playing the slidepipe tooter instrument is excellent
Best in Loosianna;
They are the best musician in Louisiana.
So bring your freighter, come and alligator that band.
Bring your boat and come enjoy the music!
Mister Hawkins on the tenor!
The musician known as Mister Hawkins will play tenor!
Good people, you'll hear Milenberg Joys
We will play the famous song Milenberg Joys
In a special orches-stration!
We will play it with a unique arrangement!
Even Mamma Dinah will be there to strut for the boys
Mamma Dinah, a well-known female dancer will perform for the crowd!
I'n a room full of noise.
In a loud room full of people and music.
She'll teach you to shuffle it right,
Mamma Dinah will show you how to dance the Riverboat Shuffle!
So, bring your baby;
Bring your partner or loved one with you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Hoagy Carmichael, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish, Dick Voynow
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
007attaboy
Whoa there, JB Young. Both Bix and Louis are among my top favorites. Each had distinctly different styles with uniquely different musical forms they contributed. To me both were among the very best of all time jazz musicians. Some of Bix's playing just happens to move me more than what I've ever heard from Louis. But if I had to truly rate one over the other I couldn't do it.
Frank Holstein
Bix and Louis were great pals. Louis said before he passed in 1971 that he hoped to play with Bix in heaven.
Garrett Wonder
Such a great tune - thanks for posting
HECTOR Vela
Here's a piece with Bix Beiderbecke improvising on Hoagy Carmichael's "Riverboat Shuffle" (which Bix had him rename from "Free Wheeling"). Bix died in 1931 at age 28. Paul Whiteman kept his salary going while he was sick at his folks' home in Iowa.
Susan Rawson
Couldn't be better. A genius.
Colin Clarke
Watching boardwalk empire and road to perdition got me into this kind of music and now I listen to it all the time
Colin Clarke
@William Griffin funny you should say that as I have a few CDs of him ..a couple of tracks that are pianola rolls that were recorded by him personally...
Tony Bernetich
Ed Lang, the guitarist is excellent on this recording.
Leo Cosentino
esto es el cielo bien por bix
mrajczyk
a great improvement over his earlier recording of the Carmichael tune.