He also championed African-American composers of the same period such as Eubie Blake, James P. Johnson, Andy Razaf, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, presenting their work not in a polemical way, but as simply the obvious equal of that of their white contemporaries.
His dedication to his great love – what he called the "Great American Song" – left him equally adept at performing the witty lyrics of Bessie Smith's "Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer)" or Gershwin and Duke's "I Can't Get Started." Short stated his favorite songwriters were Ellington, Arlen and Kern, and he was instrumental in spearheading the construction of the Ellington Memorial in New York City.
He was born in Danville, Illinois, United States, where one of his school classmates was Dick Van Dyke. He began performing as a busker after leaving home at the age of eleven for Chicago, with his mother's permission.
He started working in clubs in the 1940s. In 1968 he was offered a two-week stint at the Café Carlyle in New York City, to fill in for George Feyer. Short (accompanied by Beverly Peer on bass and Dick Sheridan on drums) became an institution at the Carlyle, as Feyer had been before him, and remained there as a featured performer for over 35 years. There, a combination of traits – his seemingly effortless elegance; his vocal phrasing (perfected, as was that of Frank Sinatra, at the feet of Miss Mabel Mercer, with perhaps also some help from Ethel Waters); his talent for presenting unknown songs worth knowing while keeping well known songs fresh; his infectious good cheer; and his resolute, self-disciplined professionalism – earned him great respect and made him tremendously popular. Bobby Short was generous with his impromptu all-night performances at his various favorite cafes and restaurants. He was a regular patron at Ted Hook's Backstage, located at Eighth Avenue and Forty-Fifth Street.
1972: Short sings theme song in James Ivory's film Savages.
1976: Short sings and appears in a commercial for Revlon's perfume "Charlie."
1985: Short sings and appears in the beginning portion of the Misfits of Science theme song.
1986: Short appears in the Woody Allen film Hannah and Her Sisters. Then Allen used his recording "I Happen To Like New York" for opening title of Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993).
1991: Short stars as blues musician Ches Collins on the TV series In the Heat of the Night in which he sings the title track, Sweet, Sweet Blues.
1994: Short reprises his role as blues musician Ches Collins on the TV series In the Heat of the Night.
1999: Short appears in the Movie "Man of the Century"
2000: The Library of Congress designates Short a Living Legend, a recognition established as part of its bicentennial celebration.
2003: Short sings and plays piano in at least one episode of 7th Heaven on TV.
2004: Short announces he will end his regular appearances at the Café Carlyle by the end of the year, in favor of touring, traveling and spending time with friends.
2005: Short dies of leukemia at New York Presbyterian Hospital on March 21, 2005, aged 80 and is buried in Atherton Cemetery in Danville, Illinois, the city of his birth.
Witchcraft
Bobby Short Lyrics
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That sly come-hither stare,
That strips my conscience bare,
It's witchcraft.
And I've got no defense for it,
The heat is too intense for it,
What good would common sense for it do?
'Cause it's witchcraft, wicked witchcraft,
And although I know it's strictly taboo,
When you arouse the need in me
My heart says "Yes indeed" in me
Proceed with what you're leading me to.
It's such an ancient pitch,
But one that I wouldn't switch,
'Cause there's no nicer witch than you.
'Cause it's witchcraft, that crazy witchcraft,
And although I know it's strictly taboo,
When you arouse the need in me
My heart says "Yes indeed" in me
Proceed with what you're leading me to.
It's such an ancient pitch,
But one that I'd never switch,
'Cause there's no nicer witch than you.
The song "Witchcraft" by Bobby Short is a classic love song that metaphorically compared falling in love to being under a spell. The first verse describes the physical sensation of being touched and looked at by someone you're attracted to, using phrases like "fingers in my hair," "sly come-hither stare," and "strips my conscience bare." The singer is aware of the effect this person is having on them and feels defenseless against it, saying "I've got no defense for it, the heat is too intense for it, what good would common sense for it do?" The chorus repeats the metaphor of love as witchcraft, something forbidden and taboo, but also irresistible. The final lines of the chorus suggest that the singer is willing to follow wherever their lover leads them, because there's no one they'd rather be under the spell of than this particular "witch."
The song's second verse echoes the first, describing the singer's overwhelming physical and emotional response to their lover's presence: "when you arouse the need in me, my heart says 'yes indeed' in me, proceed with what you're leading me to." The final chorus repeats the song's central metaphor, stressing that while love may be an old and familiar feeling, there's still something mysterious and magical about it, especially when you're in the grip of someone as captivating as the singer's "witch."
Line by Line Meaning
Those fingers in my hair,
Your touch on my hair, it's so hard to resist.
That sly come-hither stare,
Your glance towards me, it's so enchanting.
That strips my conscience bare,
Your actions are so intense, they make me lose my self-control.
It's witchcraft.
Your spellbinding charm is something special, something that fills me with passion.
And I've got no defense for it,
I have no resistance to your allure.
The heat is too intense for it,
Your fire burns so bright, I cannot help but be drawn to it.
What good would common sense for it do?
Even if I knew better, I would still be under your spell.
'Cause it's witchcraft, wicked witchcraft,
Your power over me is so strong, it feels like magic.
And although I know it's strictly taboo,
Even if I am not supposed to, I cannot help but be drawn to you.
When you arouse the need in me
When you awaken my desire,
My heart says "Yes indeed" in me
My heart tells me to give in to your allure.
Proceed with what you're leading me to.
I am willing to follow you, no matter where you take me.
It's such an ancient pitch,
Your witchcraft is not new, it's been around for ages.
But one that I wouldn't switch,
But I wouldn't want anything else, your spell has me completely under your control.
'Cause there's no nicer witch than you.
Because your magic is so enchanting, there is no one else I would rather be under the spell of.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: CAROLYN LEIGH, CY COLEMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind