Calloway was a master of energetic scat singing and led one of the United States' most popular big bands, Cab Calloway and his Orchestra, from the start of the 1930s through to the late 1940s. Calloway's band featured performers including trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie and Doc Cheatham, saxophonists Ben Webster and Chu Berry, New Orleans guitar ace Danny Barker and bassist Milt Hinton. Calloway continued to perform until his death in 1994 at the age of 86.
Calloway was born to a middle-class family in Rochester, New York, and lived there until 1918. He later lived in Baltimore, Maryland. His father, Cabell Calloway II, was a lawyer, and his mother, Martha Eulalia Reed, was a teacher and church organist. His parents recognised their son's musical talent, and he began private voice lessons in 1922. He continued to study music and voice throughout his formal schooling. Despite his parents' and vocal teachers' disapproval of jazz, Calloway began frequenting and eventually performing in many of Baltimore's jazz clubs, where he was mentored by drummer Chick Webb and pianist Johnny Jones.
After graduating from high school, Calloway joined his older sister, Blanche, in a touring production of the popular black musical revue Plantation Days (Blanche Calloway herself went on to become an accomplished bandleader before her brother did, and he often credited his inspiration to enter show business to her). Calloway attended Lincoln University, Pennsylvania , and left in 1930 without graduating.
When the tour ended in Chicago in the autumn, Cab decided to remain in Chicago with his sister, who had an established career as a jazz singer in that city. His parents had hopes of their son becoming a lawyer like his father, so Calloway enrolled in Crane College. His main interest, however, was in singing and entertaining, and he spent most of his nights at the Dreamland Cafe, the Sunset Cafe, and the Club Berlin, performing as a drummer, singer, and emcee. At the Sunset Cafe he met and performed with Louis Armstrong who taught him to sing in the scat style.
The Cotton Club was the premier jazz venue in the country, and Cab Calloway and his Orchestra (he had taken over a brilliant but failing band called "The Missourians" in 1930) were hired as a replacement for the Duke Ellington Orchestra while they were touring. Calloway quickly proved so popular that his band became the co-house band with Ellington's, and he and his group began touring nationwide when not playing at the Cotton Club. Their popularity was greatly enhanced by the twice-weekly live national radio broadcasts on NBC at the Cotton Club. Calloway also appeared on Walter Winchell's radio program and with Bing Crosby in his show at the Paramount Theatre. As a result of these appearances, Calloway, together with Ellington, broke the major broadcast network colour barrier.
Unlike many other bands of comparable commercial success, Calloway's gave ample soloing space to its lead members, and, through the varied arrangements of Walter 'Foots' Thomas, provided much more in the way of musical interest.
In 1931, he recorded his most famous song, "Minnie the Moocher". That song, together with "St James Infirmary Blues" and "The Old Man of the Mountain", were performed for the Betty Boop animated shorts Minnie the Moocher, Snow White, and The Old Man of the Mountain respectively. Through rotoscoping, Cab not only gave his voice to these cartoons but his dance steps as well. Cab took advantage of this and timed his concerts in some communities with the release of the films in order to make the most of the attention. As a result of the success of "Minnie the Moocher" he became identified with its chorus, gaining the nickname "The Hi De Ho Man". He also performed in a series of short films for Paramount in the 1930s (Calloway and Ellington were featured on film more than any other Jazz Orchestra of the era). In 1943 he appeared in the high-profile 20th Century Fox musical film, Stormy Weather.
In his later career, Calloway became a popular personality, appearing in a number of films and stage productions that utilised both his acting and singing talents. In 1952, he played the prominent role of Sportin' Life in a production of the Gershwin opera Porgy and Bess. Another notable role was Yeller in The Cincinnati Kid (1965). In 1967 Calloway co-starred as Horace Vandergelder in an all-black revival of Hello, Dolly! (even though the original production was still running) starring Pearl Bailey. This was a major success, and led to a cast recording released by RCA. In 1973-1974 he was featured in an unsuccessful Broadway revival of The Pajama Game.
Calloway attracted renewed interest in 1980 when he appeared as a supporting character in the film The Blues Brothers, performing "Minnie the Moocher", and again when he sang "The Jumpin' Jive" with the Two-Headed Monster on Sesame Street. This was also the year in which the cult film Forbidden Zone was released, which included rearrangements and parodies of Cab Calloway songs written by Danny Elfman, a Calloway fan.
On 18th November 1994 Calloway died, having suffered a major stroke six months earlier. In 1998, The Cab Calloway Orchestra (directed by Cab's grandson C. "CB" Calloway Brooks) was formed to honour Cab Calloway's legacy nationally and internationally.
Black Rhythm
Cab Calloway Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a grand piano-playing man;
He knows that they can't kid him
'Cause he's got hot rhythm in his hand.
The blues that he'll compose will thrill you
From your head to your toes.
He called his song "Black Rhythm,"
'Cause his black hands did it 'neath the moon,
And you're left completely in a swoon.
The melancholy strum
Mixed with the rum-tum of melodious blues.
When he plays the blue note,
And adds a new note,
You'll think that he wrote a symphony.
But he's just improvising
On a southern mammy melody.
You'll quit your pouting,
And start a'shouting,
No need in doubting he knows the keys.
He can lay on the white ones,
Can play on the black ones with ease.
The way he plays Black Rhythm
Makes the gang stick with him all night long,
Forget the hour is late,
They hear him syncopate his mournful song.
A'humming like the breeze,
A' strumming lightly on those ivories.
The song "Black Rhythm" by Cab Calloway is a tribute to an unknown piano-playing man from Louisiana. The lyrics describe this man as someone who is confident in his ability to play and can communicate with his audience through his music. He is said to have "hot rhythm in his hands" and "sweetly" plays the keys of the grand piano. The title "Black Rhythm" is a nod to the man's African-American heritage, as it is his "black hands" that create the beautiful music.
The song talks about the emotions that the man's music arouses in his audience. His blues "thrill" listeners and make them feel the melancholy strum mixed with the rum-tum of the "melodious blues." The man's ability to improvise on a familiar melody is also mentioned, and listeners are encouraged to "quit their pouting" and start "shouting" because he knows how to touch the keys that will evoke the desired emotions. He can play both the "white ones" and the "black ones with ease," showcasing his versatility and skill.
Overall, the song celebrates the power of music to transcend boundaries and touch people's souls. The man from Louisiana may be unknown to us, but through his music, he has left a lasting impact on those who have had the pleasure of listening to him. The song "Black Rhythm" immortalizes him and his contribution to the world of music.
Line by Line Meaning
Down in Louisiana
In the southern American state of Louisiana
There's a grand piano-playing man;
There is a skilled musician who plays the piano with great talent
He knows that they can't kid him
He is aware that people cannot trick him
'Cause he's got hot rhythm in his hand.
Because he has exceptional rhythm when he plays
The blues that he'll compose will thrill you
The music he creates will excite and move you emotionally
From your head to your toes.
From the top of your head to the soles of your feet
He called his song "Black Rhythm,"
He named his music piece "Black Rhythm"
'Cause his black hands did it 'neath the moon,
Because he created the music with his black hands under the moonlight
The keys he plays on sweetly,
He skillfully plays the piano keys in a pleasing way
And you're left completely in a swoon.
And you are left feeling overwhelmed with emotion
The melancholy strum
The sorrowful sound produced by strumming the instrument
Mixed with the rum-tum of melodious blues.
Combined with the upbeat and tuneful sound of blues music
When he plays the blue note,
When he plays a blue note in the music
And adds a new note,
And includes a new note in the music
You'll think that he wrote a symphony.
You might mistake his improvisation for a well-composed symphony
But he's just improvising
But in reality, he is merely improvising
On a southern mammy melody.
Using a traditional melody associated with southern African American women
You'll quit your pouting,
You will stop frowning or sulking
And start a'shouting,
And begin shouting or cheering
No need in doubting he knows the keys.
There is no doubt that he knows how to play the piano keys well
He can lay on the white ones,
He can skillfully press the white piano keys
Can play on the black ones with ease.
And easily play the black piano keys
The way he plays Black Rhythm
His technique when playing "Black Rhythm"
Makes the gang stick with him all night long,
Keeps the group of people with him throughout the night
Forget the hour is late,
They forget that it is very late in the night
They hear him syncopate his mournful song.
They hear him play an emotional song with changing rhythms and beats
A'humming like the breeze,
Humming smoothly like the breeze
A' strumming lightly on those ivories.
Playing the piano keys with a delicate touch
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TheBlackWhiteDog
Thanks for keeping this dream going.. These guys truely got what it was all about back then..
MrJimmienoone
Calloway could play some saxophone, too. It sounded so horrible to tenor saxist Chu Berry that Berry said he'd only join Cab's band if Cab promised to NEVER touch a sax again in his presence.
Anna Zeman
Thanks! I had never heard this before.
2ndviolinist
You are most welcome. He recorded an amazing number of tunes. Thank you for listening.
TheHeater90
Lol... That's not a female singer, that's still Cab Calloway!
Maxcantthinkofaname
He had such incredible range oh my god
TheHeater90
Nope, this was recorded on June 11th, 1931! Same session as the hit song "Six or Seven Times"!
Big Dog
Thanks for sharing = #LoveCab x
2ndviolinist
You are most welcome. Thank you for listening.
John
Suddenly I felt like watching Boardwalk Empire