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.
Evenin'
Cab Calloway Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you always remind me that my baby's gone
Evening, you got me deeply in your power
Every minute seems just like an hour, now that my baby's gone
Shadows fall upon the wall, that's the time I miss your kiss most of all
Even though I try, how can I go on
I don't care if I don't awaken, since my baby's gone
Shadows fall upon the wall, that's the time I miss your kiss most of all
Even though I try, how can I go on
Evening, let me sleep till glow of dawn is breakin'
I don't care if I don't awaken, since my man is gone
The song "Evenin'" by Cab Calloway is a somber ballad about a man who is deeply affected by the absence of his lover. The song is an ode to the evening, personified as a force that reminds the singer of his loss every night. He describes evening as having him "deeply in your power," emphasizing the immense influence that the night time has on him. Every minute without his lover feels like an hour, elongating his emotional pain.
The opening lines of the song express the nightly routine of the singer, as he waits for the evening to come and remind him of his loneliness. As the shadows fall upon the wall, he finds himself missing his lover's kiss more than ever. He tries to move on but is unable to, as every effort seems futile without his lover by his side. The desperation in his voice is clear when he pleads with the evening to let him sleep until the dawn breaks, emphasizing his reluctance to face a new day and cope with his loss.
The song is a poignant reminder of the pain of heartbreak and loss, and Cab Calloway's soulful delivery emphasizes the pain and longing that the singer feels.
Line by Line Meaning
Evening, every night you come and you find me
Every night, when darkness falls, I feel your presence around me
And you always remind me that my baby's gone
Your arrival always reminds me that my beloved is no longer here
Evening, you got me deeply in your power
You have a hold on me that is hard to shake off
Every minute seems just like an hour, now that my baby's gone
Time drags by slowly because my baby is no longer with me
Shadows fall upon the wall, that's the time I miss your kiss most of all
When the sun sets, and the shadows grow longer, that's the time I miss my beloved's kiss the most
Even though I try, how can I go on
I struggle to carry on without my beloved, despite my efforts
Oh evening, let me sleep till glow of dawn is breakin'
Evening, please let me sleep until the first light of dawn appears
I don't care if I don't awaken, since my baby's gone
I don't care if I never wake up again, because my beloved is no longer here
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHARLES N. DANIELS, RICHARD WHITING, RICHARD A. WHITING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alicia Sidar
This song is so beautiful, magical and spellbinding. So much so, it almost sounds kind of sinister. Definitely one of the most beautiful songs that I have ever heard.
Alicia Sidar
@crackerjack I so agree! It's a darn shame that songs like these are only known by a few. This song is a perfect piece of art. It's filled with so much beauty and character. Uggh! I love this song so much that it hurts!!! 😫 LOL! 😁
crackerjack
Alicia Sidar we are lucky because we know this MUSIC ;-)
fighterer3
Best song of Mafia Definitive Edition! I heard it in the game’s radio.
Pascual Didier
I Heard it and was like "I have to find the song"
iArmvn
Jammin with this song in a rainy evenin in Mafia Remake making me feel like i'm really in 30's and i fu*kin Love it!
Blake Gman
Mr Salieri sends his feels
MonoChronicle
and his regards.
Tracydot3
My favorite Cab Calloway song.
Beats & Culture
repeat mode.