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.
Kickin' the Gong Around
Cab Calloway Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was down in Chinatown
All the cokies laid around
Some were high and some were mighty low
There were millions on the floor
When a knock came on the door
And there stood old Smoky Joe
He was sweatin' cold and pale
He was lookin' for his frail
He was broke and all his junk ran out
Nobody made a sound
As he stood and looked around
And then you hear old Smoky shout
"Tell me where is Minnie?" (Tell me where is Minnie?)
My poor Minnie (my poor Minnie)
Has she been here
Kickin' the gong around?
"If you don't know Minnie" (don't know Minnie)
She's tall and skinny (tall and skinny)
She gets her pleasure
Kicking the gong around
(Yeah)
(No)
(No)
"Just tell her Smoky Joe
Was here and had to go"
And as he departed (as he departed)
The curtains parted (the curtains parted)
And there stood Minnie
Kicking the gong around
(Yeah)
(No)
(No)
"You just tell her Smoky Joe
Was here and had to go"
And as he departed (as he departed)
The curtains parted (the curtains parted)
And there stood Minnie
Kicking the gong around
The lyrics to Cab Calloway's song "Kickin' the Gong Around" are an intriguing tale of the drug culture that ravaged the United States during the 1920s and 1930s. The song, which tells the story of an addict named Smoky Joe who is searching for his girlfriend Minnie, paints a vivid picture of a seedy underworld filled with "cookies" (a reference to opium), "junk" (heroin), and, of course, the "gong" (a slang term for a drug-induced high). The lyrics describe a world where women like Minnie find solace and pleasure in drugs, and where men like Smoky Joe are constantly searching for their next fix, regardless of the consequences.
The lyrics paint a dark, almost surreal picture of life in Chinatown, with millions of cookies strewn across the floor and addicts in various states of disrepair. Smoky Joe's appearance, "sweating, cold, and pale," is a stark reminder of the toll that drug addiction takes on the body, while his frantic search for Minnie serves as a reminder of the desperation that often accompanies addiction. The scat chorus that follows adds an extra layer of complexity to the song, with Calloway's vocalizations serving as a sort of shorthand for the chaos and confusion that surround the central characters.
Line by Line Meaning
It was down in Chinatown,
The story begins in the Chinatown district of the city.
All the cookies laid around,
There were various types of drugs available everywhere.
Some were high and some were mighty low;
These drugs varied in potency.
There were millions on the floor
There were a lot of drugs scattered about.
When a knock came on the door,
Someone knocked on the door.
And there stood old Smoky Joe.
Standing at the door was a man named Smoky Joe.
He was sweatin', cold and pale,
Smoky Joe appeared extremely nervous and unwell.
He was lookin' for his frail,
He was looking for his girlfriend or wife.
He was broke and all his junk ran out,
He had no more drugs left and was out of money.
Nobody made a sound,
Everyone in the room was silent.
As he stood and looked around,
Smoky Joe was searching for his partner.
And then you hear old Smoky shout
Suddenly, Smoky Joe raised his voice.
Saying, 'Tell me where is Minnie?
Smoky Joe demanded to know the whereabouts of his partner, Minnie.
My poor Minnie!
He expressed concern for her well-being.
Has she been here,
Smoky Joe expects that Minnie had visited that specific location.
Kicking the gong around?'
He assumed that Minnie would be using drugs.
'If you don't know Minnie,
Smoky Joe assumed that those present were aware of his partner, Minnie.
She's tall and skinny,
He described Minnie's physical appearance.
She gets her pleasure
Minnie enjoys using drugs.
Kicking the gong around!'
This is a euphemism for drug use.
[Scat chorus]
The song breaks into a nonsensical scatting chorus.
'Just tell her Smoky Joe
Smoky Joe instructs those present to tell Minnie that he had been there.
Was here and had to go.'
He informs them that he had to leave and could not wait for her.
And as he departed,
Smoky Joe left the room.
The curtains parted,
As he left, the curtains parted.
And there stood Minnie
In the revealed area, Minnie was standing.
Kicking the gong around!
Minnie was using drugs.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, S.A. MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@aliciasidar
In my opinion, Cab was the first Rock and Roll star. This man had so much charisma. He's timeless.
@weirdgamingmoon8324
I wouldn't say Rock and roll. I would say maybe Jazzy genious
@steplumpkin5432
LEGEND!!!!!!!!!!
@roseroyce6874
You Mean Jazz That would be Chuck Berry or Little Richard Cab is the King of Jazz but I do agree.
@unseenmarauder
Well he has been called the first frontman
@kerencanelo8580
He invented rock n roll.
@dbohnenberger
Filmed 90 years ago and still kicks butt
@stephenvernillo4357
You're right
@mdt471
Younger folks today who believe they know what cool is should get a load of Cab Calloway who set the standard.
@jaylenharris2150
Fr I'm 17 and I'm like wow more people need to know who this is