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.
Six or Seven Times
Cab Calloway Lyrics
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She says there's one good man who'll soon be deceived,
If she can't hear from him each night at least
Six or seven times.
She says the other songs don't mean a thing,
There's only one that makes her heart go bing,
That's why she craves that little tune I sing
The lyrics to Cab Calloway's song Six or Seven Times depict a woman from St. Louis who can never be satisfied. She believes that there is only one good man who will soon be deceived if he is not in constant communication with her, at least six or seven times a night. The woman deems other songs as insignificant, stating that there is only one that truly captures her heart, and that is the little tune that Calloway sings, which she desires to hear repeatedly. The lyrics demonstrate the woman's restlessness and the impact that constant communication has on her mental state, as well as the level of importance she places on the person she is communicating with.
The song itself is a representation of the Jazz genre and was produced in the 1930s. It is a tribute to the Harlem Renaissance and Calloway's unique sound, which was characterized by "scatting." Scatting is known for its use of nonsense words and syllables in a rhythmic and musical manner. Six or Seven Times is a classic example of this style of jazz, showcasing Calloway's ability to improvise and utilize his vocal range in a distinctive way. The song was popularized as a dance tune in the 1930s and remained a staple in Jazz music for over a decade.
Overall, Six or Seven Times is a classic example of Calloway's unique sound and style. It captures the essence of the era in which it was produced, depicting the cultural status quo and the role that Jazz music played in redefining what was socially acceptable. The song has retained its musical relevance and influence and continues to be enjoyed by Jazz enthusiasts worldwide.
Line by Line Meaning
St. Louis woman, she's never pleased,
This woman from St. Louis is known for being hard to please.
She says there's one good man who'll soon be deceived,
She warns that any man who doesn't meet her expectations will be left disappointed.
If she can't hear from him each night at least
Six or seven times.
She demands constant communication and expects to hear from her man multiple times a day.
She says the other songs don't mean a thing,
This woman isn't interested in other songs.
There's only one that makes her heart go bing,
The only song that has an effect on her is a particular one.
That's why she craves that little tune I sing
Six or seven times.
She wants her man to sing her favorite song several times, repeating it until it satisfies her cravings.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: IRVING MILLS, FATS WALLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind