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.
You Dog
Cab Calloway Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You better stop your sniffing around like that;
I know just what you're driving at!
Aw, you dog, you dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty dog,
You sniffing, snapping, yipping, yapping,
Aw, you dog!
You and my wife been running 'round,
Stop it 'fore I mow you down,
Aw, you dog!
Deacon Green's been talking, too,
He said that he saw you
Kiss my wife in the pew,
Aw, you dog!
Aw, you dog, you dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty dog,
You better stop your sniffing around like that;
I know just what you're driving at!
Aw, you dog, you dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty dog,
You sniffing, snapping, yipping, yapping,
Aw, you dog!
Aw, you dog, you dog, you dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty dog,
You sniffing, snapping, yipping, yapping,
Aw, you dog!
The song "Aw You Dawg" by Cab Calloway & His Orchestra is a fun and playful tune that incorporates scatting and dog-related sounds in the lyrics. The song is essentially calling out a man who has been caught having an affair with someone's wife. The lyrics use the metaphor of a dog, which is often associated with being unfaithful and sneaky, to shame and admonish the man for his actions.
The lyrics start off by addressing the man as a "dirty dog" and telling him to stop his "sniffing around" because the singer knows what he's up to. The repetition of the phrase "aw you dog" is meant to reinforce the idea that the man's actions are like those of a mischievous, unfaithful dog. The second verse reveals that the news of the affair has spread all over town, and the singer threatens to "mow [the man] down" if he doesn't stop. The third verse brings in another character, Deacon Green, who has apparently witnessed the man kissing the singer's wife in church.
Overall, the song is a lighthearted take on a serious subject. By using the metaphor of a dog, the lyrics are able to shame the man in a playful way while still making it clear that his actions are unacceptable. The scatting and dog sounds throughout the song add to the playful tone and make it a fun, catchy tune that is still popular today.
Line by Line Meaning
Aw, you dog, you dirty dog,
Oh, you conniving and untrustworthy person, you better cease your sneaky behavior; I am aware of your intentions.
You better stop your sniffing around like that;
You must cease your snooping and infiltration immediately.
I know just what you're driving at!
I am aware of the goals you are attempting to achieve and you won't be successful.
Aw, you dog, you dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty dog,
You are a really conniving and untrustworthy person, and your behavior is especially unacceptable.
You sniffing, snapping, yipping, yapping,
You are showing very sneaky and untrustworthy attitudes.
Say, they got the news all over town,
Everybody in the town is aware of your untrustworthy nature.
You and my wife been running 'round,
You and my wife have been engaging in sneaky behavior together.
Stop it 'fore I mow you down,
You must cease this behavior immediately or else suffer the consequences.
Deacon Green's been talking, too,
It is not just me who knows of your sneaky ways, even Deacon Green is talking about it.
He said that he saw you
Deacon Green reported that he observed your illicit or sneaky behavior.
Kiss my wife in the pew,
Deacon Green's record says he observed you kissing my wife in church.
Aw, you dog!
You really are a conniving and untrustworthy person!
You dog, you dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty dog,
You are really sneaky and untrustworthy, and your behavior is absolutely intolerable.
You sniffing, snapping, yipping, yapping,
Your habits are really untrustworthy and sneaky.
Aw, you dog!
You really are a conniving and untrustworthy person!
Aw, you dog, you dog, you dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty dog,
Really, you are such a sneaky, untrustworthy person, and your behavior is inexcusable.
You sniffing, snapping, yipping, yapping,
You are exhibiting highly suspicious and untrustworthy behavior.
Aw, you dog!
You really are a conniving and untrustworthy person!
Contributed by Christopher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
roybo1930
CAB IS JUST TOOOOO COOL!
Paul Lindemeyer
You snippin' snappin' yippin' yappin'...Aw You Dawg!
Alex S.
is your name actually Warhol Soup. come on dude...
Danielle Umberger
nah maybe his name means something deeper like War Has Ongoing Lasting Sightless Obstructions Ununiting People