Dupree's birth date is disputed, given as July 4, July 10, and July 23, in the years 1908, 1909, or 1910. He died January 21, 1992, in Hanover, Germany. Dupree's playing is almost all straight blues and boogie woogie, with no ballads or pop songs, not even blues ballads. He was not a sophisticated musician or singer, but he had a wry and clever way with words: "Mama, move your false teeth, papa wanna scratch your gums." He sometimes sang as if he had a cleft palate and even recorded under the name Harelip Jack Dupree. This was an artistic conceit, as Dupree had excellent clear articulation, particularly for a blues singer.
He sang about life as he found it, singing about jail, drinking, drug addiction, although he himself was a light drinker and did not use other drugs. His "Junker's Blues" is still sung in New Orleans, and was also transmogrified by Fats Domino into his first hit "The Fat Man". Dupree's songs included not only gloomy topics, such as "TB Blues" and "Angola Blues" (about the infamous Louisiana prison farm), but also cheerful subjects like the "Dupree Shake Dance": "Come on, mama, on your hands and knees, do that shake dance as you please".
On his best known LP, 1958's "Blues from the Gutter" for Atlantic, he was accompanied on guitar by Larry Dale, whose playing on that LP inspired Brian Jones (of Rolling Stones fame) ("Yeah! I have to play this… what a sound").
Dupree was a New Orleans blues and boogie-woogie pianist, a barrelhouse "professor". His father was from the Belgian Congo and his mother was part African American and Cherokee. His birth date has been given as July 4, July 10, and July 23, 1908, 1909, or 1910; the researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc give July 4, 1910.
He was orphaned at the age of eight and was sent to the Colored Waifs Home in New Orleans, an institution for orphaned or delinquent boys (about the same time, Louis Armstrong was also sent there as a child, after being arrested as a "dangerous and suspicious character". Dupree taught himself to play the piano there and later apprenticed with Tuts Washington and Willie Hall, whom he called his father and from whom he learned "Junker's Blues". He was also a "spy boy" for the Yellow Pocahontas tribe of the Mardi Gras Indians. He soon began playing in barrelhouses and other drinking establishments.
He began a life of travelling, living in Chicago, where he worked with Georgia Tom, and in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he met Scrapper Blackwell and Leroy Carr. He also worked as a cook. In Detroit, after Joe Louis encouraged him to become a boxer, he fought 107 bouts, winning Golden Gloves and other championships and picking up the nickname Champion Jack, which he used the rest of his life.
He returned to Chicago at the age of 30 and joined a circle of recording artists, including Big Bill Broonzy and Tampa Red, who introduced him to the record producer Lester Melrose. Many of Dupree's songs were later credited to Melrose as composer, and Melrose claimed publishing rights to them.
Dupree's career was interrupted by military service in World War II. He was a cook in the United States Navy and was held by the Japanese for two years as a prisoner of war.
After the war, his biggest commercial success was "Walkin' the Blues", which he recorded as a duet with Teddy McRae. This led to several national tours and eventually a European tour. In 1959 he played an unofficial (and unpaid) duo gig with Alexis Korner at the London School of Economics.
Dupree moved to Europe in 1960, settling first in Switzerland and then Denmark, England, Sweden and, finally, Germany. On June 17, 1971, he played at the Montreux Jazz Festival, in the Casino Kursaal, with King Curtis, backed by Cornell Dupree on guitar, Jerry Jemmott on bass and Oliver Jackson on drums. The recording of the concert was released in 1973 as the album King Curtis & Champion Jack Dupree: Blues at Montreux on the Atlantic label.
During the 1970s and 1980s he lived at Ovenden in Halifax, England. A piano he used was later discovered at Calderdale College in Halifax. He continued to record in Europe with the Kenn Lending Band, Louisiana Red and Axel Zwingenberger and made many live appearances. He also worked again as a cook, specializing in New Orleans cuisine. He returned to the United States from time to time and performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
It seemed that Dupree could not escape from the prejudice and racism anywhere he settled in the United States. Finally in late 1958, he decided to move to Europe. Over the next 32 years, he lived in a number of locales in Switzerland, France, England, Denmark and Germany. He also recorded a multitude of wonderful albums during this time for a long list of European labels. Among these is the outstanding live recording, "Blues at Montreux" on Atco that also featured sax great, King Curtis.
He died from complications of cancer on January 21, 1992 in Hanover. As one of the most prolific recording Bluesmen of all time, he left a large catalog of material. Champion Jack Dupree was posthumously honored by the Blues Foundation, receiving election into their Hall of Fame, along with "Blues From The Gutter" being selected as an entry as a "Classic of Blues" recording (Albums).
You're the One
Champion Jack Dupree Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Recorded by The Oak Ridge Boys
Written by Champion Jack Dupree, Carly Simon, David Clayton-Thomas
Bob Morrison, Rock Killough, A. Smith, W. D. Smith
Many’s the time I have looked in the water
And had no reflection to show
Many’s the time I have stood at the crossroads
Many’s the time someone lay close beside me
And I don’t remember her name
They’ll say that I’m just a smile and a moment
But that was before you came
You’re the one in a million
You’re the one you’re the one
You’re the one in a million I see
You’re the one in a million
You’re the one you’re the one
You’re the one in a million for me
All of the others were places to go to
When I had nowhere to sleep
I never made any promises to them
None they’d expect me to keep
Repeat #3 x2
Champion Jack Dupree's "You're the One" as interpreted by The Oak Ridge Boys, is a song about finding someone special among many. The lyrics talk about a man who has often found himself at crossroads confused about which path to take or stand beside someone without even knowing their name but all that changed when the special lady came into his life. The song expresses how she is the one in a million for the man who probably never thought love existed.
The first verse of the song talks about the many times the man looked into the water and found no reflection showing, indicating that he was probably lost and didn't know who he was as an individual. The second verse talks about the numerous times he was with someone but between them, there was no connection and he didn't bother to know their names. It goes to show that people were mere acquaintances with no real relationship. However, the chorus, which repeats twice, talks about finding the right person, a one in a million person, and this woman is different – special, unique, and he found love in her.
In summary, the song is a celebration of love and finding that one special person out of many that fills the emptiness in one's life. It gives hope to people who see life as an endless journey without a destination, that there's always a special person out there for everyone.
Line by Line Meaning
Many’s the time I have looked in the water
I have spent a lot of time looking at my reflection in the water
And had no reflection to show
But sometimes I did not see anything
Many’s the time I have stood at the crossroads
There were many times when I faced difficult decisions
Not knowing which way to go
And I didn't know how to make the right choice
Many’s the time someone lay close beside me
Many times, someone has laid close to me
And I don’t remember her name
But unfortunately, I can't recall their names now
They’ll say that I’m just a smile and a moment
People who know me might say that I'm only good company for a short time
But that was before you came
But that was before I met you
You’re the one in a million
You are the one person in a million
You’re the one you’re the one
You are the only one
You’re the one in a million I see
You are the one in a million that has caught my eye
You’re the one in a million
You are the one person in a million
You’re the one you’re the one
You are the only one
You’re the one in a million for me
You are my one in a million
Contributed by Anthony H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jake Fantom
on She Cooks Me Cabbage
The only line that confuses me is "and she called them turnip greens." Anyone got an idea what Champion Jack is trying to convey here? Why would she cook him cabbage and call it turnip greens?