Parker is commonly considered the greatest bebop jazz musician. In terms of influence and impact, his contribution to jazz was so great that Charles Mingus commented that if Bird were alive today, he would think he was living in a hall of mirrors. Bird's talent is compared almost without argument to such legendary musicians as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, and his reputation and legend as one of the best saxophonists is such that some critics say he was unsurpassed.
A founding figure of bebop, Parker's innovative approach to melody, rhythm and harmony have exerted an incalculable influence on jazz.. Several of Parker's songs have become standards of the repertoire, and innumerable musicians have studied Parker's music and absorbed elements of his style.
Parker became an icon for the Beat generation, and was a pivotal figure in the evolving conception of the jazz musician as an uncompromising artist and intellectual, rather than just a popular entertainer. At various times, Parker fused jazz with other musical styles, from classical (seeking to study with Edgard Varese and Stefan Wolpe) to Latin music (recordings with Machito), blazing paths followed later by others.
Parker was known for often showing up to performances without an instrument and borrowing someone else's at the last moment. At more than one venue he played on a plastic Grafton saxophone; later, saxophonist Ornette Coleman used this brand of plastic sax in his early career. On one particular occasion before a concert in Toronto, Canada, he had sold his saxophone to buy drugs, and at the last minute, he, Dizzy Gillespie and other members of Charlie's entourage went running around Toronto trying to find a saxophone. After scouring all the downtown pawnshops open at the time, they were only able to find a Grafton, which Parker proceeded to use at the concert that night. This concert is documented on the album Jazz at Massey Hall. The album is considered one of the greatest live recordings in Jazz history.
Parker's battles with alcoholism and heroin addiction ranged from his teenage years until his death from pneumonia and a bleeding ulcer at thirty-four. The toll that the drug had taken on his relatively young body was quite profound - a doctor examining Parker's body estimated him to be around sixty years old.
During his lifetime, tribute was paid to Parker when a new nightclub in New York was named Birdland in his honour in 1949.Three years later, George Shearing wrote "Lullaby of Birdland", which was named for both Parker and the nightclub.
Other phenomena also occurred in the United States after the death of Parker, particularly the use of the term "Bird lives" in graffiti throughout New York hours after his death, and later as the title of a contemporary art piece of the same name, created by sculptor Robert Graham in 1999. Despite its widespread use, Ted Joans is usually credited with its inception.
Moose the Mooche
Charlie Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Miles Davis - Trumpet
Lucky Thompson - Tenor Sax
Arvin Garrison - Guitar
Dodo Marmarosa - Piano
Vic McMillan - Bass
Roy Porter - Drums
"Moose the Mooche" is a jazz song by Charlie Parker that tells the story of a man named Moose who is a drug addict. The lyrics describe Moose's addiction and how he is always on the lookout for his next fix. Parker's saxophone playing adds to the frenzied feeling of the song, creating a sense of urgency and chaos that evokes the feeling of addiction. The song is a commentary on the dangers of drug addiction, with the lyrics serving as a warning against the dangers of drug use.
The line "I'll see you when your fever rises high" indicates the cycle of addiction that Moose is trapped in, always searching for his next high. The line "He chases the dragon but the dragon flies away" is a reference to the Chinese euphemism for opium addiction, where the "dragon" represents the addiction and the user chases after it. The song captures the desperation and despair that drug addiction can bring, and has become a classic in the jazz canon.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a guy in town who's awfully slick
A man with exceptional skills resides in our vicinity
Got a movement in his wrist, when he shifts, boy, it's like a - clickety click
The swift motion of his hand produces a distinct clicking sound
He's a guy who gets around
He is a person who is well-travelled
Like Ring and Aces, he's a natural born hustler, don't you know
Similar to professional gamblers, he is an individual born with the talent to deceive and manipulate
He don't have to advertise
He doesn't have to promote himself as his ability speaks for itself
Cause people give him money, all on the side
Others give him money clandestinely due to his remarkable skills
He's never in the dark, cause his birdie has a genuine spark
He is always aware of any situations as his informants are excellent in providing accurate information
It's Moose, Moose the Mooche
It's him, Moose the Mooche
He's tellin' everybody he don't know what to do
He is claiming he is unsure of what steps to take
Mama, he's lyin'! Don't let him fool ya!
His motherly figure should not be fooled by his statements
Cause Moose, he's a scheming hoodlum, don't ya know
Moose is a deceitful delinquent
Always in a good mood, struttin'
He is always in a positive frame of mind and moving with confidence
He's got himself a gal, thinks he's grand
He has found himself a companion who thinks highly of him
Spendin' money, ev'rything's grand
He is spending his money without any worries
Mama, he's got a ten dollar bill
He is carrying a ten dollar bill
Don't you know, Moose, he's ill
Moose is unwell or possibly addicted to drugs
You know, Moose, he drinks molasses
Moose consumes a coloured, sugary liquid known as molasses
Sleeps in a hollow log, oh, and he's mean, yeah!
He sleeps in a wooden container and is not a kind-hearted person
It's Moose, Moose the Mooche
It's him, Moose the Mooche
He's handin' folks a line, tellin' jokes
He is tricking people by telling them falsehoods and cracking jokes
And spurin' all the cowboys with his poke
He is provoking the cowboys and making them react by using his money
It's useless to resist
It's futile to try opposing him
He's got a tenor sax that'll growl like a grizzly bear
His tenor saxophone produces a deep, aggressive sound similar to a grizzly bear's growl
Papa, you better watch your daughter's heart
His fatherly figure should pay attention to his daughter's emotions
Moose is loose, and he's horny hornin' like a mule
Moose is freely wandering and playing his horn like an amorous mule
It's Moose, Moose the Mooche
It's him, Moose the Mooche
Writer(s): CHARLIE PARKER
Contributed by Hannah C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@FornusSomeFornit
Might be my new favorite Paker in-studio recording. Miles Davis is bebopping way harder than he does in pretty much any other recording; Thomson's solo sounds, as someone else in the comments here put it, "mean," which is in sharp contrast to Dodo Marmarosa's cheerful, effortlessly graceful melodies. And of course, Charlie himself is the icing on the cake.
@Frisbieinstein
Thomson was playing Coleman Hawkins style. Cole was Da Man until Charl came along.
@nzizombiesplaya1324g
Bird's face and pose in the picture at 0:47 is a perfect reaction to the first few phrases of his solo haha
@terrellholmes2726
For some reason, Bird's face and posture in that photo remind me of Ralph Kramden....
@wadeharris65
Parker played tenor for Earl Hines, and there have been some recordings surface from the mid-'40s with Bird jamming on tenor. He also played tenor for Miles' first session as leader, then in the early '50s once again sat in on tenor on an album Miles did for Prestige (where Bird is credited as "Charlie Chan").
@KaRidder234
Here comes the "Charlie Parker Septet" who can be heard above: Miles Davis (trumpet) Charlie Parker (alto saxophone) Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone) Dodo Marmarosa (piano) Arvin Garrison (guitar, who doesn't play on this track) Vic McMillan (bass) Roy Porter (drums) - Radio Recorders, Hollywood, CA, March 28, 1946. The tune is not about a moose from Kay Cee.
@racheltweddle
KaRidder234 4&
@hughpenner5051
Thanks
@deanmartin7370
That small piano intro from 0:00 - 0:06 gets me every time
@fabriciodossantosfreitas5181
Simplesmente o cara 🗿🍷