Chuck Brown… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two artists named Chuck Brown on Last.fm.
Chuck Brown, African American jazz guitarist and singer, whose musical life is described in detail below.Chuck Brown, a solo pianist and song writer from Central Ohio, who was influenced by George Winston and plays in the neoclassical or new age genre.
Chuck Brown -- jazz artist -- (August 28, 1936–May 16, 2012) was an African-American jazz guitarist, singer and the Godfather of Go-Go, which is a sub-genre of funk music from Washington, D.C.
Brown's musical career began in the 1960s playing guitar with Jerry Butler and The Earls of Rhythm, joining Los Latinos in 1965. He still performs music today and is commonly known in the Washington, DC area. Brown's early hits include "I Need Some Money" and "Bustin' Loose". "Bustin' Loose" has been adopted by the Washington Nationals baseball team as its seventh inning stretch song. Brown also recorded go-go covers of early jazz and blues songs, such as "Go-Go Swing" Duke Ellington's "It Don't Mean a Thing If Ain't Got That Swing", "Moody's Mood for Love", Johnny Mercer's "Midnight Sun", Louis Jordan's "Run Joe", and T-Bone Walker's "Stormy Monday".
He has influenced other go-go bands such as Big G and The Backyard Band, Rare Essence, Experience Unlimited (EU), Little Benny and the Masters, and Trouble Funk.
The song "Ashley's Roachclip" from the Soul Searchers' 1974 album Salt of the Earth contains a famous drum break.
Brown is considered a local legend in Washington, D.C., and has appeared in television advertisements for the Washington Post and other area companies. The D.C. Lottery's "Rolling Cash 5" ad campaign features Chuck Brown singing his 2007 song "The Party Roll" in front of various D.C. city landmarks such as Ben's Chili Bowl.
Brown passed away on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 of multiple organ failure at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.
It Don't Mean a Thing
Chuck Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If it ain't got that swing
(doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah
Doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah)
It don't mean a thing
All you got to do is sing
(doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah
Doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah)
If it's sweet or hot
Just give that rhythm
Ev'rything you got
Oh, it don't mean a thing
If it ain't got that swing
(doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah
Doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah)
Chuck Brown's song "It Don't Mean A Thing" is an uptempo classic swing number that celebrates the importance of rhythm and swing. The opening line, "It don't mean a thing," suggests that without swing, rhythm, and momentum, the song will lack that essential ingredient that separates the greats from the mediocrities. The use of "doo wah" in the refrain reinforces this idea, as it shifts the focus from the lyrics themselves to the swing that propels the song forward.
The second line, "If it ain't got that swing," establishes swing as the central concern of the song. Brown is suggesting that no matter how melodious or profound a song's lyrics may be, they will ultimately fail if they don't have that swing to keep the toes tapping and the heart beating in time. Brown then further emphasizes the simplicity of this formula by saying that "All you got to do is sing" - as long as you have that swing, the words themselves don't matter much.
Finally, Brown suggests that it doesn't matter if the song is sweet or hot, slow or fast - as long as it has that swing. The song is ultimately an homage to the power of rhythm and the ability of music to inspire and uplift. With its infectious beat, upbeat lyrics, and impressive musicianship, "It Don't Mean A Thing" is a classic that continues to inspire new generations of listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
It don't mean a thing
The presence of something is invalid
If it ain't got that swing
If that thing doesn't possess the essential character of smoothness and flow
(doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah
Sound effect of music
Doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah)
Sound effect of music
It don't mean a thing
The presence of something is invalid
All you got to do is sing
All you need to do is express your musicality vocally
(doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah
Sound effect of music
Doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah)
Sound effect of music
It makes no diff'rence
The quality of something is irrelevant
If it's sweet or hot
Regardless of whether something is calming or emotive
Just give that rhythm
Steadily maintain the pace and cadence of the music
Ev'rything you got
Put all your effort and energy to sustain that rhythm
Oh, it don't mean a thing
The presence of something is invalid
If it ain't got that swing
If that thing doesn't possess the essential character of smoothness and flow
(doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah
Sound effect of music
Doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah)
Sound effect of music
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: Duke Ellington, Irving Mills
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind