Brown was born in Mississippi and sang in church as a child. In 1919 her family moved to Chicago and she began studying piano; in the 1920s she began taking gigs in clubs and broadcasted on radio. From the 1930s to the 1950s she toured the United States regularly, recording for Decca Records (among other labels) along the way and recording many humorous, ironic titles such as "Your Feet's Too Big", "Mama Don't Want No Peas and Rice and Coconut Oil" and "The Stuff Is Here and it's Mellow". Her stride piano playing was often compared to Fats Waller.
In the 1940s Brown began to shy from singing bawdy blues songs because of deepening religious beliefs, and in 1953 she retired and became a nurse. She was rediscovered in the 1980s after being tracked down by Marian McPartland; she returned to record again and performed on National Public Radio. She died in 1995 in Denver, Colorado.
Some of Brown's earliest recordings have been reissued by Document Records.
The Stuff Is Here And It's Mellow
Cleo Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Start the party up once more!
Hey, hey, let's get gay,
'Cause the stuff is here!
Everybody grab a glass,
'Cause the good stuff's about to pass,
Hey, hey, let's get gay,
Piano man falls upon his stool,
Plays that piano like he's nobody's fool!
Everybody grab that glass,
'Cause the good stuff's about to pass,
Hey, hey, let's get gay,
'Cause the stuff is here!
Lock the windows and close the door,
Start the party up once more!
Hey, hey, let's get gay,
'Cause the stuff is here!
Everybody grab a glass,
The good stuff's about to pass,
Hey, hey, let's get gay,
The stuff is here!
Piano man falls upon his stool,
Plays that piano like he's nobody's fool!
Everybody grab that glass,
'Cause the good stuff's about to pass,
Hey, hey, let's get gay,
'Cause the stuff is here!
The song "The Stuff Is Here And It's Mellow" by Cleo Brown is a cheerful and upbeat tune that encourages listeners to let loose and enjoy themselves during a party. The opening lines, "Lock the windows and close the door, Start the party up once more!" indicate that the party has already been going on, but it's time to turn up the excitement even more. The repeated line "Hey, hey, let's get gay" doesn't have the same meaning as it might today; instead, it's an invitation to join in joviality and have fun.
As the party continues, the focus shifts to the music and the piano player who falls upon his stool and plays with expertise. The wine or liquor flowing at the party is referred to as "the stuff," and listeners are encouraged to grab a glass and join in. The playful and carefree tone of the song fits with the jazz genre that Cleo Brown was known for; jazz encouraged dancing, merriment, and improvisation, all of which are emphasized in "The Stuff Is Here And It's Mellow." Overall, the song is about enjoying oneself in the moment and letting go of any inhibitions.
Line by Line Meaning
Lock the windows and close the door,
Let's ensure that we have privacy and no interruptions.
Start the party up once more!
Let's begin having a good time again.
Hey, hey, let's get gay,
Hey, let's become joyful and carefree.
'Cause the stuff is here!
Because we have something good to celebrate with.
Everybody grab a glass,
Let's all get ready to toast and drink.
'Cause the good stuff's about to pass,
Because something excellent is about to be served.
Piano man falls upon his stool,
The musician sits down on the piano bench.
Plays that piano like he's nobody's fool!
He plays the instrument skillfully and with confidence.
Lock the windows and close the door,
Again, let's make sure we have privacy and no interruptions.
Start the party up once more!
Let's begin having a good time again.
Everybody grab a glass,
Once again, let's get ready to toast and drink.
'Cause the good stuff's about to pass,
Because something excellent is on its way.
Hey, hey, let's get gay,
Once again, let's become joyful and carefree.
'Cause the stuff is here!
Once again, because we have something good to celebrate with.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
CB Davis
Cleo Brown was a great performer. Her piano playing is top flight and very original. But this is a song about liquor and Prohibition, "everybody grab a glass" and all that. Marian McPartland brought her out of retirement in the 90s.
Natascha Flamisch
It sure is about the prohibition. But in the original form it says "hold the job but not too fast" in the second verse, that could have been marijuana ...