Willie And The Hand Jive
Eric Clapton feat. Yvonne Elliman Lyrics


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I know a cat named Way-Out Willie
Had a cool little chick named Rockin' Billie
Made a heart of stone Susie-Q, doin' that crazy hand jive too
Papa said "You will ruin my house.
You and that hand jive have got to go"
Willie said "Papa, don't you put me down,
Been doin' that hand jive all over town."
Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive, doin' that crazy hand jive

I don't want you to get on the floor
Gettin' low, getting down with sister go
Come on, get baby, little sister'll die
Said doin' that hand jive one more time
Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive, doin' that crazy hand jive

Doctor getting low and he getting check
Now they're all digging that crazy beat
Way-Out Willie gave 'em all a treat
Been doin' that hand jive with his feet
Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive, doin' that crazy hand jive

Willi and Billie got married last fall
Had to live with his sisters and that ain't all
Daddy got famous it's plain to see




Been doin' that hand jive on his knees
Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive, doin' that crazy hand jive

Overall Meaning

The song Willie and the Hand Jive by Eric Clapton is a classic rock and roll tune that showcases the popularity of a dance move called the Hand Jive, which was a popular dance craze in the 1950s. The opening verses describe a man called "Way-Out Willie", who is known for his groovy moves and has a girlfriend named "Rockin' Billie". Both of them are expert Hand Jive dancers and can perform it with ease. Even their friend "Susie-Q" is a master of the Hand Jive. But Willie's father is not pleased with their obsession with the dance move and warns him to stop or be thrown out of the house.


However, Willie is unable to resist the urge to dance and continues to do the "crazy hand jive" all over town. The chorus of the song repeats this phrase several times, highlighting the popularity of the dance move. The final verses describe how even the doctor is impressed with Willie's moves and how he has become a sensation in his town. Willie even marries Billie, and they live with Willie's sisters, where his father is also seen doing the Hand Jive on his knees.


Line by Line Meaning

I know a cat named Way-Out Willie
I am acquainted with a person named Way-out Willie


Had a cool little chick named Rockin' Billie
He had a young attractive girlfriend named Rockin' Billie


Made a heart of stone Susie-Q, doin' that crazy hand jive too
He also had a girlfriend named Susie-Q who was dancing a popular dance called the hand jive


Papa said "You will ruin my house. You and that hand jive have got to go"
Their father was unhappy with their dancing and told them to stop because he felt it would cause a disturbance in their home


Willie said "Papa, don't you put me down, Been doin' that hand jive all over town."
Willie stood up for himself and rebutted his father's demand, telling his dad that he had been doing the hand jive all over town


Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive, doin' that crazy hand jive
It's a repetitious phrase commonly heard in the song that highlights the enjoyment of the popular hand jive dance


I don't want you to get on the floor Gettin' low, getting down with sister go Come on, get baby, little sister'll die Said doin' that hand jive one more time
The singer is encouraging the listener to do the hand jive dance without actually touching the floor, and not to give up until they have mastered the dance because it's so much fun


Doctor getting low and he getting check Now they're all digging that crazy beat Way-Out Willie gave 'em all a treat Been doin' that hand jive with his feet
Even a doctor who had come to Harvey's house checks was enjoying the dance and Willie who performed the hand jive dance with his feet was successfully entertaining the crowd


Willi and Billie got married last fall Had to live with his sisters and that ain't all Daddy got famous it's plain to see Been doin' that hand jive on his knees
Willie and Billie were married last fall, but they had to live with Willie's sisters. Moreover, Willie's father was becoming famous for his kneeling hand jive dance




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOHNNY OTIS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

kata14

love this song

Matt Bowley

gold!

Pure Heart Ukulele Club

is this the definitive performance of this particular tune ?

Stephanie Knows

That depends on what generation you are and who you hung out with! :D Original is by Johnny Otis. There's a nice clip of the song being featured in a movie, with dancers doing the hand jive with their feet, as the song alludes to. But I think it's fair to say "my generation" best knows it via Eric Clapton (I have it on the album: 461 Ocean Boulevard), although others have also covered it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYkgKNfszAY&ab_channel=EricClapton-Topic

TheYutan39

very good

Cheryl Clarke

Dig it baby!

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