Thomas Wright Waller was the youngest of four children, born in New York to Adeline Locket Waller and Reverend Edward Martin Waller. He started playing the piano when he was six and graduated to the organ of his father's church four years later. At the age of fourteen he was playing the organ at Harlem's Lincoln Theater and within twelve months he had composed his first rag. Waller's first piano solos ("Muscle Shoals Blues" and "Birmingham Blues") were recorded in October 1922 when he was 18 years old.
He was the prize pupil, and later friend and colleague, of stride pianist James P. Johnson. Fats Waller was the son of a preacher and learned to play the organ in church with his mother. Overcoming opposition from his clergyman father, Waller became a professional pianist at 15, working in cabarets and theaters. In 1918 he won a talent contest playing Johnson's "Carolina Shout", a song he learned from watching a player piano play it.
Waller was one of the most popular performers of his era, finding critical and commercial success in his homeland and in Europe. He was also a prolific songwriter and many songs he wrote or co-wrote are still popular, such as "Honeysuckle Rose", "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Squeeze Me". Fellow pianist and composer Oscar Levant dubbed Waller "the black Horowitz". Waller composed many novelty tunes in the 1920s and 1930s and sold them for relatively small sums. When the compositions became hits, other songwriters claimed them as their own. Many standards are alternatively and sometimes controversially attributed to Waller. Waller's son Maurice wrote in his 1977 biography of his father, that once he was playing "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby" when he heard his father complaining from upstairs and came down and admonished him never to play that song in his hearing, saying that he had to sell that song when he needed some money. He even made a recording of it in 1938 with Adelaide Hall who, coincidentally, had introduced the song to the world (at Les Ambassadeurs Club in New York in 1928), in which he played the tune but made fun of the lyrics. Likewise, Maurice noted his father's objections whenever he heard "On the Sunny Side of the Street" played on the radio.
The anonymous sleeve notes on the 1960 RCA (UK) album Handful of Keys state that Waller copyrighted over 400 new songs, many of which co-written with his closest collaborator Andy Razaf. Razaf described his partner as "the soul of melody... a man who made the piano sing... both big in body and in mind... known for his generosity... a bubbling bundle of joy".[citation needed] Gene Sedric, a clarinetist who played with Waller on some of his 1930s recordings, is quoted in these same sleeve notes recalling Waller's recording technique with considerable admiration: "Fats was the most relaxed man I ever saw in a studio, and so he made everybody else relaxed. After a balance had been taken, we'd just need one take to make a side, unless it was a kind of difficult number."
Waller played with many performers, from Nat Shilkret (on Victor 21298-A) and Gene Austin to Erskine Tate to Adelaide Hall, but his greatest success came with his own five- or six-piece combo, "Fats Waller and his Rhythm".
His playing once put him at risk of injury. Waller was kidnapped in Chicago leaving a performance in 1926. Four men bundled him into a car and took him to the Hawthorne Inn, owned by Al Capone. Waller was ordered inside the building, and found a party in full swing. Gun to his back, he was pushed towards a piano, and told to play. A terrified Waller realized he was the "surprise guest" at Capone's birthday party, and took comfort that the gangsters did not intend to kill him. According to rumor, Waller played for three days. When he left the Hawthorne Inn, he was very drunk, extremely tired, and had earned thousands of dollars in cash from Capone and other party-goers as tips.
In 1926, Waller began his recording association with Victor Records, his principal record company for the rest of his life, with the organ solos "St. Louis Blues" and his own composition, "Lenox Avenue Blues". Although he recorded with various groups, including Morris's Hot Babes (1927), Fats Waller's Buddies (1929) (one of the earliest interracial groups to record), and McKinney's Cotton Pickers (1929), his most important contribution to the Harlem stride piano tradition was a series of solo recordings of his own compositions: "Handful of Keys", "Smashing Thirds", "Numb Fumblin'", and "Valentine Stomp" (1929). After sessions with Ted Lewis (1931), Jack Teagarden (1931), and Billy Banks's Rhythmakers (1932), he began in May 1934 the voluminous series of recordings with a small band known as Fats Waller and his Rhythm. This six-piece group usually included Herman Autrey (sometimes replaced by Bill Coleman or John "Bugs" Hamilton), Gene Sedric or Rudy Powell, and Al Casey.
Waller wrote "Squeeze Me" (1919), "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now", "Ain't Misbehavin'" (1929), "Blue Turning Grey Over You", "I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling" (1929), "Honeysuckle Rose" (1929), and "Jitterbug Waltz" (1942). He collaborated with the Tin Pan Alley lyricist Andy Razaf. He composed stride piano display pieces such as "Handful of Keys", "Valentine Stomp" and "Viper's Drag".[citation needed]
He enjoyed success touring the United Kingdom and Ireland in the 1930s. He appeared in one of the first BBC broadcasts. While in Britain, Waller also recorded a number of songs for EMI on their Compton Theatre organ located in their Abbey Road Studios in St John's Wood. He appeared in several feature films and short subject films, most notably "Stormy Weather" in 1943, which was released July 21, just months before his death. For the hit Broadway show, "Hot Chocolates", he and Razaf wrote "(What Did I Do to Be So) Black and Blue" (1929), which became a hit for Ethel Waters and Louis Armstrong.
Waller performed Bach organ pieces for small groups on occasion. Waller influenced many pre-bop jazz pianists; Count Basie and Erroll Garner have both reanimated his hit songs (notably, "Ain't Misbehavin'"). In addition to his playing, Waller was known for his many quips during his performances.
Between 1926 and the end of 1927, Waller recorded a series of pipe organ solo records. These represent the first time syncopated jazz compositions were performed on a full sized church organ.
Waller contracted pneumonia and died on a cross country train trip near Kansas City, Missouri on December 15, 1943, after making a final recording session with an interracial group in Detroit that included white trumpeter Don Hirleman. He was on his way back to Hollywood for more film work, after the smash success of "Stormy Weather". Coincidentally, as the train with the body of Waller stopped in Kansas City, so stopped a train with his dear friend Louis Armstrong on board.
Revival and awards
2008 Gennett Records Walk of Fame
2005 Jazz at Lincoln Center: Nesuhi Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame
1993 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
1989 Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame
1970 Songwriters Hall of Fame
Recordings of Fats Waller were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame which is a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honour recordings that are at least 25 years old and that have "qualitative or historical significance".
Fats Waller: Grammy Hall of Fame Awards
1934 "Honeysuckle Rose" Jazz (Single) Victor in 1998
1929 "Ain't Misbehavin'" Jazz (Single) Victor in 1984 Listed in the National Recording Registry
by the Library of Congress in 2004.
Subject of the Irish poet Michael Longley's "Elegy for Fats Waller".
Waller's organ music is prominently featured in the David Lynch film Eraserhead.
He was caricatured in several Warner Brothers animated shorts, most notably Tin Pan Alley Cats.
In the 2008 film, Be Kind Rewind Fats Waller was a major theme and influence for the storyline.
Italian comics book artist Igort published a comic book about Waller entitled Fats Waller on Coconino Press in 2009.
Some of Waller's music ("Jitterbug Waltz") is used in the video game series BioShock.
Waller's version of "Louisiana Fairytale" was used for many years as the theme song to This Old House.
A Broadway musical revue showcasing Waller tunes entitled Ain't Misbehavin' was produced in 1978. (The show and a star of the show, Nell Carter, won Tony Awards.) The show opened at the Longacre Theatre and ran for over 1600 performances. It was revived on Broadway in 1988. Performed by five African American actors, it included such songs as "Honeysuckle Rose", "This Joint Is Jumpin'", and "Ain't Misbehavin'".
How Can I
Fats Waller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's not a joke, kid, it's a curse.
My luck is changing, it's gotten from
simply rotten to something worse
Who knows, some day I will win too.
I'll begin to reach my prime.
Now though I see what our end is,
I can't give you anything but love, baby.
That's the only thing I've plenty of,baby.
Dream awhile, scheme awhile
We're sure to find
Happiness and I guess
All those things you've always pined for.
Gee I'd like to see you looking swell, baby.
Diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn't sell, baby.
Till that lucky day you know darned well, baby.
I can't give you anything but love.
Rome wasn't built in a day, kid.
You have to pay, kid, for what you get.
But I am willing to wait, dear,
Your little mate, dear, will not forget.
You have a lifetime before you.
I'll adore you, come what may.
Please don't be blue for the present,
When it's so pleasant to hear you say
I can't give you anything but love, baby.
That's the only thing I've plenty of,baby.
Dream awhile, scheme awhile
We're sure to find
Happiness and I guess
All those things you've always pined for.
Gee I'd like to see you looking swell, baby.
Diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn't sell, baby.
Till that lucky day you know darned well, baby.
I can't give you anything but love.
The lyrics to Fats Waller's song "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" present a narrative of a romantic relationship where one individual is struggling financially and cannot provide material possessions for their partner. The opening lines express the difficulty of being broke and the frustration it causes. The use of the word "curse" implies a sense of hopelessness and the idea that one is powerless in their situation. As the song progresses, the singer explains the hope that they have for the future, stating that they will eventually win and be able to provide for their partner. However, in the meantime, all they can offer is their love.
The following stanza reinforces the message of the song, emphasizing the idea that the singer cannot provide material possessions, but can offer affection and devotion. The repetition of the phrase "I can't give you anything but love, baby" serves as a reminder of the main theme of the song. The final stanza expresses a willingness to wait, and a commitment to the relationship despite financial difficulties.
Line by Line Meaning
Gee, but it's tough to be broke, kid.
Being broke is really hard, kid.
It's not a joke, kid, it's a curse.
It's not funny, kid, it's a serious problem.
My luck is changing, it's gotten from simply rotten to something worse
My situation is going from bad to worse, my luck is not improving.
Who knows, some day I will win too.
Maybe someday, I will succeed as well.
I'll begin to reach my prime.
I'll start reaching my best years.
Now though I see what our end is, All I can spend is just my time.
I understand our fate, I only have time to give you.
I can't give you anything but love, baby.
I don't have much to offer other than love.
That's the only thing I've plenty of,baby.
The only thing I have in abundance is love.
Dream awhile, scheme awhile / We're sure to find / Happiness and I guess / All those things you've always pined for.
Let's dream and plan together, we'll surely find happiness and all the things you've always wanted.
Gee I'd like to see you looking swell, baby.
I'd love to see you looking great, baby.
Diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn't sell, baby.
I can't buy you diamond bracelets from Woolworth because I don't have the money.
Till that lucky day you know darned well, baby.
Until that fortunate day, you're aware that I only have love to offer.
Rome wasn't built in a day, kid.
Big accomplishments take time, kid.
You have to pay, kid, for what you get.
You have to work hard and make sacrifices to achieve your goals, kid.
But I am willing to wait, dear, / Your little mate, dear, will not forget.
I'm willing to be patient, my dear, I won't forget you, my sweetie.
You have a lifetime before you.
You have your whole life ahead of you.
I'll adore you, come what may.
I'll love you no matter what happens.
Please don't be blue for the present, / When it's so pleasant to hear you say
Don't be sad right now, when it's so nice to hear you speak.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nissi.k
“Ain’t Misbehavin'” was composed in 1929 by Fats Waller and Harry Brooks, with lyrics by Andy Razaf.
Lyrics:
No one to talk with
All by myself
No one to walk with
But I'm happy on the shelf
Ain't misbehavin'
I'm savin' my love for you
I know for certain
The one I love
I'm through with flirtin'
It's just you I'm thinkin' of
Ain't misbehavin'
I'm savin' my love for you
Like Jack Horner
In the corner
Don't go nowhere
What do I care?
Your kisses are worth waitin' for
Believe me
I don't stay out late
Don't care to go
I'm home about eight
Just me and my radio
Ain't misbehavin'
I'm savin' my love for you
Like Jack Horner
In the corner
Don't go nowhere
What do I care?
Your kisses are worth waitin' for
Believe me
I don't stay out late
Don't care to go
I'm home about eight
Just me and my radio
Ain't misbehavin'
I'm savin' my love for you
@TooDazedTJ
No one to talk with
All by myself
No one to walk with
But I'm happy on the shelf
Ain't misbehavin'
Savin' my love for you, for you, for you, for you
I know for certain
The one I love
I'm through with flirtin'
It's you that I'm thinkin' of
Ain't misbehavin'
Savin' my love for you
Like Jack Horner
In the corner
Don't go nowhere
What do I care?
Your kisses are worth waitin' for
Believe me
I don't stay out late
No place to go
I'm home about eight
Just me and my radio
Ain't misbehavin'
Savin' all my love for you
I don’t stay out late
Got no place to go
I'm home about eight
Just me and my radio
Ain't misbehavin'
Savin' my love for you
@LudwigNathanael
No one to talk with, all by myself
No one to walk with, but I'm happy on the shelf
Ain't misbehavin', I'm savin' my love for you.
I know for certain the one i love
I'm through with flirtin', it's you I'm thinkin' of
Ain't Misbehavin', I'm savin' my love for you.
Like Jack Horner in the corner
don't go nowhere, what do I care
Your kisses are worth waitin' for. .. Believe me.
I don't stay out late, no place to go
I'm home about 8, just me and my radio
Ain't Misbehavin', I'm savin' all my love for you
@domusch111
i love how youtube is the nearest thing to a time machine we have
@mongrel_97
isn't it madness that we have pictures from the early 1800s? and video from as early as the late 1880s?
@s34cea75
I'd like to mention the drummer since no one else seems to have: Zutty Singleton, one of the first great jazz drummers. Born and raised in new orleans and paved the way for so many jazz drummers after him
@politereminder6284
He's awesome!😍
@ContextReallyMatters
Thanks for the history lesson. I've been on a jazz journey this past month or so. Born and raised in New Orleans and my grandfather played sax. New Orleans has such a rich history and it really isn't represented in modern music.
@fluffshepnetwork7067
Yes indeed! Zutty is a LEGEND! Played with Cab Calloway too if I'm not mistaken. The fact that he played with both Fats and Cab is emblematic of his versatility. Being from New Orleans, his roots are in the type of stuff we saw in this video, but he could also play in a big band setting. He later played with Bird, so that demonstrates that he could certainly hang with the bebop cats.
@johnbishop5316
Oh, drums. Yawn. Bang bang.
@lindabranigan2460
Hey S34 cEa
Thanks for someone out there in Music land, who knows more than I do. My trivia music expertise ranges from early '50's to the 1990's. So, the jazz era needs plenty of beefin' up. I do know now that
Gene Krupa had to be influenced by our main man, pots and pans, Zutty Singleton.
@aprilmay578
WOW! He is excellent.
The older generation is so lucky to have had such wonderful music and artists. I am so jealous.
My generation's music sucks and has a tiny few number of talented artists.
💕❤️💕❤️💕❤️💕❤️💕❤️💕
This is for the older generation
💕❤️💕❤️💕❤️💕❤️💕❤️💕
@hugokelvin6048
Hello, how are you?