McShann was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and began working as a professional musician in 1931, performing around Tulsa, Oklahoma and neighboring Arkansas. He moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1936, and set up his own big band, which featured Charlie Parker (from 1937 to 1942), Bernard Anderson, Ben Webster and Walter Brown. Although its book included both swing and blues numbers, the band played blues on most of its records; its most popular recording was "Confessin' the Blues." The group disbanded when McShann was drafted into the Army in 1944, and he was unable to successfully restart it when he got out.
After the war McShann began to lead small groups featuring blues shouter Jimmy Witherspoon. Witherspoon started recording with McShann in 1945, and fronting McShann's band, had a hit in 1949 with "Ain't Nobody's Business." McShann then played in obscurity until 1969, when he became popular as a singer as well as a pianist, often performing with Claude Williams. He continued recording and touring through the 1990s. Well into his 80s McShann still performed occasionally, particularly in the Kansas City area and Toronto Ontario.
Crime-fiction writer Elmore Leonard featured McShann as a character in his 2005 novel, The Hot Kid.
On December 7, 2006, McShann died at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City.
Ain't Misbehavin'
Jay McShann Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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
The lyrics of Jay McShann's "Ain't Misbehavin'" convey a sense of contentment in solitude, with the singer proclaiming that they are happy being by themselves and are staying loyal to the one they love. The repetition of "ain't misbehavin'" reinforces this sentiment of virtue and self-control. The singer is resolute in their decision to save their love for their special someone, as indicated by the line "I'm through with flirtin', it's just you I'm thinkin' of."
The Jack Horner reference suggests that the singer is comfortable with themselves and has no need for external validation or interaction. They are willing to bide their time and wait for the right person and the right moment, confident that their love is worth the wait. The repetition of the second stanza reinforces this idea, with the singer reiterating that they do not go out late, and are just content with their own company and their radio.
Overall, the lyrics of "Ain't Misbehavin'" celebrate the virtue of loyalty, self-control, and contentment in solitude, suggesting that true love is worth waiting for and being faithful to, even in the absence of immediate gratification.
Line by Line Meaning
No one to talk with
I have no one to converse with.
All by myself
I am alone without companionship.
No one to walk with
I have no one to walk alongside.
But I'm happy on the shelf
Despite being by myself, I am content in my situation.
Ain't misbehavin'
I am well-behaved and faithful.
I'm savin' my love for you
I am committed and reserving my affection for a specific person.
I know for certain
I am aware without question.
The one I love
The person who holds my affection.
I'm through with flirtin'
I have finished behaving flirtatiously with others.
It's just you I'm thinkin' of
You are the only person occupying my thoughts.
Like Jack Horner
Similar to Jack Horner, a fictional character known for sitting alone in a corner.
In the corner
In a solitary location off to the side.
Don't go nowhere
I do not venture out.
What do I care?
I do not have any concern or preference.
Your kisses are worth waitin' for
I am willing to patiently wait for your affection.
Believe me
I am telling the truth.
I don't stay out late
I do not spend prolonged periods of time outside my residence.
Don't care to go
I have no interest in leaving my home.
I'm home about eight
I am back in my abode by approximately eight o'clock.
Just me and my radio
My only company is the radio.
Ain't misbehavin'
I am well-behaved and faithful.
I'm savin' my love for you
I am committed and reserving my affection for a specific person.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG Rights Management
Written by: Andy Razaf, Fats Waller, Harry Brooks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gilles Vaillancourt
Merveilleuse version d'une de mes chansons préférées de Fats Waller
Wonderful version of one one of my preferred song of Fats Waller
Michael Paoli
What a great supporting cast!
bobgure
Thanks for posting this!!
Bogus Operandi
A touch of NYC gloss wrapped in KC Swing