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.
I want a little girl
Jay McShann Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just a girl that's all alone,
A little girl to fall in love with me.
I want a little girl, she may not look
like the kind in a story book,
But if she can cook she'll suit me to a tee!
She doesn't have to wave her hand,
And I wouldn't even care
If she didn't wear none at all!
I want a little girl to have a lot,
I would give her anything I've got
For a little girl to fall in love with me.
She doesn't have to wave her hand,
Or dress in fancy clothes,
And I wouldn't even care
If she didn't wear silken hose!
I want a little girl to have a lot,
I would give her anything I've got
For a little girl to fall in love with me.
The lyrics of "I Want a Little Girl" by Jay McShann express the singer's longing for a simple, unassuming girl who he can love and take care of. He dreams of finding a girl who is all alone, and who may not fit the conventional beauty standards found in storybooks. The only thing that matters to him is that she is able to cook, which would make her the perfect match for him.
The lyrics of the song also express the singer's lack of interest in material possessions or physical appearance. He doesn't care if the girl he is dreaming of is wearing fancy clothes or none at all, or if she is wearing silken hose or not. All that he wants is to find a little girl who he can love, and who will fall in love with him in return.
Overall, the song conveys a message of simple, uncomplicated love, and the desire for a meaningful connection with someone else, rather than superficial or materialistic values. McShann's smooth and soulful voice, along with the jazzy background music, make this song a timeless classic that resonates with listeners even today.
Line by Line Meaning
I want a little girl to call my own,
I desire to have a young woman as my partner.
Just a girl that's all alone,
I am specifically looking for a girl who is unattached.
A little girl to fall in love with me.
I hope to develop romantic feelings with the aforementioned girl.
She may not look like the kind in a story book,
The girl I have in mind may not have conventional beauty standards.
But if she can cook she'll suit me to a tee!
I value a girl who is able to cook and take care of me more than her appearance.
She doesn't have to wave her hand,
I am not concerned with high society manners.
Or dress in fancy clothes,
I am not asking for someone who is rich or fashionable.
And I wouldn't even care
All these things do not matter to me.
If she didn't wear silken hose!
I do not care if she does not wear silk stockings.
I want a little girl to have a lot,
I hope to give her everything that she needs and wants.
I would give her anything I've got
I am willing to offer her everything I possess.
For a little girl to fall in love with me.
I wish to establish a romantic relationship with the girl I have in mind.
Lyrics © SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC., Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GERALD MARKS, SEYMOUR SIMONS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind