Lunceford was born in Fulton, Mississippi. Little is known about his parents, though his father was a choirmaster in Warren, Ohio, before the family moved to Denver. Lunceford went to high school in Denver and studied music under Wilberforce J. Whiteman, father of Paul Whiteman, whose band was soon to acquire a national reputation. As a child in Denver, he learned several instruments. He played alto saxophone in the band led by the violinist George Morrison. After high school, Lunceford continued his studies at Fisk University. In 1922, he played alto saxophone in a local band led by George Morrison which included Andy Kirk, another musician destined for fame as a bandleader.
In 1927, while an athletic instructor at Manassas High School in Memphis, Tennessee, he organized a student band, the Chickasaw Syncopators, whose name was changed to the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra. Under the new name, the band started its professional career in 1929, and made its first recordings in 1930. Lunceford was the first high school band director in Memphis. After a period of touring, the band accepted a booking at the Harlem nightclub The Cotton Club in 1934 for their revue 'Cotton Club Parade' starring Adelaide Hall. The Cotton Club had already featured Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway, who won their first widespread fame from their inventive shows for the Cotton Club's all-white patrons. Lunceford's orchestra, with their tight musicianship and the often outrageous humor in their music and lyrics, made an ideal band for the club, and Lunceford's reputation began to steadily grow. Jimmie Luncefords band differed from other great bands of the time because their work was better known for its ensemble than its solo work. Additionally, he was known for using a two-beat rhythm, called the Lunceford two-beat, as opposed to the standard four-beat rhythm. This distinctive "Lunceford style" was largely the result of the imaginative arrangements by trumpeter Sy Oliver, which set high standards for dance-band arrangers of the time.
Though not well known as a musician, Jimmie Lunceford was trained on several instruments and was even featured on flute in "Liza".
Comedy and vaudeville played a distinct part in Lunceford's presentation. Songs such as "Rhythm Is Our Business" (featured in a 1937 musical short with Myra Johnson (Taylor) on vocals), "I'm Nuts about Screwy Music", "I Want the Waiter (With the Water)", and "Four or Five Times" displayed a playful sense of swing, often through clever arrangements by trumpeter Sy Oliver and bizarre lyrics. Lunceford's stage shows often included costumes, skits, and obvious jabs at mainstream white bands, such as Paul Whiteman's and Guy Lombardo's.
Despite the band's comic veneer, Lunceford always maintained professionalism in the music befitting a former teacher; this professionalism paid off and during the apex of swing in the 1930s, the Orchestra was considered the equal of Duke Ellington's, Earl Hines' or Count Basie's. This precision can be heard in such pieces as "Wham (Re-Bop-Boom-Bam)", "Lunceford Special", "For Dancers Only", "Uptown Blues", and "Stratosphere". The band's noted saxophone section was led by alto sax player Willie Smith. Lunceford often used a conducting baton to lead his band.
The orchestra began recording for the Decca label and later signed with the Columbia subsidiary Vocalion in 1938. They toured Europe extensively in 1937, but had to cancel a second tour in 1939 because of the outbreak of World War II. Columbia dropped Lunceford in 1940 because of flagging sales. (Oliver departed the group before the scheduled European tour to take a position as an arranger for Tommy Dorsey). Lunceford returned to the Decca label. The orchestra appeared in the 1941 movie Blues in the Night.
Most of Lunceford's sidemen were underpaid and left for better paying bands, leading to the band's decline.
On July 12, 1947, while playing in Seaside, Oregon, Lunceford collapsed and died from cardiac arrest during an autograph session, aged 45. Allegations and rumors circulated that he had been poisoned by a fish-restaurant owner who was unhappy at having to serve a "Negro" in his establishment. This story is given credence by the fact other members of Lunceford's band who ate at this restaurant were sick within hours of the meal. He was buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis.
Band members, notably Eddie Wilcox and Joe Thomas kept the band going for a time but finally had to break up the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra in 1949.
In 1999, band-leader Robert Veen and a team of musicians set out to acquire permission to use the original band charts and arrangements of the Jimmie Lunceford canon. 'The Jimmie Lunceford Legacy Orchestra' officially debuted in July 2005 at the North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands.
The Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival was founded in 2007 by Ron Herd II a.k.a. R2C2H2 Tha Artivist and Artstorian, with the aim of increasing recognition of Lunceford's contribution to jazz, particularly in Memphis, Tennessee. The Jimmie Lunceford Legacy Awards was created by the Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival to honor exceptional musicians with Memphis ties as well as those who have dedicated their careers to excellence in music and music education.
His music continues to have an impact. Most recently the tune "Rhythm is Our Business" was included as track on the compilation set Memphis Jazz Box in 2004 in honor of Lunceford's close ties to Memphis.
On July 19, 2009, a brass note was dedicated to Lunceford on Beale Street, Memphis, Tennessee.
Selected discography
Prior to Lunceford's success on Decca (beginning September 1934), he made the following recordings:
"In Dat Mornin'"/"Sweet Rhythm" (Victor V-38141)- recorded Memphis, June 6, 1930
"Flaming Reeds and Screaming Brass"/"While Love Lasts" (Columbia tests - not issued until the late 1960s on LP) - recorded New York, May 15, 1933
"Jazznocracy"/"Chillun, Get Up" (Victor 24522) - recorded New York, January 26, 1934
"White Heat"/"Leaving Me" (Victor 24586) - recorded New York, January 26, 1934
"Breakfast Ball"/"Here Goes" (Victor 24601) - recorded New York, March 20, 1934
"Swingin' Uptown"/"Remember When" (Victor 24669) - recorded New York, March 20, 1934
The Decca recordings
Stomp It Off (1934-1935 Decca recordings) (CD: GRP, 1992)
For Dancers Only (1935-1937 Decca recordings) (CD: GRP, 1994)
Swingsation (1935-1939 Decca recordings) (CD: GRP, 1998)
Like a Ship at Sea (1935-1939 Decca recordings)
Columbia recordings[edit]
Lunceford Special (1939 Columbia recordings) (LP: 1956, expanded issue late 1960s, CD: Columbia Legacy, 2001)
Modern CD compilations from different recording labels[edit]
Rhythm Is Our Business (1933–1940, both Decca and Columbia periods successively) (ASV, 1992)
Jukebox Hits: 1937-1947 (Acrobat, 2005)
Life Is Fine or Quadromania (Membran/Quadromania Jazz, 2006)
Trivia[edit]
The Chickasaw Syncopators made a single 78 record on December 13, 1927 in Memphis (but without Lunceford); it was issued on Columbia 14301-D.
Organ Grinder's Swing
Jimmie Lunceford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Good old organ grinder Pete
He's the latest rhythm king
With his organ grinder's swing
Dadya, Pa swings it, so does Ma
Dadya, Ma swings it, so does Pa
Dadya, you swing it, so do I
Dadya, I swing it so do you
When he turns that handle down
Music goes around and 'round
Ev'rybody starts to sing
To that organ grinder's swing
Trala, Pa swings it, so does Ma
Trala, Ma swings it, so does Pa
Trala, you swing it, so do I
Trala, I swing it so do you
All the children tag along
Just to listen to his song
Monkey dancing on a string
To the organ grinder's swing
O-hum, Pa swings it, so does Ma
O-hum, Ma swings it, so does Pa
O-hum, you swing it, so do I
O-hum, I swing it so do you
Organ Grinder's Swing by Jimmie Lunceford is a catchy tune that highlights the allure of an organ grinder named Pete. The lyrics, "Who's that coming down the street? Good old organ grinder Pete" suggest that the song is about the arrival of Pete and his organ on the street. Pete, the "latest rhythm king," is known for his organ grinder's swing, a rhythmic tune produced when turning the handle of his organ. This swing is so captivating that everyone in the street swings it along with him, including Dadya, Pa, Ma, and even the singer.
As the song continues, Pete turns the handle down to produce music that goes "around and 'round," prompting everyone to start singing and swinging to the organ grinder's swing. This catchy tune and its continuous beat make everyone, including children and even a monkey dancing on a string, want to tag along with Pete and listen to his song. Every line repeats itself, emphasizing the popularity and appeal of the organ grinder's swing to the listeners.
Overall, the song paints a vivid picture of the street scene, infused with the excitement and energy of the organ grinder's swing. The repetition of the lyrics, along with the upbeat melody, reinforces the idea that the joy of music is universal and brings people together.
Line by Line Meaning
Who's that coming down the street?
Who is that person walking on the street?
Good old organ grinder Pete
A familiar organ grinder known as Pete
He's the latest rhythm king
He is the current leader of the rhythm
With his organ grinder's swing
Playing his music with the style of an organ grinder
Dadya, Pa swings it, so does Ma
Father and Mother play along to the music
Dadya, Ma swings it, so does Pa
Mother and Father play along to the music
Dadya, you swing it, so do I
Everyone plays along to the music
Dadya, I swing it so do you
Everyone plays along to the music
When he turns that handle down
When he rotates the handle of the instrument
Music goes around and 'round
Music plays on and on
Ev'rybody starts to sing
Everyone begins to sing along
To that organ grinder's swing
To the style of the organ grinder's music
Trala, Pa swings it, so does Ma
Father and Mother play along to the music
Trala, Ma swings it, so does Pa
Mother and Father play along to the music
Trala, you swing it, so do I
Everyone plays along to the music
Trala, I swing it so do you
Everyone plays along to the music
All the children tag along
All the kids follow him around
Just to listen to his song
Just to hear his music
Monkey dancing on a string
A monkey is dancing while hanging on a rope
To the organ grinder's swing
To the style of the organ grinder's music
O-hum, Pa swings it, so does Ma
Father and Mother play along to the music
O-hum, Ma swings it, so does Pa
Mother and Father play along to the music
O-hum, you swing it, so do I
Everyone plays along to the music
O-hum, I swing it so do you
Everyone plays along to the music
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: IRVING MILLS, MITCHELL PARISH, WILL HUDSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@scotnick59
Love that velvety smoothness @:47!
@miguelosvaldofloresdomingu8911
Good tune!
@lawrencelewis8105
Django Reinhardt covered it and it was the theme of an old Popeye cartoon!
@knowspicker6616
Also the theme song of San Francisco radio DJ/comic Red Blanchard. in 195os. Great fun.
@bigeman25
Made to Fox your Trot off. Good dance tune.