Hampton was born on 20th April 1908 in Louisville, Kentucky, but moved to Chicago as a child, where he began his career as a drummer. He relocated to Los Angeles to play drums in Les Hite's band. They soon became the house band for Frank Sebastian's New Cotton Club, a popular L.A. jazz club.
During a 1930 recording date in the NBC studios in L.A., Louis Armstrong discovered a vibraphone. He asked Hampton if he could play it. Hampton, who knew how to play the xylophone, tried it and they agreed to record a few records with Hamp on vibes. Hampton is credited with popularizing the vibraphone as a jazz instrument.
In the mid-1930s, the Benny Goodman Orchestra came to Los Angeles to play the Palomar Ballroom. John Hammond brought Goodman to see Hampton play. Goodman asked Hampton to move to New York City and join Goodman, Teddy Wilson, and Gene Krupa who'd already formed a Benny Goodman Trio within the large band - to expand into the Benny Goodman Quartet. The Trio and Quartet were among the first racially integrated bands to record and play before wide audiences; they were just as well received at Goodman's famous 1938 Carnegie Hall concert as was the full Goodman band.
While Hampton worked for Goodman in New York, he recorded with several different small groups known as the Lionel Hampton Orchestra as well as assorted small groups within the Goodman band. In the early 40s he left the Goodman organization to form his own touring band.
Hampton's band fostered the talents of Illinois Jacquet, Dexter Gordon, Ernie Royal, Jack McVea, Charlie Mingus, Monk Montgomery, Wes Montgomery, Quincy Jones, Benny Golson, Fats Navarro, Kenny Dorham, Clifford Brown, Dinah Washington, Betty Carter, Joe Williams, Arnett Cobb, Earl Bostic, and John Colianni among many others.
Hampton's recording of "Flying Home" (1939) with the famous honking tenor sax solo by Jacquet, later refined and expanded by Cobb (1946), is considered by some to be the first rock and roll record. He was known for his tireless energy and his skill on the vibes, drums, and lightning speed two-fingered piano. The bars on the vibraphone are laid out like the piano; Hampton played both instruments the same way.
Beginning in the mid-1980s, Hampton and his band started playing at the University of Idaho's jazz concert, which in 1985 was renamed the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. In 1987 the University's music college was renamed the Lionel Hampton School of Music, the first and only university music college to be named after a jazz musician.
Lionel Hampton died of cardiac arrest at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York on 31st August 2002. He was buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York.
Mack The Knife
Lionel Hampton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it shows them pearly white
Just a jackknife has old MacHeath, babe
And he keeps it, ah, out of sight
Ya know when that shark bites with his teeth, babe
Scarlet billows start to spread
Fancy gloves, oh, wears old MacHeath, babe
So there's never, never a trace of red
Now on the sidewalk, huh, huh, whoo sunny morning, un huh
Lies a body just oozin' life, eek
And someone's sneakin' 'round the corner
Could that someone be Mack the Knife?
There's a tugboat, huh, huh, down by the river dontcha know
Where a cement bag's just a'drooppin' on down
Oh, that cement is just, it's there for the weight, dear
Five'll get ya ten old Macky's back in town
Now d'ja hear 'bout Louie Miller? He disappeared, babe
After drawin' out all his hard-earned cash
And now MacHeath spends just like a sailor
Could it be our boy's done somethin' rash?
Now Jenny Diver, ho, ho, yeah, Sukey Tawdry
Ooh, Miss Lotte Lenya and old Lucy Brown
Oh, the line forms on the right, babe
Now that Macky's back in town
I said Jenny Diver, whoa, Sukey Tawdry
Look out to Miss Lotte Lenya and old Lucy Brown
Yes, that line forms on the right, babe
Now that Macky's back in town
Look out, old Macky's back!!
The lyrics to Lionel Hampton's "Mack the Knife" describe the dangerous and elusive character of Mack Heath, who is compared to a shark that has sharp teeth and shows them pearly white. Mack is armed with just a jackknife, which he keeps hidden, and he wears fancy gloves that never show any trace of his wrongdoings. The lyricist creates an atmosphere of suspense and foreboding as they narrate how someone is sneaking around the corner while a body is lying on the sidewalk, oozing life. The singer poses the question of whether this person could be Mack the Knife.
The second verse describes the news about Louie Miller, who disappeared after drawing out all his hard-earned cash. Mack Heath is known to spend money like a sailor, and the singer muses if Mack did something rash. Jenny Diver, Sukey Tawdry, Miss Lotte Lena, and old Lucy Brown are mentioned as women who have encountered Mack Heath before. The chorus repeats that the line forms on the right, as soon as Mack is back in town. This song is a vivid description of the notorious criminal and his exploits in a manner that makes his lifestyle seem both dangerous and glamorous.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the shark, babe, has such teeth, dear
The individual the song refers to is scary and fierce, like a shark with sharp teeth.
And it shows them pearly white
His teeth are bright and visible, which makes it even more threatening.
Just a jackknife has old MacHeath, babe
The person in question has a knife that is as sharp as the teeth of a shark.
And he keeps it, ah, out of sight
Despite having a potentially deadly weapon, the person is skilled at keeping the knife hidden.
Ya know when that shark bites with his teeth, babe
If the person were to use their knife, the result would be just as disastrous and bloody as a shark bite.
Scarlet billows start to spread
If the person were to attack, blood would spill and the scene would look like a scene from a gory movie.
Fancy gloves, oh, wears old MacHeath, babe
The person takes care to be immaculately dressed, which highlights the contrast between their polished image and their violent tendencies.
So there's never, never a trace of red
Despite using their knife, they are skilled enough to avoid getting any blood on their clothes, which reinforces their polished image.
Now on the sidewalk, huh, huh, whoo sunny morning, un huh
The scene is set in everyday, unremarkable circumstances.
Lies a body just oozin' life, eek
A dead body is present, which adds drama and tension to the story.
And someone's sneakin' 'round the corner
Another character is introduced, and their suspicious presence suggests that they might be involved in the dead body's appearance.
Could that someone be Mack the Knife?
The listener is led to believe that the person in question may be the potential killer.
There's a tugboat, huh, huh, down by the river dontcha know
Another vivid setting is introduced that allows the story to unfold.
Where a cement bag's just a'drooppin' on down
A scene is set with a heavy object falling into the water, which serves to further build the moment and add tension.
Oh, that cement is just, it's there for the weight, dear
The cement's purpose is made evident: to help keep something down on the riverbed.
Five'll get ya ten old Macky's back in town
The person the song refers to has returned, which raises suspicions about their potential involvement.
Now d'ja hear 'bout Louie Miller? He disappeared, babe
Another event is revealed that makes people suspicious of Mack the Knife: a person named Louie Miller has gone missing.
After drawin' out all his hard-earned cash
Louie Miller withdrew all his money before his sudden disappearance, which hints at foul play.
And now MacHeath spends just like a sailor
The person in question now has an unusually large sum of money that they are spending recklessly, which further raises suspicions.
Could it be our boy's done somethin' rash?
The listeners are left to ponder whether Mack the Knife is responsible for Louie's disappearance and death, and if so, what drove him to such extremes.
Now Jenny Diver, ho, ho, yeah, Sukey Tawdry
Multiple female characters are introduced, which makes the story more complex.
Ooh, Miss Lotte Lenya and old Lucy Brown
Even more female characters are introduced, making the possibilities of the story seem endless and complex.
Oh, the line forms on the right, babe
All these women seem to have an interest in Mack the Knife, making the opportunity for his transgressions and misdeeds seem boundless.
Now that Macky's back in town
The return of the person the song refers to has set into motion all these possibilities and far-reaching complications in the story.
Look out, old Macky's back!!
The warning about the person in question is repeated and reinforced, suggesting that he poses chaos and danger wherever he goes.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht, Marc Blitzstein
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gregg p
they were swingin!