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.
Ring Dem Bells
Lionel Hampton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh boy, music′s swell
If you like it, just lift up your head, yeah
Oh mister, ring dem bells
Wah-do-da-do
Do-di-di-la-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-do-dun-do-la-dey
Rah-ni-nah rah-ni-nah rah-ni-nah
Rah-ni-ruh-duh-duh-duh-duh
Oh mister, ring dem bells
The lyrics to Lionel Hampton's "Ring Dem Bells" may seem simple at first, but upon closer inspection, they reveal the joyous power of music to lift spirits and bring people together. The song begins with a call to action - "Mister Stacy, ring dem bells" - which is quickly followed by an exclamation of delight at the sound of the music - "Oh boy, music's swell". The listener is then urged to join in and enjoy the music - "If you like it, just lift up your head" - before returning once more to the main refrain: "Oh mister, ring dem bells".
The use of repetition in the song creates a sense of celebration and unity, as each time the chorus is repeated, it becomes more vigorous and joyful. The nonsensical "Wah-do-da-do, Do-di-di-la-da-da" and "Rah-ni-nah rah-ni-nah rah-ni-nah" lyrics only add to the carefree and whimsical nature of the song. Overall, "Ring Dem Bells" is a testament to the power of music to bring people together and lift spirits, with the repeated call to "ring dem bells" being a metaphorical rallying cry for joy and celebration.
Line by Line Meaning
Mister Stacy, ring dem bells
Asking Mister Stacy to sound the bells.
Oh boy, music’s swell
Expressing enjoyment and appreciation for the music.
If you like it, just lift up your head, yeah
Encouraging those who appreciate the music to show it by raising their heads.
Wah-do-da-do
A nonsensical vocalization serving as a musical interlude.
Do-di-di-la-da-da
Another nonsensical vocalization serving as a musical interlude.
Da-da-da-da-da-do-dun-do-la-dey
A repeated musical phrase with no specific meaning.
Rah-ni-nah rah-ni-nah rah-ni-nah
A repeated vocalization adding to the rhythm of the song.
Rah-ni-ruh-duh-duh-duh-duh
Another repeated vocalization following the previous one.
Oh mister, ring dem bells
Repeating the request for Mister Stacy to ring the bells.
Writer(s): Mills Irving, Ellington Edward Kennedy
Contributed by Carson J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.