Jordan was one of the first black recording artists whose popularity crossed over into the mainstream white audience and who scored hits on both the "race" charts and the mainstream white pop charts. He is now acknowledged as one of the most successful African-American musicians of the 20th century, ranking fifth in the list of the all-time most successful black recording artists.
Jordan scored at least four million-selling hits during his career, regularly topping the "race" charts, as well as scoring simultaneous Top Ten hits on the white pop charts on several occasions. Many of the songs he wrote or co-wrote have become 20th century popular music classics.
With his dynamic Tympany Five bands (which also pioneered the use of electric guitar and electric organ) Jordan largely mapped out the main parameters of the classic R&B, urban blues and early rock'n'roll genres with a series of hugely influential 78 rpm discs for the Decca label that presaged virtually all of the dominant black music styles of the 1950s and 1960s and which exerted a huge influence on many leading performers in these genres.
Small Town Boy
Louis Jordan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
to go to the city was my goal
when I got to be 21
I packed my bags and away I ran
When I got to the city I found times was hard
I found happiness but only in my backyard
for some folks live in cities of this live in town
for i was meant to be nothing but a small town boy
You can have your city and I'll keep my town
I'll stay in my (?) and won't get me down
for I was meant to be nothing but a small town boy
You dance all night and you sleep all day
life to you is like a little childish play
you're living this life that you think is so sweet
but what you're gonna do when they bury you six feet deep
You can have your city and I'll keep my town
stay right on the city, let it get you down
but i was meant to be nothing but a small boy
You dance all night and you sleep all day
life to you is like a little childish play
you're living this life that you think is so sweet
but what you're gonna do when they bury you six feet deep
Louis Jordan's song "Small Town Boy" is about a young boy who dreamt of going to the city when he was just 12 years old. However, as he grew up and became a man, he realized that city life was not all that it was cracked up to be. The boy packed his bags and moved to the city when he became 21, but soon discovered that times were hard. Although he found moments of happiness in his backyard, the boy understood that some people preferred to live in the city while others preferred the small town life. For him, he accepted that he was always meant to be a small town boy.
The song also highlights the contrast between the lifestyle of people living in the city and those in the small town. The city folks tend to be more carefree and spend their nights dancing and sleeping during the day, while the small town folks have a more grounded and less glamorous lifestyle. The lyrics suggest that the city life may seem sweet, but it is not sustainable as eventually, one will die, and everything will come to an end. Therefore, the young man chooses to remain in his small town and not let the city drag him down.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was a little boy 'bout 12 years old
At the age of 12, I dreamed of going to the city.
to go to the city was my goal
I had set my heart on leaving my small town and going to the city.
when I got to be 21
Many years later, at the age of 21...
I packed my bags and away I ran
...I finally left my small town and headed to the city.
When I got to the city I found times was hard
However, I soon discovered that city life was not easy.
I found happiness but only in my backyard
Although I found some moments of happiness, they were fleeting and always close to home.
for some folks live in cities of this live in town
Some people are perfectly content living in the city, while others prefer the simplicity of small town living.
but you can have your city and let it get you down
As for me, I would rather avoid the stress of city life and remain a small town boy.
for i was meant to be nothing but a small town boy
Living in a small town is where my heart truly belongs, and it is the only place where I feel truly at home.
You can have your city and I'll keep my town
I will always choose to stay in my small town, even if it means missing out on the excitement of the city.
I'll stay in my (?) and won't get me down
I will stay in my small, simple life, and I won't let the stresses and complexities of city life get me down.
You dance all night and you sleep all day
To some people, city life is all about partying and indulging in frivolous pleasures, but...
life to you is like a little childish play
...they don't see that this lifestyle is immature and unfulfilling in the long run.
you're living this life that you think is so sweet
People in the city often believe that they are living the good life, but...
but what you're gonna do when they bury you six feet deep
...they fail to consider what will happen when their lives come to an end.
stay right on the city, let it get you down
If you choose to stay in the city and let it wear you down, then that is your choice...
but i was meant to be nothing but a small boy
...but as for me, I know that my fate is to be a small town boy, and I am content with that.
Contributed by Carson S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.