Throughout the lifetime of the band, it often swelled beyond a sextet & along with changes, other members included: Aaron Izenhall, Alex Mitchell, Billy Hadnott, Carl Hogan, Eddie Byrd, Fred Simon, Jesse Simpkins, Josh Jackson and Wild Bill Davis.
Jordan (b. 8 Jul 1908, in Brinkley, AR, USA - died 4 Feb 1975, in Los Angeles, CA, USA). After a few years playing in the “Chitlin circuit” of the 1930s and just after World War II, Jordan launched a revolutionary sound: it wasn’t blues nor jazz but the 'jump blues' sound which evolved into rhythm and blues.
Between 1942 and 1951 Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five had 57 R&B chart hits on [Invalid Artist] Records. His first release was “Honey in The Bee Ball" in 1938. In the 1950s he left Decca and recorded for [Invalid Artist] and in the 1960s for Ray Charles’ [Invalid Artist]. Charles often mentioned Jordan as one of his biggest influences in music.
Jordan, popular to all audiences, is unforgotten for developing the blueprint of Rock and Roll and R&B. He died February 04, 1975 of a heart attack, in Los Angeles. He was inducted into Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Sites: Wikipedia.
I Can't Dance
Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's not a joke, kid, it's a curse.
My luck is changing, it's gotten from
simply rotten to something worse
Who knows, some day I will win too.
I'll begin to reach my prime.
Now though I see what our end is,
I can't give you anything but love, baby.
That's the only thing I've plenty of,baby.
Dream awhile, scheme awhile
We're sure to find
Happiness and I guess
All those things you've always pined for.
Gee I'd like to see you looking swell, baby.
Diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn't sell, baby.
Till that lucky day you know darned well, baby.
I can't give you anything but love.
Rome wasn't built in a day, kid.
You have to pay, kid, for what you get.
But I am willing to wait, dear,
Your little mate, dear, will not forget.
You have a lifetime before you.
I'll adore you, come what may.
Please don't be blue for the present,
When it's so pleasant to hear you say
I can't give you anything but love, baby.
That's the only thing I've plenty of,baby.
Dream awhile, scheme awhile
We're sure to find
Happiness and I guess
All those things you've always pined for.
Gee I'd like to see you looking swell, baby.
Diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn't sell, baby.
Till that lucky day you know darned well, baby.
I can't give you anything but love.
In Louis Jordan's "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," the singer is expressing his despair about being broke and unable to provide material things for his love interest. He acknowledges how tough it is to be broke and how it seems like his luck keeps getting worse. He holds on to the hope that someday he will begin to reach his prime and be able to provide for his loved one. For now, all he can give is his love, which he has an abundance of.
The lyrics also reflect the singer's willingness to wait for better times to come. He recognizes that Rome wasn't built in a day and that one has to pay for what they get. Instead of being blue about their present state of being broke, he encourages his love interest to dream and scheme for a better future. He reassures her that he will always adore her no matter what.
Overall, the song is a reminder that love is more than just material possessions, and that the value of a relationship lies in the feelings shared between two people. It encourages listeners to hold on to hope and to not lose faith in their dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
Gee, but it's tough to be broke, kid.
It's really difficult to be financially unstable.
It's not a joke, kid, it's a curse.
Being broke is a serious problem, not something to mock.
My luck is changing, it's gotten from simply rotten to something worse
Things are going from bad to worse.
Who knows, some day I will win too.
Maybe one day I'll have good luck as well.
I'll begin to reach my prime.
I'll be at my peak eventually.
Now though I see what our end is,
I understand where we're headed.
All I can spend is just my time.
I can't provide money or other resources, only companionship.
I can't give you anything but love, baby.
I don't have anything else to offer but affection.
That's the only thing I've plenty of,baby.
Love is all I have in abundance.
Dream awhile, scheme awhile.
Let's think about the future and what we want together.
We're sure to find happiness and I guess all those things you've always pined for.
We'll eventually find joy and the things you've wanted for a long time.
Gee I'd like to see you looking swell, baby.
I want to see you looking fantastic and happy.
Diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn't sell, baby.
I want to give you luxury items beyond what's available at a common store.
Till that lucky day you know darned well, baby.
Until I can provide those things, you understand our current situation.
Your little mate, dear, will not forget.
I'll always remember you, my partner.
You have a lifetime before you.
You still have your whole life ahead of you.
I'll adore you, come what may.
I'll always love and cherish you, no matter what happens.
Please don't be blue for the present,
Don't be unhappy right now.
When it's so pleasant to hear you say
It's so nice to hear you speak.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tony Siracuse
on After School Swing Session
Lyrics slightly wrong: "clap their hands while every band swings out" is actually "clap their hands while THEIR FAVORITE band swings out" ...... "drop my books on the way" is actually " drop my books AND RUN AWAY ".... "I passed my top exam" ..is actualy "I passed my TOUGH exam"....