His musical career spanned from the 1920's to the 1970's. The height of his glory came in the 1950's-1960's when he along with singer and then wife, Keely Smith and Sam Butera and the Witnesses were the hottest lounge entertainers in Las Vegas. He was the composer of "Sing,sing,sing" which Benny Goodman recorded and turned into an instant classic.
Jump Jive An' Wail
Louis Prima And Keely Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby, baby it looks like it's gonna hail
You better come inside
Let me teach you how to jive and wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
Papa's in the icebox lookin' for a can of ale
Papa's in the icebox lookin' for a can of ale
Mama's in the backyard
Learning how to jive and wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotto jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
A women is a women and a man ain't nothin' but a male
A women is a women and a man ain't nothin' but a male
One good thing about him
He knows how to jive and wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
Jack and Jill went up the hill to get a pail
Jack and Jill went up the hill to get a pail
Jill stayed up
She wants to learn how to jive and wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
The lyrics to Louis Prima’s “Jump Jive an’ Wail” are jovial and cheerful, encouraging listeners to get up and dance. The song begins with a warning about bad weather – it looks like it’s going to hail. Prima suggests that the listener comes inside and he will teach them how to “jive and wail”. The phrase “jive and wail” is repeated throughout the song and encourages the listener to jump, dance and let loose. There is an infectious energy throughout the song, making it impossible not to dance along.
In the second verse, Prima sings about Papa looking for a can of ale in the icebox while Mama is learning how to jive and wail in the backyard. This verse emphasizes the energy and joyousness of the song, with people dancing and having fun around the house. The third verse comments on gender dynamics, with Prima singing that a woman is a woman and a man is nothing but a male. However, he acknowledges that at least one good thing about him is that he knows how to jive and wail, further emphasizing the importance of dancing and having fun.
The final verse is about Jack and Jill, but instead of fetching water, Jill decides to stay back and learn how to jive and wail. The song ends with more repetition of the catchy chorus, encouraging everyone to jump, jive, and wail.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, baby it looks like it's gonna hail
Bad weather is coming and you need to seek shelter
You better come inside
Come inside to avoid getting caught in the hailstorm
Let me teach you how to jive and wail
While we're safe inside, I'll show you how to dance to this song
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
This song is all about jumping, jiving, and wailing
Papa's in the icebox lookin' for a can of ale
Dad's in the fridge getting a beer
Mama's in the backyard
Mom's outside
Learning how to jive and wail
Mom is learning this dance from me
A women is a women and a man ain't nothin' but a male
A woman is a woman and a man is just a man; gender doesn't matter when it comes to dancing
One good thing about him
One positive thing about a man is that he can dance well
He knows how to jive and wail
He's a good dancer
Jack and Jill went up the hill to get a pail
Jack and Jill went up to fetch some water, unrelated to the song's theme
Jill stayed up
Jill didn't go back down the hill
She wants to learn how to jive and wail
Jill wants to learn this dance
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LOUIS PRIMA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind