Over the resplendent guitar backing rides a big bass-baritone voice, warm and rich, with enormous emotional range. As the GLASGOW HERALD once cannily said,
“Mose Scarlett is back, with a voice of Robeson depth, Glencoe cragginess, and kitchen-range warmth…lending the authentic ring of the ancients with his own original stamp, and much spontaneous repartee…”
Mose’s eclectic repertoire includes Broadway classics like ‘I Can’t Get Started’, raunchy blues like ‘Fool’s Paradise’, and nearly forgotten gems like ‘The Moon Is A Silver Dollar’. A jocular tentshow ditty like ‘He’s In The Jailhouse Now’ will bump up against a mellow, jazzy ‘Sweet Lorraine’, and be followed by a raucous jaunt through ‘Somebody Stole My Gal’, or by the turn-of-the-century sentimental favourite, ‘Wait Till The Sun Shines, Nellie’. Although his pieces are performed only with voice and acoustic guitar, one might almost believe a big band or parlour orchestra was playing in the background. He at once breathes new life into old songs, and preserves the integrity and emotion of the originals for a whole new generation of admirers.
Once, when asked who his influences were, Mose replied “I’ve probably been influenced, one way or another, by everybody whose music I’ve liked or disliked”. In fact, the Scarlett guitar style was pretty much forged in isolation. “Basically,” he says, “I made up my own way of playing before I heard anyone trying to do similar things…but later on, various people helped me to refine it.”…people like his friend and mentor the late Lonnie Johnson, who played with Eddie Lang, Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong…like modernist musician Bruce Cockburn, who produced Mose’s first album…like Doc and Merle Watson, whom he used to watch with rapt attention from 5 feet away…and like Jesse ‘Lonecat’ Fuller, one-man-band extraordinaire, the first artist Mose remembers buying a record of. Mose himself, conversely, should be credited with influencing many other musicians over his 40+ years in show business, a fact which has not gone unnoticed in several music journals and artistic autobiographies. Juno winner John Bottomley is a former guitar student of Mose’s, and many other musical friends, like Canada’s irrepressible Big Rude Jake and America’s inimitably eccentric Leon Redbone, allow that Mose had a big impact on their performing styles. He is widely respected among his peers, both for his talents and his wide generosity.
A Mose Scarlett performance is much more than mere instrumental and vocal display. Mose’s sets, at times, seem like finely executed pieces of theatre (albeit, sometimes, the theatre of the absurd). His patter includes entertaining and topical commentary on the foibles of the world (who else would think of introducing the ‘Sheik of Araby’ with a dissertation on oil prices?). In Mose’s vicinity the unexpected is never far off no one knows what is going to happen next (particularly his sidemen). He is deeply rooted in musical history to give but one example, he performs ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’ with the rarelyheard verse and extra lyrics (though without a basketball). A keen observer of the contemporary scene, he is a trenchant social critic and a droll raconteur with many stories to tell. His banter between songs is legendary, both for its sly hilarity and tangential digressions.
Though Mose is a fixture on the Canadian scene, performing throughout the country at festivals, clubs and theatres, he has also toured widely through the United States, as well as in England, Scotland, Germany, Australia and, most recently, Northern Ireland. Besides having performed solo or, more often these days, with various accompanists, he also appeared, for 20 years, in a well-loved trio with Ken Whiteley and the late musical legend, Jackie Washington, all three of whom were nominated for a 1993 ‘Roots and Traditional’ Juno award for their first recording together, entitled ‘Where Old Friends Meet’ (followed, since, by other trio recordings). At long last, in September of 2002, some 7 years after the debut of his very popular ‘The Fundamental Things’ recording, Mose came out with another of his own, entitled ‘Precious Seconds’. This latter CD (now into its second run) features Mose in duet with world-class guitarist friends: Jim Condie, Amos Garrett, the late Jeff Healey, Colin Linden, Tony Quarrington, Margaret Stowe, Ken Whiteley, and David Wilcox.
Mose Scarlett is a Borealis Records recording artist.
Darktown Strutters Ball
Mose Scarlett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Better be ready 'bout half past eight
I mean don't be late
Be there when the band starts playin'
Remember when you get there honey
Dance all over the floor, dance all over my shoes
When the band plays the Jelly Roll blues
I'll be down to get you in a push cart honey
Better be ready 'bout half past eight
I mean don't be late
Be there when the band starts playin'
'Member when you get there honey
Shim sham wins them all, dance all over my shoes
When the band plays the Jelly Roll's blues
Set 'em all alight, the darktown strutters ball
The lyrics of Mose Scarlett's song "Darktown Strutters Ball" are an invitation to a party happening in the "darktown", a nickname given to African-American neighborhoods in the US during the early 20th century. The singer promises to pick up his date in a taxi or a push cart and urges her to be ready by half past eight, emphasizing the importance of not being late since they can't miss the band starting to play. The singer instructs his date to dance all over the floor and his shoes, highlighting the energetic and joyful atmosphere of the party. The partygoers are invited to set the place "alight" meaning to infuse the party with even more energy, and celebrate at the "darktown strutters ball", a reference to a popular dance event of the time.
The song was originally written by Shelton Brooks, an African-American songwriter and vaudeville performer who was one of the most successful writers of the early 20th century. The song first appeared in 1917 as part of a musical revue called "The Smart Set" and quickly became a hit among both white and black audiences. The lighthearted and playful nature of the lyrics combined with the infectious melody made it a popular choice for dance bands and jazz groups. The song has since been covered and reinterpreted by various artists in different genres including jazz, swing, and rock and roll.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll be down to get you in a taxi honey
I will come to pick you up in a taxi, my dear
Better be ready 'bout half past eight
Please be ready by 8:30 PM.
I mean don't be late
Please don't be late, it's important.
Be there when the band starts playin'
Be present when the band starts playing.
Remember when you get there honey
Don't forget, my dear, when you arrive there.
Dance all over the floor, dance all over my shoes
Enjoy yourself and dance everywhere, even on my shoes.
When the band plays the Jelly Roll blues
When the band plays a specific style of blues called Jelly Roll.
Set 'em all alight at the darktown strutters ball
Have a great time at the event called the Darktown Strutters Ball.
I'll be down to get you in a push cart honey
I will come to pick you up in a push cart, my darling.
Shim sham wins them all, dance all over my shoes
The dance called Shim Sham is popular, and please dance on my shoes too.
When the band plays the Jelly Roll's blues
The band will be playing a specific style of blues called Jelly Roll.
Set 'em all alight, the darktown strutters ball
Enjoy yourself and have a great time at the event called the Darktown Strutters Ball.
Contributed by Hunter V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.