Oscar Brown, Jr. (October 10, 1926 – May 29, 2005) was an American singer, … Read Full Bio ↴Oscar Brown, Jr. (October 10, 1926 – May 29, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, playwright, poet, civil rights activist, and actor. He ran unsuccessfully for office in both the Illinois state legislature and the U.S. Congress. Brown wrote at least 1,000 songs (only 125 have been published), twelve albums, and over a dozen musical plays.

Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, he was named after his father Oscar Brown, Sr., a successful attorney and real estate broker. His singing debut was on the radio show Secret City at the age of 15. Brown attended Englewood High School in Chicago, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Lincoln University but did not obtain a degree. He also served a stint in the U.S. Army.

Brown's father had intended for him to follow in his footsteps and become a practicing lawyer. While he did help his father at his practice, he ventured off into other careers, such as advertising and serving in the army in the mid-1950s and writing songs. When Mahalia Jackson recorded one of his songs, he began to focus on a career in music. His first major contribution to a recorded work was a collaboration with Max Roach, We Insist!, which was an early record celebrating the black freedom movement in the United States. Columbia Records signed Brown as a solo artist, who was by now in his mid-thirties and married with five children.

In 1960, Brown released his first LP, Sin & Soul, recorded from June 20 to October 23, 1960. Printed on the cover of the album were personal reviews by well-known celebrities and jazz musicians of the time, including Steve Allen, Lorraine Hansberry, Nat Hentoff, Dorothy Killgallen, Max Roach and Nina Simone (Simone would later cover his "Work Song" and Steve Allen would later hire him for his Jazz Scene USA television program). The album is regarded as a "true classic" for openly tackling the experiences of African-Americans with songs such as "Bid 'Em In" and "Afro Blue".

Sin & Soul is also significant because Brown took several popular jazz instrumentals and combined them with self-penned lyrics on songs like "Dat Dere", "Afro Blue" and "Work Song". This began a trend that would continue with several other major jazz vocalists. Jon Hendricks, for example, three years later composed lyrics for the Mongo Santamaría song "Yeh Yeh" (later a hit for Georgie Fame). Bob Dorough similarly composed lyrics for Mel Tormé's version of "Comin' Home Baby!" and musicians Larry Williams and Johnny "Guitar" Watson would also go on to compose lyrics for Cannonball Adderley's "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" (the music composed by Joe Zawinul, Adderley's pianist) for Marlena Shaw. Several of the tracks from Sin & Soul were embraced by the 1960s Mod movement, such as "Humdrum Blues", "Work Song" and "Watermelon Man".

Sin & Soul was followed by Between Heaven and Hell (1962). The success of Sin & Soul meant that much more money was spent on production and Quincy Jones and Ralph Burns were bought in to handle the arrangements.

However, Brown was soon to fall down the pecking order at Columbia following a rearrangement of the management at the company. His third album was notable for the lack of any self-composed songs, and Columbia was having a hard time packaging Brown as an artist. They were unsure whether he was suited to middle-of-the-road/easy listening nightclubs or alternatively should be presented as a jazz artist.

He was given much more creative freedom for his fourth album, Tells It Like It Is (1963) and he was back to his creative best, composing songs such as "The Snake", which became a Northern Soul classic when it was covered by Al Wilson, and has featured on several adverts. Despite this return to form, and having been told by the new head of Columbia that he was high on the company's priorities, his contract at Columbia was not renewed.

He attempted to mount a major musical stage show in New York City called Kicks & Co. in 1961. Host Dave Garroway turned over an entire broadcast of the Today show to Brown to perform numbers from the show and try to raise the necessary funds to launch it on the stage. Kicks & Co. is set on an all-African-American college campus in the American South during the early days of attempted desegregation. The character Mr. Kicks is an emissary of Satan, sent to try to derail these efforts in which the play's protagonist, Ernest Black, has become involved.

This was the first of several theatrical endeavors by Brown, and like all of them, the public was not won over sufficiently to allow financial success, despite acclaim by some critics. His longest-running relative success, thanks to the participation of Muhammad Ali, was Big-Time Buck White. Another notable musical show, Joy, saw two incarnations (in 1966 and 1969) and again addressed social issues. Appearing with Brown were his wife, Jean Pace, and the Brazilian singer/accordionist Sivuca. RCA released the original cast recording around 1970; it is long out of print.

In 1962, he worked on the Westinghouse syndicated television program, Jazz Scene USA, produced by Steve Allen. Brown was he show's presenter and it featured a new musical guest each week.

Brown's son, Oscar "BoBo" Brown III, was an instrumental musician who tragically died in a car crash. His daughter, Maggie Brown, is a singer, songwriter, actress, educator and mom of three. Along with Africa Brown, these three out of seven children carry out his legacy in singing and acting. His other four childre are, David "Napoleon" Brown, Jone Brown, Donna Brown Kane, a mom of two, a grandmom of three and an educator, and Iantha Brown

He founded The Oscar Brown, Jr. H.I.P. Legacy Foundation to carry on his humanitarian work.

Brown died in Chicago, from complications of osteomyelitis in May 2005, aged 78.

Brown's lyrics and original compositions have been performed by a variety of other artists. "Somebody Buy Me a Drink", a track from Sin & Soul, was covered by David Johansen and the Harry Smiths on their eponymous first album. Pianist Wynton Kelly recorded "Strongman" with his trio in the late 1950s. Nina Simone popularized Brown's lyrics to "Work Song" and "Afro Blue," as well as his song "Bid 'Em In." Brown's "Afro Blue" lyrics have since been performed by numerous contemporary jazz vocalists, including Dianne Reeves, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Lizz Wright. Vocalist Karrin Allyson has cited Brown as a particular inspiration, and has performed his compositions on several of her albums. Brown was scheduled to contribute new lyrics to Allyson's 2006 album, Footprints, but died before the project was complete; Allyson instead recorded Brown's songs "A Tree and Me" and "But I Was Cool" as a tribute. Brown's work has also been the focus of full-length tribute albums by lesser-known jazz artists, including cabaret singer Linda Kosut and Brown's own daughter, Maggie Brown.

Hazel's Hips
Oscar Brown Jr. Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hazel′s hips
(Male vocal):

Hazel's hips are a concert
Of contours and curves,
As she slips to and fro
′Round the tables
She serves;

I buy six meals
A day
In my fav'rite cafe,
'Cause i see hazel
That way.
Hazel′s eyes are divine
And her hair is so fine,
Yeah!
But her hips
Bring the tips!
Hazel dips me my soup,
Serves me my cup of tea,
My heart flips
When i see
Hazel smilin′ at me;
So i say,
'Honeybunch,
Can′t i have you
For lunch?'
But hazel just gives me
A hunch.
Hazel′s legs
Are a toast
And her waist
Is the most,
But her hips
Bring the tips!
Hazel's hips
Have a rhythm
So gently controlled,
That her trips
To the kitchen
Are a joy to behold;
Love to just sit
And gaze
At the way
Hazel sways,
When she′s carryin' trays.
Hazel's eyes are divine
And her hair is so fine,
But her hips,
Yeah,
Her hips!
(Female vocal):
Don′t you hand me
No line
′Bout you think
I'm so fine,

Here′s a tip,
Hazel's hip!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "Hazel's Hips" by Oscar Brown Jr. are of a man who visits his favorite cafe six times a day just to admire the service of a beautiful waitress named Hazel. Hazel's beauty is underlined by her divine eyes, fine hair, and the amazing rhythm of her hips. The man is captured by the way that Hazel moves around the tables with such grace and the joy she brings just by carrying trays. He is so smitten with her hips that he jokingly asks her if she can have her for lunch. But when he tries to make a move, Hazel shuts him down.

The female vocal in the song rebukes the man's attempts to flatter her by saying she doesn't need any compliments about her beauty because she already knows she is fine. Instead, she directs his attention to the real star of the show – her hips. She advises him not to waste his time checking her out and focus on Hazel's hips that bring in the biggest tips.

Overall, "Hazel's Hips" is a playful and light-hearted tune that highlights the beauty and sensuality of a woman's body. It also touches on themes of unrequited love and the power dynamics between men and women.

Line by Line Meaning

Hazel's hips are a concert
Hazel's hips are a mesmerizing performance of contours and curves that have the ability to captivate and entrance anyone who beholds them.

Of contours and curves,
Hazel's hips have a shape that is characterized by smooth, flowing lines and curves that is pleasing to the eye.

As she slips to and fro
As Hazel moves around in the restaurant, her hips sway from side to side in a way that seems effortless, yet attention-grabbing.

'Round the tables
Her movements are graceful and fluid even as she walks around the tables serving the customers.

She serves;
Hazel works at the restaurant, serving food and drinks to the customers who visit the cafe each day.

I buy six meals
Due to Hazel's magnetic effect, the singer feels compelled to dine at the restaurant six times a day, just so he can catch a glimpse of her working.

A day
This line shows how deeply Hazel's hips have enticed the singer, as he cannot resist the daily urge to come and see her while he eats.

'Cause I see Hazel
The reason the singer frequents the restaurant is because he wants to be close to Hazel and watch her move her hips around as she works.

That way.
The singer can't help seeing Hazel as a tantalizing, alluring figure who has captured his heart with her captivating hips.

Hazel's eyes are divine
In addition to her hips, Hazel has other features that make her an attractive woman, such as her eyes, which are captivatingly beautiful to the singer.

And her hair is so fine,
The singer also appreciates Hazel's hair, which he finds to be beautifully styled and attractive.

Yeah!
This line shows the singer's deep admiration for Hazel's physical beauty, which has totally captivated him.

But her hips
Despite all of Hazel's other features, the singer is most drawn to her hips, which he finds to be absolutely mesmerizing.

Bring the tips!
As Hazel works, her movements attract the attention of the customers, who are more likely to tip her due to how captivating her hips are.

Hazel dips me my soup,
As part of her job, Hazel serves soup to the singer, who is delighted by her service and her captivating hips.

Serves me my cup of tea,
Hazel also serves the singer tea, which he enjoys while admiring her movements as she works.

My heart flips
Hazel's captivating hips cause the singer to feel emotional and excited, which he expresses by saying that his heart flips.

When I see
The singer experiences a rush of emotion whenever he sees Hazel, and is particularly excited by the sight of her hips as she moves around the restaurant.

Hazel smilin' at me;
Hazel's smile is another aspect of her attractiveness that the singer finds irresistibly charming and alluring.

So I say,
The singer is so deeply attracted to Hazel that he is willing to take the risk of asking her out, even if he fears rejection.

'Honeybunch,
The singer uses an endearing nickname to address Hazel, showing how much he values her and how attractive he finds her.

Can't I have you
The singer is trying to convince Hazel to go out with him or spend time with him, indicating how much he is interested in her.

For lunch?'
The singer is using a playful and flirty tone, suggesting that he would like to take Hazel out to lunch as a way of getting to know her better.

But Hazel just gives me
Hazel is not particularly interested in the singer's advances, and is giving him a subtle hint that he should not be too pushy or aggressive in his pursuit of her.

A hunch.
Hazel is not directly rejecting the singer, but is rather implying that he should let her go about her work and not create any awkward situations.

Hazel's legs
In addition to her captivating hips, Hazel's legs are also a source of attraction for the singer, who finds them to be exquisite and beautiful.

Are a toast
The singer is using a metaphor to describe Hazel's legs, comparing them to a piece of bread that is toasted to perfection, indicating how much he appreciates their beauty.

And her waist
Hazel's waist is another aspect of her body that is attractive to the singer, and he notes that it is particularly slim and elegant.

Is the most,
The singer is indicating that Hazel's waist is the most beautiful aspect of her body, even more so than her legs or hips.

But her hips
Despite how much the singer appreciates other aspects of Hazel's body, he is most drawn to her captivating hips, which he finds to be irresistible.

Bring the tips!
Hazel's captivating hips attract more tips for her, from customers who are drawn to her movements and physical beauty while she is serving them.

Hazel's hips
The singer is continually fixated on Hazel's hips, which he finds to be a source of eternal fascination for him.

Have a rhythm
Hazel's movements are characterized by a very fluid and graceful rhythm, reflecting her natural elegance and poise.

So gently controlled,
The singer observes that Hazel's movements are both effortless and controlled at the same time, indicating how skilled and talented she is at her job.

That her trips
Even when Hazel is simply walking around or carrying a tray, her movements are captivating and enchanting to the singer, who is constantly drawn to her physical beauty and elegance.

To the kitchen
As part of her job, Hazel must move back and forth between the kitchen and the dining area, but even these seemingly routine tasks are magical and captivating to the singer.

Are a joy to behold;
The singer takes great pleasure and enjoyment in watching Hazel's movements, which he finds to be a source of eternal fascination and joy.

Love to just sit
The singer is so taken with Hazel's movements that he could spend hours simply watching her, and would be content to do nothing else.

And gaze
The singer is not simply watching Hazel's movements in a superficial way, but is rather deeply appreciating and admiring her beauty and talent.

At the way
The singer is taking note of every aspect of Hazel's movements, from the way she sways her hips to the way she balances the tray on her shoulder.

Hazel sways,
Hazel's movements are characterized by a gentle swaying motion, which is particularly captivating to the singer and has the ability to entrance and enchant him.

When she's carryin' trays.
Even when Hazel is simply doing her job, such as when she is carrying trays of food or drinks, her movements are still beautiful and captivating to the singer.

Don't you hand me
The singer is responding to an implied accusation by someone else, who has accused him of being too fixated on Hazel's physical beauty and nothing else.

No line
The singer is saying that he is not trying to deceive anyone or pretend that his fixation on Hazel's hips is anything but genuine and sincere.

'Bout you think
The singer is directly addressing the person who has accused him of being shallow, and noting that he is not pretending to be anything other than what he is.

I'm so fine,
The singer acknowledges that Hazel is indeed a beautiful woman, but notes that his fixation on her is not based on surface-level attractions alone.

Here's a tip,
The singer responds to the accusation by presenting a counter-argument that he believes supports his fascination with Hazel's hips.

Hazel's hip!
The singer is pointing out that Hazel's hips are not simply a physical attribute, but are rather a source of great fascination and allure to him that goes beyond the mere physical.

Writer(s): Oscar Brown, Jr

Contributed by Landon R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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TRACKS