Professor Longhair was born on December 19, 1918 in Bogalusa, Louisiana. He made a living as a street hustler until he started to play piano seriously in his thirties. He taught himself how to play on a piano with missing keys so his style became distinct.
He began his career in New Orleans in 1948, earning a gig at the Caldonia Club, where the owner, Mike Tessitore, bestowed Longhair with his stage name (due to Byrd's shaggy coiffure). Longhair first recorded in 1949, creating four songs (including the first version of his signature song, "Mardi Gras in New Orleans," complete with whistled intro) for the Dallas, Texas based Star Talent label. His band was called the Shuffling Hungarians, for reasons lost to time. Union problems curtailed their release, but Longhair's next effort for Mercury Records the same year was a winner. Throughout the 1950s, he recorded for Atlantic Records, Federal Records and other, local, labels. Professor Longhair had only one national commercial hit, "Bald Head" in 1950, credited to Roy Byrd & His Blues Jumpers. He also recorded his pet numbers "Tipitina" and "Go to the Mardi Gras". However, he lacked the early crossover appeal of Fats Domino for white audiences.
After recuperating from a minor stroke, Professor Longhair came back in 1957 with "No Buts - No Maybes." He revived his "Go to the Mardi Gras" in 1959; this is the version that surfaces every year at Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
He first recorded "Big Chief" with its composer Earl King in 1964. In the 1960s Professor Longhair's career faltered. He became a janitor to support himself, and fell into a gambling habit.
He appeared at the 1971 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival to restore his standing, and played at the 1973 Newport Jazz Festival and the Montreux Jazz Festival. His recorded live set, Live on the Queen Mary (1978) came from a party given by Paul and Linda McCartney. His single visit to the UK, in 1978, was commemorated by The London Concert.
By the 1980s his albums, such as Crawfish Fiesta on Alligator and New Orleans Piano for Atlantic, had become readily available across America. He appeared on the PBS series Soundstage (with Dr. John, Earl King, and The Meters) and co-starred in the film documentary Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together. The latter became a memorial tribute when Longhair died in his sleep from a heart attack in the middle of filming. Footage from his funeral was included.
In 1981 he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. He was awarded a posthumous Grammy for his early recordings released as House Party New Orleans Style, and in 1992 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The B side of the 1985 Paul McCartney single 'Spies Like Us', entitled 'My Carnival', credited to Paul McCartney & Wings, was recorded in New Orleans and dedicated to Professor Longhair.
Fess's song "Tipitina" is covered by Hugh Laurie on the 2011-CD album "Let Them Talk". Laurie is a long-time fan, having used Fess's "Go to the Mardi Gras" as the theme for the pilot episode of A Bit of Fry & Laurie.
Afro-Cuban elements
In the 1940s Professor Longhair was playing with Caribbean musicians, listening a lot to Perez Prado's mambo records, and absorbing and experimenting with it all. He was especially enamored with Cuban music. Longhair's style was known locally as rumba-boogie. Alexander Stewart states that Longhair was a key figure bridging the worlds of boogiewoogie and the new style of rhythm and blues." In his composition "Misery," Professor Longhair plays a habanera-like figure in his left hand. The deft use of triplets in the right hand is a characteristic of Longhair's style.
Tresillo, the habanera, and related African-based single-celled figures have long been heard in the left hand part of piano compositions by New Orleans musicians, for example—Louis Moreau Gottschalk ("Souvenirs From Havana" 1859), and Jelly Roll Morton ("The Crave" 1910). One of Longhair's great contributions was the adaptation of Afro-Cuban two-celled, clave-based patterns in New Orleans blues. Michael Campbell states: "Rhythm and blues influenced by Afro-Cuban music first surfaced in New Orleans. Professor Longhair’s influence was . . . far reaching. In several of his early recordings, Professor Longhair blended Afro-Cuban rhythms with rhythm and blues. The most explicit is 'Longhair’s Blues Rhumba,' where he overlays a straightforward blues with a clave rhythm." The guajeo-like piano part for the rumba-boogie "Mardi Gras in New Orleans" (1949), employs the 2-3 clave onbeat/offbeat motif. The 2-3 clave time-line is written above the piano excerpt for reference.
According to Dr. John (Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr.), the Professor "put funk into music . . . Longhair's thing had a direct bearing I'd say on a large portion of the funk music that evolved in New Orleans." This is the syncopated, but straight subdivision feel of Cuban music (as opposed to swung subdivisions). Alexander Stewart states that the popular feel was passed along from "New Orleans—through James Brown's music, to the popular music of the 1970s," adding: "The singular style of rhythm & blues that emerged from New Orleans in the years after World War II played an important role in the development of funk. In a related development, the underlying rhythms of American popular music underwent a basic, yet generally unacknowledged transition from triplet or shuffle feel to even or straight eighth notes. Concerning funk motifs, Stewart states: "This model, it should be noted, is different from a time line (such as clave and tresillo) in that it is not an exact pattern, but more of a loose organizing principle."
The journalist Tony Russell, in his book The Blues – From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray, stated "The vivacious rhumba-rhythmed piano blues and choked singing typical of Fess were too weird to sell millions of records; he had to be content with siring musical offspring who were simple enough to manage that, like Fats Domino or Huey "Piano" Smith. But he is also acknowledged as a father figure by subtler players like Allen Toussaint and Dr. John."
Big Chief
Professor Longhair Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heap fire water gonna make me shout
I'm goin' down an-a get my squaw
Me might buy a great big car
I'm gonna do ev'rything I could
Me Big Chief, I'm feeling good
Me Big Chief, I got um tribe
My Spyboy, he just went by
My Flagboy, he's full of fire
My whole tribe is havin' fun
We gonna dance 'til mornin' come
The song "Big Chief" by Professor Longhair is a lively and upbeat tune that is rooted in African American culture and the Mardi Gras celebration. The lyrics describe the singer, who identifies himself as the "Big Chief," as he gathers his tribe and sets out to enjoy the festivities. The opening lines describe the high energy of the singer, as he declares "Me got fire, can't put it out, heap fire water gonna make me shout." This is a reference to the traditional use of alcohol during Mardi Gras celebrations, which are known for their wild and uncontrolled behavior.
The second verse identifies the singer's companions, including his "squaw" or female partner, and his "Spyboy" and "Flagboy," who lead the way during the parade. The verse emphasizes the unity and sense of community that is a central feature of Mardi Gras celebrations. The chorus repeats the refrain, "Me Big Chief, I'm feeling good," underscoring the celebratory mood and capturing the exuberance of the moment.
Overall, the song celebrates the sense of pride and belonging that is at the heart of Mardi Gras celebrations. The singer identifies himself as the leader of his tribe, but he is also part of a larger community that comes together to celebrate their shared culture and traditions.
Line by Line Meaning
Me got fire, can't put it out
I am full of energy and passion that cannot be extinguished
Heap fire water gonna make me shout
Alcohol will only intensify my excitement and enthusiasm
I'm goin' down an-a get my squaw
I am going to retrieve my partner from wherever she may be
Me might buy a great big car
As a leader, I have the resources to acquire a large and impressive vehicle
I'm gonna do ev'rything I could
I will make use of all of my abilities and resources to achieve my goals
Me Big Chief, I'm feeling good
I am the leader of my people and I am in a state of happiness and satisfaction
Me Big Chief, I got um tribe
As the leader, I have a group of people who are loyal and devoted to me
Got my squaw right by my side
My partner is standing beside me, supporting me in my leadership role
My Spyboy, he just went by
My spy, responsible for gathering information and intelligence, has just passed by
My Flagboy, he's full of fire
My flag bearer, responsible for carrying and displaying our emblem, is passionate and enthusiastic
My whole tribe is havin' fun
Everyone in my group is enjoying themselves and celebrating our shared culture and identity
We gonna dance 'til mornin' come
We will continue to revel and dance together until the morning arrives
Lyrics © Regard Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Earl King
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ChefDaveWQFS
Not Fess on the vocals, that's Earl King who wrote the song.
"Susan Shaw
2 hrs · Shandaken, NY ·
It's Earl King's (Earl Silas Johnson) birthday...Born in New Orleans, February 7, 1934.
Dan Phillips (homeofthegroove.blogspot.com) tells the story of the day Professor Longhair recorded Earl King's Big Chief...
"In 1964, hip songwriter/performer Earl King and arranger/bandleader Wardell Quezergue brought Fess into the studio to record “Big Chief”, which King had written years earlier. They surprised Fess, who hadn’t been active in a while, with a big session, including a large horn section. As it turned out, the song ended up being about five minutes long and was split up on the A and B sides of the record, with Part 1 being instrumental, and Part 2 having Earl King singing the lyrics and whistling as the song faded. He had intended his vocal to just be a guide for the band that Fess would overdub later, but that never happened.
While King wrote the lyrics and the basic song structure, I am sure it was Professor Longhair who devised the finger-tangling piano riff that few people other than he could ever play well, though it has been covered numerous times. Also, it is said that, in rehearsal, Fess showed drummer Smokey Johnson the syncopated beat he wanted by playing it on a cardboard box. Johnson took the quirky, demanding groove in stride and pulled it off flawlessly; but, by the end of the session, his fingers were bleeding.
The song was not a commercial success and even took a few years in New Orleans to catch on as an annual Mardi Gras favorite; but, when it finally took hold, it has had amazing staying power.
The players on this session included Smokey Johnson, drums; Curtis Mitchell, bass; Mac Rebennack, guitar; and, of course, Professor Longhair, piano. The horn section was from Quezergue’s band, the Royal Dukes of Rhythm."
@Rittstuff
When I came to my first Mardi Gras, this was playing in the cab that picked me up. I loved it and I still do. Ok, yeah, he ripped me off a few bucks, but I fell so in love with New Orleans that I moved there and stayed for 15 years. The only reason I left was Katrina. I miss it every day.
@Listening_2_Still_Small_Voice
Nora-Yara-Rosa brought me here from their dance video
@kenyas.stewart6864
Me toooooo! Priceless!
@shellie5617
Nora, Yara, Rosa !!!! Yes, me too.
@christophergrove4876
Hehehe... Me as well!
@jeanniemyles962
VulnerableMajesty love how they were dancing off this song on IG🔥🔥🔥💃💃💃💃✅😍❤️😃=@sosojazzyblog
@naturalfrollicles7881
Yesss me too! Haha
@gfitz1999
I play piano by ear. This came out when I was in high school and I tried to play this on piano. I could play the first line of the piano, but the rest never would come together for me. Hearing this again after 40 years has inspired me to sit back down at the piano and come up with the whole damn song. I got goose bumps listening to this again after 40 years! Thank you Big Chief!!!
@patrickderp1044
i play by ear to but i also learned off a wynton marsalis video about the I-IV-V blues and its been history ever since!
@gfitz1999
@@patrickderp1044 Thanks, I'll check out "wynton marsalis I-IV-V and let you know how it goes. Thanks again for the tip!