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."
Hey Little Girl
Professor Longhair Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, a girly chicken fell in love with a chicken hawk
She fell head over heels for that hawk's sweet talk
She said, "Take me up, hawky, take me up in the sky"
She said, "Take me up, hawky, take me up in the sky
I'm just a little bitty chicken and I don't know how to fly"
Up, up and away, we gon' fly all day
Up, up, up, up and away"
He met a bald headed eagle flying up there in the blue
He met a bald headed eagle flying up there in the blue
Well, the eagle told the hawk, "I'm goin' to steal that chicken from you"
Well, the hawk starts flying like a P8 single jet
Well, the hawk starts flying like a P8 single jet
He said, "Cool down, chicken, the eagle ain't got us yet"
He said, "Up, up and away, we gon' fly all day
Up, up and away, we gon' fly all day
Up, up, up, up and away"
Well, you asked him for the sun, did you ask him for the moon?
Well, you asked him for the sun, did you ask him for the moon?
He said, "Cool down, baby, we're gonna be there soon"
He said, "Up, up and away, we gon' fly all day
Up, up and away, we gon' fly all day
Up, up, up, up and away"
The lyrics of "Hey Little Girl" by Professor Longhair are about a young and naive chicken who falls in love with a chicken hawk. She is enamored by his smooth talk and asks him to take her up in the sky even though she cannot fly. The chicken hawk obliges her and takes her soaring through the clouds. Along the way, they meet a bald headed eagle who informs the hawk that he plans to steal the chicken.
The hawk then tells the chicken to remain calm and starts flying feverishly, evading the eagle. Throughout the song, the hawk repeatedly reassures the chicken that they will soon be safe and continue to fly all day. Despite the catchy and danceable tune, the song's lyrics can be interpreted as a metaphor for being blinded by love and following someone who might not have your best intentions at heart.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, a girly chicken fell in love with a chicken hawk
A female chicken fell in love with a type of hawk
She fell head over heels for that hawk's sweet talk
She became absolutely infatuated with the hawk's charming words
She said, "Take me up, hawky, take me up in the sky"
The chicken asked the hawk to take her up in the air
I'm just a little bitty chicken and I don't know how to fly"
The chicken admitted to being a small chicken that was unable to fly
He said, "Up, up and away, we gon' fly all day
The hawk responded by agreeing to take her up and fly all day long
He met a bald headed eagle flying up there in the blue
The hawk encountered an eagle while flying
Well, the eagle told the hawk, "I'm goin' to steal that chicken from you"
The eagle planned to take the chicken away from the hawk
Well, the hawk starts flying like a P8 single jet
The hawk began to fly quickly and with great speed
He said, "Cool down, chicken, the eagle ain't got us yet"
The hawk reassured the chicken that they were safe from the eagle
Well, you asked him for the sun, did you ask him for the moon?
The hawk asked the chicken if she was asking for too much
He said, "Cool down, baby, we're gonna be there soon"
The hawk reassured the chicken that they would soon reach their destination
He said, "Up, up and away, we gon' fly all day
The hawk reiterated that they would continue flying all day long
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: P. SLADE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bartolo77pt
I definitely agree with you. His music and his life testify his very talent and the fact that Professor Longhair is a milestone in music history.
Matthew Cohen
Thank you so much! I grew up in NOLA, and have known of Fess since I was a boy. I have only recently discovered how utterly amazing this man was. Thanks again for putting this song on YouTube!!!
Yvonne Lewis
When my husband and I went to New Orleans, we stayed in The Royal Sinesta Hotel on Bourbon Street, and I had the time of my life. I realized just how proud I am of my ancestors. We visited the old plantations and also purchased an album by Professor Longhair witch I love. I love the way he portrays the blues. Professor Longhair is the greatest blues artist ever. It is just too bad that more people did not get a chance to enjoy his music, and that is because he would not travel.
Leftie
Thank you for the wonderful version of this song.
MyMoppet52
@bartolo77pt Thank you. I appreciate the fact that you took the time to comment. Take care and come back for a listen whenever you want. My best, Barbara
David Allsopp
great
Annie-France SALEZ
Oh lala très français !!! 👍👍👍🎶🤣🎹🥁🎭🎼
Thomas Buckler
I can't just forget her Cameron and I certainly can't think about trig!
Samuel Wolk
RIP Robbin Williams
MyMoppet52
Yes! Thank you for your comment about Robin Williams. I wonder if he loved this song, or you just wanted to leave your note. I ended up crying for 20 hours. I have my own issues and just could not stop. My college roommate was accepted into Julliard and was in Christopher and Robin's class. I heard about this wonderful, brilliant, crazy guy from 1971 on and was thrilled to see him make it on tv. I never met Mr. Williams, but I feel he was a truly caring person and a genius of a talent. I'm trying to remember all the good things he has done, and how much the world is a better place because of him. Thank you so much, Barbara