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."
Mess Around
Professor Longhair Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The band was jumpin', the people too
Ah, mess around
They doin' the mess around
They doin' the mess around,
everybody doin' the mess around
Ah, everybody was juiced, you can, bet your soul
They mess around
They doin' the mess around
They doin' the mess around,
everybody doin' the mess around
Now, ah, when I say stop don't you move a peg
When I say go, just ah, shake your leg
And do the mess around
I declare, do the mess around
Yeah do the mess around,
everybody's doin' the mess around
Now let me have it there boy
Now you got it boy
(Yeah, ah, mess around, go on mess around)
(Mess around, boy)
Now this band's goin' to play from, 9 to 1
Everybody here's gonna have some fun
Doin' the mess around
Ah, doin' the mess around
They doin' the mess around,
everybody doin' the mess around
Now you see that girl, with that, diamond ring
She knows how to, shake that thing
Mess around
I declare, she can mess around
Ah, mess around,
everybody do the mess around
The song Mess Around by Professor Longhair was released in 1953 and is considered a seminal track in the development of rhythm and blues music. The lyrics depict a lively party atmosphere, with people dancing and having a good time. The repetitive chorus of "They doin' the mess around, everybody doin' the mess around" emphasizes the infectious nature of the dance and the joy of the moment. The verses encourage the listener to join in, with lines like "And do the mess around, I declare, do the mess around" and "Yeah do the mess around, everybody's doin' the mess around."
The references to "the pit, barbecue" and "the boogie-woogie" suggest a Southern, possibly New Orleans, setting. Professor Longhair himself was a New Orleans native and his unique blend of blues, boogie-woogie, and Caribbean rhythms became known as the "New Orleans sound." The song's call-and-response structure, as well as the use of piano riffing and the incorporation of horns, are all elements that would later influence the development of rock and roll.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah, you can talk about the pit, barbecue
You can talk about all kinds of things, but right now we're focused on the party and having a good time.
The band was jumpin', the people too
The music is lively and upbeat, and everyone is dancing and enjoying it.
Ah, mess around
Let's have fun and fool around!
They doin' the mess around
Everyone is getting into the spirit and enjoying themselves by dancing and having fun together.
Everybody doin' the mess around
This is a party where everyone is letting loose and having a great time.
Ah, everybody was juiced, you can, bet your soul
Everyone was excited, energized, and ready to have a good time!
They did the boogie-woogie, with a steady roll *
The music was energetic and made you want to dance non-stop!
Now, ah, when I say stop don't you move a peg
I want your attention! Don't move or do anything until I say so.
When I say go, just ah, shake your leg
When I give you the signal, shake your leg and start dancing!
And do the mess around
Have fun and dance wildly with everyone else!
I declare, do the mess around
I demand that you get up and dance right now!
Yeah do the mess around, everybody's doin' the mess around
Everyone is participating and letting loose on the dance floor.
Now let me have it there boy
Now it's time for the music and dancing to really pick up and get going!
Now you got it boy
I can see that you're feeling the music and dancing like a pro!
(Yeah, ah, mess around, go on mess around)
Keep dancing and having fun like you've been doing all night!
(Mess around, boy)
Let's keep the party going with even more dancing and energy!
Now this band's goin' to play from, 9 to 1
The music will keep playing for hours, and the party will continue long into the night.
Everybody here's gonna have some fun
Everyone will be enjoying themselves and letting loose on the dance floor.
Doin' the mess around
The entire party is dedicated to having a great time and dancing wildly.
Ah, doin' the mess around
Let's keep up the energy and keep having fun!
They doin' the mess around, everybody doin' the mess around
Everyone at the party is participating and joining in on the wild and energetic dancing.
Now you see that girl, with that, diamond ring
There's a particular girl at the party who is really standing out and catching everyone's attention.
She knows how to, shake that thing
She's an incredible dancer and has some serious moves!
Mess around
Keep dancing and having fun, just like that girl with the diamond ring!
I declare, she can mess around
That girl with the diamond ring is an amazing dancer who is really owning the dance floor!
Ah, mess around, everybody do the mess around
Let's all keep dancing and having fun together, just like that girl with the diamond ring!
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ahmet Ertegun
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind