Braff was a wonderfully characterful and melodic player with an immediately identifiable sound and unique tone on the cornet, an uncommon instrument in post-war jazz. He style was fundamentally based on that of earlier players including Louis Armstrong, Bobby Hackett and Bunny Berigan but he transcended these influences to always sounds fresh, sparky and somehow modern.
He was born in Boston and began playing in local clubs in the 1940s. In 1949, he was hired to play with the Edmond Hall Orchestra. He relocated to New York in 1953 where he was much in demand for band dates and recordings.
He died February 10, 2003, in Chatham, Massachusetts.
"Sure, they’ve made statements about my supposedly combining a modern approach with a feeling for traditional forms. Well, people say all sorts of things, because they want to categorise and label. I’ve only ever had two labels. Either it’s good or it stinks." - Ruby Braff speaking in 1968
Struttin' With Some Barbeque
Ruby Braff Lyrics
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Hate to see de ev'nin' sun go down
'Cause ma baby, he done lef' dis town
Feelin' tomorrow lak ah feel today
Feel tomorrow lak ah feel today
I'll pack my trunk, make ma git away
Saint Louis woman wid her diamon' rings
'Twant for powder an' for store bought hair
De man ah love would not gone nowhere, nowhere
Got de Saint Louis Blues jes as blue as ah can be
Dat man got a heart lak a rock cast in the sea
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me, doggone it
I loves day man lak a schoolboy loves his pie
Lak a Kentucky Col'nel loves his mint an' rye
I'll love ma baby till the day ah die
Been to de gypsy to get ma fortune tole
To de gypsy, done got ma fortune tole
'Cause I'm most wile 'bout ma Jelly Roll
Gypsy done tole me, don't you wear no black
Yes, she done told me, don't you wear no black
Go to Saint Louis, you can win him back
Help me to Cairo, make Saint Louis by maself
Git to Cairo, find ma old friend Jeff
Gwine to pin maself close to his side
If ah flag his train, I sho' can ride
Got de Saint Louis Blues jes as blue as ah can be
Dat man got a heart lak a rock cast in the sea
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me, doggone it
I loves day man lak a schoolboy loves his pie
Lak a Kentucky Col'nel loves his mint an' rye
I'll love ma baby till the day ah die
You ought to see dat stovepipe brown of mine
Lak he owns de Dimon' Joseph line
He'd make a cross eyed O'man go stone blin'
Blacker than midnight, teeth lak flags of truce
Blackest man in de whole of Saint Louis
Blacker de berry, sweeter am de juice
About a crap game, he knows a pow'ful lot
But when work time comes, he's on de dot
Gwine to ask him for a cold ten spot
What it takes to git it, he's cert'nly got
Got de Saint Louis Blues jes as blue as ah can be
Dat man got a heart lak a rock cast in the sea
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me, doggone it
I loves day man lak a schoolboy loves his pie
Lak a Kentucky Col'nel loves his mint an' rye
I'll love ma baby till the day ah die
A black headed gal makes a freight train jump the track, said
A black headed gal makes a freight train jump the track
But a long tall gal makes a preacher ball the jack
Lawd, a blonde headed woman makes a good man leave the town
I said, "Blonde headed woman makes a good man leave the town
But a red headed woman makes a boy slap his papa down"
Oh, ashes to ashes and dust to dust
I said, "Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
If my blues don't get you, my jazzing must"
The lyrics of Ruby Braff's "Struttin' With Some Barbeque" describe the story of a woman named Saint Louis who is lovesick and heartbroken because her man left town. She expresses her sadness and her desire to leave town to find him as she has sought the guidance of a gypsy to predict her future. The chorus repeats that she has the Saint Louis Blues as she thinks about her lost love. She describes her man as being pulled around by a woman in Saint Louis with diamond rings and it pains her to think of it. But she loves him with every fiber of her being and mentions how black and charming he is, with an affinity for gambling but still dedicated to his work.
The lyrics speak to the human experience of heartbreak and the lengths one might go to pursue love. Saint Louis is determined to see her love again and is proactive in her search. What is interesting about the lyrics is how it speaks to the cultural significance of the blues in the African American community. The blues is not just a genre of music with a specific sound but is a way of thinking, feeling, and storytelling - it's a way of life. The lyrics highlight the importance of the blues and how it is used to express human experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
I hate to see de ev'nin' sun go down
I'm feeling down and out because the sun is going down, which reminds me that my baby has left town.
Feelin' tomorrow lak ah feel today
I'm feeling hopeless about tomorrow because I'm feeling hopeless right now.
Saint Louis woman wid her diamon' rings
There's a woman in St. Louis who uses her wealth to control her man.
'Twant for powder an' for store bought hair
The man I love isn't impressed by material things like fancy makeup or expensive hair.
Got de Saint Louis Blues jes as blue as ah can be
I'm feeling really sad and down because my lover has left me.
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me, doggone it
If he really loved me, he wouldn't have left me like this.
Been to de gypsy to get ma fortune tole
I went to a fortune teller hoping for some guidance on how to win my man back.
Gwine to pin maself close to his side
I'm going to do whatever it takes to be close to my man again.
You ought to see dat stovepipe brown of mine
My man has really dark skin but he's also really attractive.
About a crap game, he knows a pow'ful lot
My man is really good at playing craps.
A black headed gal makes a freight train jump the track, said
People say that a woman with black hair can make a man do crazy things.
Lawd, a blonde headed woman makes a good man leave the town
People say that a woman with blonde hair can make a good man leave town.
Oh, ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Everything eventually comes to an end.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DON RAYE, LILLIAN HARDIN ARMSTRONG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind