The above biography taken from: Wikipedia - Rufus Thomas
The Crown Prince of Dance; an early rock & roll DJ, Memphis soul icon and creator of the Funky Chicken.
Artist Biography (below) by Richie Unterberger
Few of rock & roll's founding figures are as likable as Rufus Thomas. From the 1940s onward, he has personified Memphis music; his small but witty cameo role in Jim Jarmusch's Mystery Train, a film which satirizes and enshrines the city's role in popular culture, was entirely appropriate. As a recording artist, he wasn't a major innovator, but he could always be depended upon for some good, silly, and/or outrageous fun with his soul dance tunes. He was one of the few rock or soul stars to reach his commercial and artistic peak in middle age, and was a crucial mentor to many important Memphis blues, rock, and soul musicians.
Thomas was already a professional entertainer in the mid-'30s, when he was a comedian with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels. He recorded music as early as 1941, but really made his mark on the Memphis music scene as a deejay on WDIA, one of the few black-owned stations of the era. He also ran talent shows on Memphis' famous Beale Street that helped showcase the emerging skills of such influential figures as B.B. King, Bobby Bland, Junior Parker, Ike Turner, and Roscoe Gordon.
Thomas had his first success as a recording artist in 1953 with "Bear Cat," a funny answer record to Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog." It made number three on the R&B charts, giving Sun Records its first national hit, though some of the sweetness went out of the triumph after Sun owner Sam Phillips lost a lawsuit for plagiarizing the original Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller tune. Thomas, strangely, would make only one other record for Sun, and recorded only sporadically throughout the rest of the 1950s.
Thomas and his daughter Carla would become the first stars for the Stax label, for whom they recorded a duet in 1959, "'Cause I Love You" (when the company was still known as Satellite). In the '60s, Carla would become one of Stax's biggest stars. On his own, Rufus wasn't as successful as his daughter, but issued a steady stream of decent dance/novelty singles.
These were not deep or emotional statements, or meant to be. Vaguely prefiguring elements of funk, the accent was on the stripped-down groove and Rufus' good-time vocals, which didn't take himself or anything seriously. The biggest by far was "Walking the Dog," which made the Top Ten in 1963, and was covered by the Rolling Stones on their first album.
Thomas hit his commercial peak in the early '70s, when "Do the Funky Chicken," "(Do The) Push and Pull," and "The Breakdown" all made the R&B Top Five. As the song titles themselves make clear, funk was now driving his sound rather than blues or soul. Thomas drew upon his vaudeville background to put them over on-stage with fancy footwork that displayed remarkable agility for a man well into his 50s. The collapse of the Stax label in the mid-'70s meant the end of his career, basically, as it did for many other artists with the company. In 2001, Rufus Thomas was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. Later that year, on December 15, he died at St. Francis hospital in Memphis, TN.
The above biography taken from: All Music Biography - Rufus Thomas by Richie Unterberger
Tiger Man
Rufus Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm the king of the jungle, they call me the tiger man
When you cross my path, you got your own life in your hand
Well, I get up on the mountain and I call my bearcat back
Well, I get up on the mountain and I call my bearcat back
My bearcat comes a-running and the hounddog get way back
Get back, way back, way back
Well, tell me no the hounddog is snooping around your door
If I ever catch him snooping, he will snoop no more
I'm the king of the jungle, they call me the tiger man
I'm the king of the jungle, they call me the tiger man
When you cross my path, you got your own life in your hand
Rufus Thomas's song "Tiger Man" opens with the declaration "I'm the king of the jungle, they call me the tiger man" which depicts a man who commands respect and admiration from all those who come in contact with him. The chorus repeats this declaration twice, with a warning to anyone who crosses his path. Thomas's use of the term "king of the jungle" asserts the persona's dominance and assuredness, and the reference to the tiger evokes a sense of power, strength, and danger. The final line in the chorus "When you cross my path, you got your own life in your hand" sounds like a warning to prospective adversaries, that they'll face certain death or defeat should they choose to confront him.
The second part of the verse describes the persona's ability to command the obedience of fierce creatures, like a bearcat, possibly through some kind of primal communication or charm. This ability seems to intimidate predator animals, like a hound dog, who would typically chase smaller animals away. The third verse narrows the focus to the hound dog, which could represent a metaphorical representation of a rival, who is "snooping around your door", looking for an opportunity to challenge the singer. In response, the singer declares that should he catch the hound dog snooping around, he will face grave consequences. Overall, the song mixes elements of folklore, mythology, and animal imagery to create an image of a man who is confident, powerful, and dominant.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm the king of the jungle, they call me the tiger man
I am the ruler of my territory, known as the tiger man
When you cross my path, you got your own life in your hand
If you come across me, your life is at risk
Well, I get up on the mountain and I call my bearcat back
I go up on the mountain and summon my bearcat
My bearcat comes a-running and the hounddog get way back
My bearcat comes to me quickly and the other dogs keep their distance
Get back, way back, way back
Back off and retreat as far away as possible
Well, tell me no the hounddog is snooping around your door
Is a dog snooping outside your door?
If I ever catch him snooping, he will snoop no more
If I catch him, he won't be able to snoop again
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOE HILL LEWIS, S. BURNS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@iketyson718
Something about Rufus Thomas totally mesmerizes me.
@pastorCraigHAle1
Now you know how Elvis used this song with mystery train in Las Vegas shows
with James Burton lead guitarist.
@scouseronthewirral
Written By Joe Hill Louis, Sam Phillips (A.K.A Sam Burns)
Joe Hill Louis recorded Tiger Man on 17 November 1952, it was not released.
Covers:
Rufus Thomas, Jr Recorded the song 30 June 1953 it was released on 8 July 1953, it did not chart.
Elvis Presley recorded a Live Version on 27 June 1968 during his 68 Comeback special, and was released on his Singer Presents Elvis Singing Flaming Star and Others Album in November 1968.
@kiwitrainguy
Now that you've heard this check out the version by Joe Hill Louis, he's the one who co-wrote it.
@MsAnoosha
thank you for the recommendation! really enjoyed Mr. Louis' version! :)
@Francesco-cn1js
I want a Ring tunes from this Sound ππ
@armandonieves1277
love this
@737dean737
Hot damn!!! Can really dig this!!
@bliss149
Love this!!!
@Brother_Dre1900
This is Rock and Roll.