Born in Kirksville, Missouri and nicknamed "Rusty" for his red hair, he began performing on his uncle's radio show in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the mid 1930s. Draper moved on to work at radio stations in Des Moines, Iowa—sometimes filling in for sports announcer Ronald Reagan—and in Illinois before settling in California. There he began to sing in local clubs, becoming resident singer at the Rumpus Room in San Francisco. By the early 1950s he had begun appearing on national TV shows including The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS) and Ozark Jubilee (ABC).
In 1952, Draper signed to Mercury Records and issued his debut single, "How Could You (Blue Eyes)". The following year, after a national club tour, his cover version of Jim Lowe's "Gambler's Guitar” made #6 on both the country and pop charts, and sold a million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[1] After a series of less successful follow-ups, he made the national charts again in 1955 with "Seventeen" (#18), "The Shifting, Whispering Sands" (#3) and "Are You Satisfied?" (#11), becoming one of the biggest pop and country crossover stars of the period.
In 1956, he returned to the top 20 with "In The Middle Of The House" (#20), followed up by his version of Chas McDevitt’s UK skiffle hit "Freight Train" (#3) Draper also reached the UK Singles Chart with a rendition of "Muleskinner Blues."
In 1962, he left Mercury to sign with Monument Records, with diminishing chart success as his style became more old-fashioned. However, he continued to have minor hits in the country charts through the 1960s. He remained a steady concert draw in years to follow, and also appeared in stage musicals and on television. Draper died in Bellevue, Washington at the age of 80.
In the Cool Cool Cool of the Evening
Rusty Draper Lyrics
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Sam wants to boil a ham,
Grace votes for Bouillabaisse stew.
Jake wants a weeny bake,
Steak and a layer cake,
He'll get a tummy ache too.
We'll rent a tent or tepee.
Let the town crier cry.
This is what I'll reply
In the cool, cool, cool of the evening
Tell 'em I'll be there
In the cool, cool, cool of the evening
Better save a chair
When the party's gettin' a glow on
And singin' fills the air
In the shank of the night
When the doin's are right
You can tell 'em I'll be there
"Whee" said the bumblebee,"
"Let's have a jubilee"
"When?" said the prairie hen, "Soon?"
"Shore" said the dinosaur.
"Where?" said the grizzly bear,
"Under the light of the moon?"
"How `bout ya, brother jackass?"
Ev'ryone gaily cried,
"You comin' to the fracas?"
Over his specs he sighed
In the cool, cool, cool of the evening
Tell 'em I'll be there
In the cool, cool, cool of the evening
Slickum on my hair.
When the party's gettin' a glow on
And singin' fills the air
If I ain't in the clink,
And there's sumpin' to drink,
You can tell 'em I'll be there
The song "In the Cool Cool Cool of the Evening" by Rusty Draper, talks about planning a party among a group of friends while deciding on what kind of food and activities they would like to have. Each person in the group suggests their preferred dish like barbecue, ham, Bouillabaisse, weeny bake, steak, and layer cake, and they eventually settle on having a potluck. As for the party plan, Sue suggests renting a tent or tepee, and they agree to have a town crier announce the party. When it comes to RSVP, Rusty says he will definitely attend the party and tells them to save him a chair. The bumblebee, prairie hen, dinosaur, grizzly bear, and brother jackass unintentionally join in the planning as Rusty mentions their contribution to the party in a fun and upbeat way.
The song not only provides a jovial air but also highlights the essential elements of a successful party, including food, music, and an exciting atmosphere. The lyrics of the song convey a sense of carefree pleasure and shows how various personalities can come together irrespective of their differences to have a good time. It shows the importance of friendship and camaraderie and how a party can bring happiness and satisfaction to people's lives. The merriment in this song is infectious, resonating with listeners of all ages and transcending the generation gap.
Line by Line Meaning
Sue wants a barbecue
Sue is interested in having a barbecue at the party
Sam wants to boil a ham
Sam is interested in boiling a ham for the party
Grace votes for Bouillabaisse stew
Grace would like to have Bouillabaisse stew at the party
Jake wants a weeny bake
Jake would like a weeny bake for the party
Steak and a layer cake, He'll get a tummy ache too
Having steak and a layer cake could lead to Jake getting an upset stomach
We'll rent a tent or tepee
A tent or tepee will be rented for the party
Let the town crier cry
The town crier will be asked to announce the party
And if it's RSVP This is what I'll reply
If an RSVP is required, this is what Rusty Draper will reply
In the cool, cool, cool of the evening, Tell 'em I'll be there
Rusty Draper will be present at the party in the cool of the evening
In the cool, cool, cool of the evening, Better save a chair
It's better to save a chair in the cool of the evening for Rusty Draper
When the party's gettin' a glow on, And singin' fills the air
When the party is getting exciting and people are singing
In the shank of the night, When the doin's are right, You can tell 'em I'll be there
Rusty Draper will be there when the night is in full swing and the party is at its best
"Whee" said the bumblebee, "Let's have a jubilee"
The bumblebee is excited about the party and suggests having a jubilee
"When?" said the prairie hen, "Soon?"
The prairie hen asks when the party will take place
"Shore" said the dinosaur. "Where?" said the grizzly bear, "Under the light of the moon?"
The dinosaur agrees to the party and the grizzly bear suggests having it under the moonlight
"How 'bout ya, brother jackass?" Ev'ryone gaily cried, "You comin' to the fracas?" Over his specs he sighed
Everyone asks the jackass if he will be coming to the party and he sighs in response
In the cool, cool, cool of the evening, Tell 'em I'll be there
Rusty Draper will be present at the party in the cool of the evening
In the cool, cool, cool of the evening, Slickum on my hair.
Rusty Draper will have slick hair for the party in the cool of the evening
When the party's gettin' a glow on, And singin' fills the air, If I ain't in the clink, And there's sumpin' to drink, You can tell 'em I'll be there
When the party is at its best and people are singing, as long as Rusty Draper is not in jail and there's something to drink, he will be there
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind