Scatman John has received 14 golds and 18 platinums for his albums and singles. He was also the recipient of the Annie Glenn Award for his outstanding service to the stuttering community, and was also inducted to the National Stuttering Association's Hall of Fame.
In 1995, at 52 years of age, he became a world star. The sales of its single were low at the beginning, but gradually they were increasing until reaching the 1ยบ position in practically all the countries where it was sent, selling more than 6 million copies throughout the world. Scatman (Ski Ba Bop Ba Dop Bop) is still his biggest sales success and his best song to date, having stayed several weeks in the Top 10 singles in the United Kingdom. Later he continued with the single Scatman's World entering the Top 10 of the United Kingdom with less success than his first single, but selling 1 million copies and reaching high positions throughout Europe.
Following the successes of these two singles, he released his debut album Scatman's World. It sold 3 million copies and broke the world record as an album sold in the largest number of countries. Scatman John began a tour of promotional concerts in Europe and Asia. In an appearance he made in Spain, the young people shouted for 5 minutes in a row, he couldn't start the song. During an interview regarding the new album, Scatman John spoke so fluently that a journalist said he had not heard Larkin stutter even once and asked if he was not using the stuttering community as a means to continue his career. Scatman was surprised to feel ashamed for the first time of his ease of speaking.
He was later diagnosed with lung cancer and soon went into intensive treatment. He maintained a positive attitude throughout, declaring that "whatever God wants is fine by me... I've had the very best life. I have tasted beauty." He died in his Los Angeles home on December 3, 1999, at the age of 57.
"I hope that the kids, while they sing along to my songs or dance to it, feel that life is not that bad at all. Even for just a minute." - John "Scatman" Larkin
Discography:
1995 - Scatman's World
1996 - Everybody Jam!
1995 - Scat Paradise (EP)
1999 - Take Your Time
Night Train
Scatman John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
JOHN: Yeah let's take a ride on the night train
GIRLS: Shoop Shoop night train
JOHN: Oh let's take it up a little bit faster
Yeah that's better, that's better yeah...And let's go!
(Scatting by Scatman John)
GIRLS: Take a ride on the night train
You'll sing that shoop shoop night train
Like a Scatman shooby do wap wap
If you're happy, do it again
Take a ride on the night train
You'll sing that shoop shoop night train
Like a Scatman shooby do wap wap
Would you have me do it again?
Shoop shoop night train... (x2)
JOHN: All aboard take a ride with me
On a train that's a-headin' for ecstasy
Ever get the notion to feel the locomotion
Ride it on baby I'll show you how
Come along take a trip in your mind
Any trouble you can leave it behind
Scooby ooby dooby check out the show
Everybody on board let's go
GIRLS: Take a ride on the night train
You'll sing that shoop shoop night train
Like a Scatman shooby do wap wap
If you're happy, do it again
Take a ride on the night train
You'll sing that shoop shoop night train
Like the Scatman shooby do wap wap
Would you have me do it again?
Shoop shoop night train... (x2)
JOHN: Kick back, way back right on the track jack
Flood your lights as a matter of fact
Everybodys movin' and a groovin' in time
Like a-singin and a-swingin like a nursery rhyme
Feel the rhythm of the wheel on steel
track-crackin', everything's real
Don't hesitate, don't put on the brake
'Cause it's the happenin' ride to take
GIRLS: Take a ride on the night train
You'll sing that shoop shoop night train
Like a Scatman shooby do wap wap
If you're happy, do it again
Take a ride on the night train
You'll sing that shoop shoop night train
Like the Scatman shooby do wap wap
Would you have me do it again?
Shoop shoop night train... (x4)
(Scatting by Scatman John)
GIRLS: Take a ride on the night train
You'll sing that shoop shoop night train
Like a Scatman shooby do wap wap
If you're happy, do it again
(JOHN: Happy, do it again)
Take a ride on the night train
You'll sing that shoop shoop night train
Like the Scatman shooby do wap wap
Would you have me do it again?
(JOHN: Happy, do it again)
GIRLS: Take a ride on the night train
You'll sing that shoop shoop night train
Like a Scatman shooby do wap wap
If you're happy, do it again
(JOHN: Happy, do it again)
Take a ride on the night train
You'll sing that shoop shoop night train
Like the Scatman shooby do wap wap
Would you have me do it again?
Shoop shoop night train...
The lyrics of Scatman John's song Night Train are an invitation to take a wild ride on a train that promises to take its passengers to a world of ecstasy, where every trouble can be left behind. The chorus, sung by a group of girls, invites us to sing along with the catchy shoop shoop night train and scatman shooby do wap wap phrases, while John's voice raps and scats about the sensations of riding on the night train. He tells us to kick back, enjoy the rhythm of the wheel on steel, and let ourselves move and groove in time with the train. The song is an exhortation to leave our worries and inhibitions behind, to embrace the wild ride of life with a carefree spirit, and to keep singing along with the night train's catchy melody.
Line by Line Meaning
Shoop Shoop night train
The girls are excitedly singing about the night train
Yeah let's take a ride on the night train
Scatman John agrees to take the ride and encourages everyone else to join
Oh let's take it up a little bit faster
John suggests that they increase the speed to enjoy the ride even more
All aboard take a ride with me
John is inviting everyone to join him on the night train ride
On a train that's a-headin' for ecstasy
The night train promises excitement and exhilaration to everyone onboard
Ever get the notion to feel the locomotion
John is asking if anyone has ever felt the motion of a train
Ride it on baby I'll show you how
John offers to show everyone how to enjoy the ride to the fullest
Take a ride on the night train
The girls continue to encourage people to join the ride
You'll sing that shoop shoop night train
The night train ride promises to be so much fun that people will sing about it
Like a Scatman shooby do wap wap
The Night Train ride will be like a Scatman song with its own groove and rhythm
If you're happy, do it again
The girls suggest repeating the ride if people enjoy it
Kick back, way back right on the track jack
John suggests relaxing and enjoying the ride on the train track
Flood your lights as a matter of fact
John suggests people take a moment to enjoy the view while the train is moving
Everybodys movin' and a groovin' in time
Everyone on the train is dancing and enjoying the rhythm of the Night Train ride
Like a-singin and a-swingin like a nursery rhyme
The Night Train ride has a happy, playful feel, like a nursery rhyme
Feel the rhythm of the wheel on steel
John invites people to feel the beat of the train moving on the tracks
track-crackin', everything's real
The sound of the train on the tracks is a real, authentic experience
Don't hesitate, don't put on the brake
John encourages people to embrace the ride and not to hold back
'Cause it's the happenin' ride to take
The Night Train ride is the coolest, most exciting experience to have
Happy, do it again
John is echoing the girls' sentiment that if people enjoy the Night Train ride, they should do it again
Contributed by Ethan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.