McCorkle was born in Berkeley, California. She studied modern languages at the University of California, Berkeley. McCorkle began singing professionally after hearing recordings of Billie Holiday in Paris in the late 1960s. She nearly became an interpreter at the European Commission in Brussels, but moved instead to London in 1972 to pursue a career in singing. While in the UK, she made two albums which, although well received, enjoyed only limited circulation.
In the late 1970s, McCorkle returned to the United States and settled in New York City, where a five-month engagement at the Cookery in Greenwich Village brought her to wider public attention and elicited rave reviews from critics.
During the 1980s, McCorkle continued to record; her maturing style and the darkening timbre of her voice greatly enhanced her performances. In the early 1990s, two of the albums McCorkle made for Concord Records, No More Blues and Sábia, were enormously successful and made her name known to the wider world. She was recorded by the Smithsonian Institution which at the time made her the youngest singer ever to have been included in its popular music series. McCorkle played Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher and Alice Tully Halls five times and Carnegie Hall three times, and was featured soloist with Skitch Henderson and the 80-piece New York Pops in a concert of Brazilian music.
Thanks to her linguistic skills, McCorkle translated lyrics of Brazilian, French, and Italian songs, notably those for her Brazilian album Sabia. McCorkle also had several short stories published and, in 1991, began work on her first novel. She published fiction in Mademoiselle, Cosmopolitan Magazine, and non-fiction in the New York Times Magazine and in American Heritage, including lengthy articles on Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, Irving Berlin and Mae West.
McCorkle suffered for many years from depression and cancer, and took her own life at age 55 by leaping off the balcony of her highrise Manhattan apartment. She was alone in her home at the time. The police immediately entered her home after identifying her body and found no foul play. Suicide was ruled the cause of death.
Chica Chica Boom Chic
Susannah McCorkle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That crazy thing, the Chica Chica Boom Chic
Brazilians found the Chica Chica Boom Chic
They like the sound of Chica Chica Boom Chic
It came down the Amazon from the jungles
Where the natives greet ev'ry one they meet beatin' on a tom tom
Boom chi-boom chi-boom, boom chi-boom chi-boom,
But it's immense, the Chica Chica Boom Chic
That's all you've got to say to chase the jinx away
Chica Chica Boom, Chica Chica Boom
Chica Chica Boom Chic! Boom Chic!
In Susannah McCorkle’s song “Chica Chica Boom Chic,” the lyrics describe the Brazilian music style and its origins. The catchy phrase “Chica Chica Boom Chic” is said to have come from the Amazon as it traveled from the jungles, where natives would greet one another while beating on a tom-tom. Brazilians were drawn to this style of music since it had a distinctive sound and rhythm. Although it may seem nonsensical, the simplicity of “Chica Chica Boom Chic” was all that was necessary to drive away any bad luck or ill omens.
The song’s lyrics can be interpreted as praising the uniqueness and simplicity of Brazilian music. The phrase “Chica Chica Boom Chic” is catchy, easy to remember, and full of positive vibes. It also represents how music can be a universal language that transcends borders and cultures. The upbeat and cheerful nature of the song encourages people to join in and sing along, emphasizing that music can bring people together in a shared experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on and sing the Chica Chica Boom Chic
Please join in and sing along with the Chica Chica Boom Chic.
That crazy thing, the Chica Chica Boom Chic
The Chica Chica Boom Chic is an eccentric, unusual tune.
Brazilians found the Chica Chica Boom Chic
The Brazilians discovered the Chica Chica Boom Chic song.
They like the sound of Chica Chica Boom Chic
They enjoy listening to the sound of the Chica Chica Boom Chic.
It came down the Amazon from the jungles
The song originated from the jungles and traveled downstream along the Amazon River.
Where the natives greet ev'ry one they meet beatin' on a tom tom
The Indigenous people who live in the Jungle where the song originated, welcome visitors by playing their traditional instrument, the Tom Tom.
Boom chi-boom chi-boom, boom chi-boom chi-boom,
This describes the rhythmic, tribal pattern that is played on a Tom Tom.
It don't make sense, The Chica Chica Boom Chic
The Chica Chica Boom Chic may be nonsensical, but it is still a great song.
But it's immense, the Chica Chica Boom Chic
The Chica Chica Boom Chic is incredibly popular despite its lack of meaning.
That's all you've got to say to chase the jinx away
Saying Chica Chica Boom Chic can help dispel any bad luck or curses.
Chica Chica Boom, Chica Chica Boom
This is the memorable, repeated refrain of the song.
Chica Chica Boom Chic! Boom Chic!
This is the ending of the song, with the repeated refrain and the unique, eccentric Boom Chic sound.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mack Gordon, Harry Warren
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind