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.
Slap That Bass
Susannah McCorkle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The world is in a mess
With politics and taxes
And people grinding axes
There`s no happiness
Zoom zoom zoom zoom
Rhythm lead your ace
If I can only get me
Someone to slap that bass
Happiness is not a riddle
When I`m listening to that
Big bass fiddle
Slap that bass
Slap it till its dizzy
Slap that bass
Keep the rhythm busy
Zoom zoom zoom
Misery, you've got to go
Slap that bass
Use it like a tonic
Slap that bass
Keep your philharmonic
Zoom zoom zoom
And the milk and honey`ll flow
Dictators would be better off
If they zoom zoom now and then
Today, you can see that the happiest men
All got rhythm
In which case
If you want a bauble
Slap that bass
Slap away your trouble
Learn to zoom zoom zoom
Slap that bass
Dictators would be better off
If they zoom zoom now and then
Today, you can see that the happiest men
All got rhythm
In which case
If you want a bauble
Slap that bass
Slap away your trouble
Learn to zoom zoom zoom
Slap that bass
Zoom zoom zoom zoom
Zoom zoom zoom zoom
Zoom zoom zoom zoom
The lyrics to Susannah McCorkle's song "Slap That Bass" speak to the power of music to lift our spirits and bring us happiness. McCorkle paints a picture of a world in turmoil - with politics, taxes, and people grinding axes - a world without happiness. But then she offers a solution: "zoom zoom zoom zoom, rhythm lead your ace." In other words, let the music take over and guide you to a happier place. She talks about the big bass fiddle, which she says is the key to unlocking happiness. When that bass is slapped, the rhythm is kept busy, and misery is forced to go away.
McCorkle also offers an interesting observation about dictators. She says that they too would be better off if they learned to "zoom zoom now and then." Everyone needs a little music in their lives to find happiness, regardless of their station in life. And McCorkle encourages everyone to "learn to zoom zoom zoom, slap that bass" as a way to shed their troubles and find joy.
Line by Line Meaning
Zoom zoom zoom zoom
The song starts with an energetic musical phrase that sets the mood for the rest of the lyrics.
The world is in a mess
The world is in a state of chaos and confusion due to problems related to politics, taxes, and personal grudges.
With politics and taxes
The issues causing the mess in the world are primarily related to politics and taxes.
And people grinding axes
People are holding onto their personal grievances and not letting go in order to move forward and find happiness.
There's no happiness
Due to the world being in a state of mess, there is no happiness or joy to be found.
Rhythm lead your ace
The singer explains that music and rhythm can lead a person towards success and triumph.
The future doesn't fret me
The singer is not worried about the future since they have music, which can keep them happy and content.
If I can only get me
The artist is looking for a big bass fiddle player who can create the specific rhythm they need.
Someone to slap that bass
The artist needs someone skilled to play the bass, creating the rhythmic foundation of their music so they can be happy and content.
Happiness is not a riddle
The artist believes that happiness is not a mystery or difficult to achieve, but rather can be found through something as simple as music.
When I'm listening to that
The singer experiences happiness when listening to the bass fiddle being played skillfully.
Big bass fiddle
The artist is specifically talking about the bass fiddle, which they believe is key to achieving happiness through music.
Slap that bass
The singer wants the bass player to play the bass string with force and hit it hard.
Slap it till it's dizzy
The singer wants the bass to be played so hard and fast that it starts to feel dizzy and disoriented.
Keep the rhythm busy
The singer wants the bass player to keep the rhythm going so there is always a strong musical foundation.
Misery, you've got to go
The artist is encouraging misery to leave through the power of music and rhythm.
Use it like a tonic
The artist suggests using music, specifically the bass, as a tonic to cure any sadness or unhappiness.
Keep your philharmonic
The singer is encouraging the bass player to keep playing and leading the group's musical sections together.
And the milk and honey`ll flow
Once a person has found happiness through music, their lives will be full of abundance and prosperity.
Dictators would be better off
The artist is asserting that people in power should stop holding onto negative energy and instead seek happiness through music.
If they zoom zoom now and then
If dictators took a moment to relax and enjoy music, they may find success and happiness in their lives.
Today, you can see that the happiest men
The artist mentions that people who are happy and content often have music in their lives, and this is easily observable.
All got rhythm
People who are happy and successful often have a strong sense of rhythm and musical ability.
If you want a bauble
The artist suggests that if you want something superficial, you might not find happiness, but you could still feel content if you have music.
Slap away your trouble
The singer is again encouraging the bass player to play harder and harder, eventually removing all traces of sadness or unhappiness.
Learn to zoom zoom zoom
The singer suggests that learning to embrace the upbeat, fast-paced aspects of life, such as music, can help people find happiness.
Zoom zoom zoom
The song ends with another energetic musical phrase emphasizing the importance of rhythm and music.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind