Benny Goodman, clarinet
Te… Read Full Bio ↴The Benny Goodman Quartet consists of:
Benny Goodman, clarinet
Teddy Wilson, piano
Lionel Hampton, vibes, vocals
Gene Krupa, drums
Tiger Rag
The Benny Goodman Quartet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger!
Hold that tiger! Hold that tiger ! Hold that tiger!
Choke him, poke him, kick him and soak him!
Where's that tiger? Where's that tiger?
Where oh where can he be?
Low or highbrow, they all cry now
"Please play that Tiger Rag for me"
Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger!
Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger!
Hold that tiger! Hold that tiger ! Hold that tiger!
Choke him, poke him, kick him and soak him!
Where's that tiger? Where's that tiger?
Where oh where can he be?
Low or highbrow, they all cry now
"Please play that Tiger Rag for me"
The Benny Goodman Quartet's song "Tiger Rag" has an interesting and amusing set of lyrics that is mostly a repetition of where the tiger is and how to catch him. The first verse of the song calls for the location of the tiger; the singer is asking where the tiger is repeatedly. In the second verse, the singer encourages his fellow band members to hold the tiger, choke him, poke him, kick him and soak him, which is somewhat humorous, given that it is a song about a tiger.
The chorus of the song is an open invitation for everyone to join in the fun of seeking the tiger. They are all invited to cry out for the Tiger Rag to be played. The singer and the audience don't seem to be scared of the tiger; rather, they want to enjoy the thrill of catching him, creating a party atmosphere through the whole song.
In summary, the lyrics of "Tiger Rag" by The Benny Goodman Quartet are a cheerful and amusing call and response exchange between the singer and the audience, inviting everyone to search for the elusive tiger and enjoy the music.
Line by Line Meaning
Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger!
Where is the excitement? Where is the energy?
Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger!
Where is that thrill? Where is that enthusiasm?
Hold that tiger! Hold that tiger ! Hold that tiger!
Keep that enthusiasm, keep that energy!
Choke him, poke him, kick him and soak him!
Let's do anything to keep that energy alive!
Where's that tiger? Where's that tiger?
Where can we find that excitement and energy again?
Where oh where can he be?
Where can we find that great feeling that Tiger Rag brought us?
Low or highbrow, they all cry now
No matter what social class, everyone wants to hear Tiger Rag
"Please play that Tiger Rag for me"
Please bring back that excitement and energy by playing Tiger Rag again
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HARRY TIERNEY, JOSEPH JOE MC CARTHY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind