Out For No Good
The Mills Brothers Lyrics


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Baby what are you out for
Baby what am I in for
Is my baby out for no good

Is my baby got rhythm
Tell me is it hot rhythm
Is my baby out for no good
Mister Moon why does he wink at every star
In the park in the dark
Why do we park a car
What's an eight o'clock date for
What do we stay out late for

Is my baby out for no good
Cause I could do you good
If my baby is out for no good

Is my baby out for no good
Cos I could do you good
If my baby is out for
No good
No good




No good
No good

Overall Meaning

The Mills Brothers's song "Out For No Good" is a playful, upbeat tune that plays on the double-meaning of the phrase "out for no good." The lyrics center around the singer's uncertainty about his partner's intentions and desires, posing questions like "Baby what are you out for" and "Is my baby out for no good?" The refrain of "Is my baby out for no good" is perhaps the most telling line of the song, as it suggests a suspicion or mistrust of the singer's partner.


The lyrics also touch on themes of temptation and desire, with references to moonlit nights, parking cars in the dark, and the allure of hot rhythm. The singer ponders why people stay out late, and questions whether his partner is "out for no good" in a playful but slightly confrontational way. Overall, the song is a fun and flirtatious take on the classic lovers' quandary, with a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor thrown in for good measure.


Line by Line Meaning

Baby what are you out for
I want to know what my partner is planning to do or achieve.


Baby what am I in for
What kind of situation or experience am I going to have with my partner?


Is my baby out for no good
Am I worried that my partner is up to something bad or dishonest?


Is my baby got rhythm
Does my partner have a talent or knack for music (especially jazz)?


Tell me is it hot rhythm
Is my partner's musical ability really impressive or captivating to listen to?


Is my baby out for no good
Again, am I concerned that my partner might have bad intentions or do something wrong?


Mister Moon why does he wink at every star
Why is it that even when things are going wrong, people are still drawn to the beauty and mystery of the night sky?


In the park in the dark
Even in less-than-ideal situations (like being in a dark park), people will still do things like park a car or go on a date.


Why do we park a car
What's the point of doing something like parking a car, especially if it's late and dark outside?


What's an eight o'clock date for
When we plan a date for 8pm, what do we hope to get out of it or accomplish?


What do we stay out late for
In general, why do we feel the need to stay up later than we probably should? What do we hope will happen?


Is my baby out for no good
Again, the singer is asking if they should be worried about their partner's motivations or intentions.


Cause I could do you good
If, in fact, the singer's partner is up to something bad, they think they could be a better fit for them and could offer a better relationship experience.


If my baby is out for no good
The singer is repeating the same question they've been asking throughout the song - are they worried about their partner?


No good
The phrase is repeated several times at the end, emphasizing the singer's concern and doubt about their partner's intentions.




Contributed by Evelyn O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

youngwa

Baby what are you out for
Baby what am I in for
Is my baby out for no good

Is my baby got rhythm
Tell me is it hot rhythm
Is my baby out for no good

Mister Moon why does he wink at every star
In the park in the dark
Why do we park a car
What's an eight o'clock date for
What do we stay out late for

Is my baby out for no good
Cause I could do you good
If my baby is out for no good

Is my baby out for no good
Cos I could do you good
If my baby is out for
No good
No good
No good
No good



All comments from YouTube:

SatchmoSings

Recorded with ONE microphone on ONE track in ONE take; no limiters, no auto-tune; just five people making REAL music!!!!

The Dogg

1

Huko Llla

4.

Dr. Hamza

Same as today if u want to

Malo tonga

Cool thing is the singer in the middle his name is I think dick Powell he's their manger who signed them to a record deal thanks too his good friend Duke Ellington duke found the mills brothers while playing in a club n heard their act especially Harry's mouth trumpet, if you want to know the instruments their impersonating its, Herbert on left plays trumpet 1 low notes, Donald next to him plays trombone, Harry big guy plays trumpet 2 muted notes n their eldest brother who passed away early John Jr played tuba which was taken over by their father John sr later on, n if you notice the position they stood in they stood in the same positions till they was old because Harry said that's how they stayed in Harmony.

Maria Perez

They were great. You don't experience this kind of talent now days.

Julien Neel

What a masterpiece. I wish people nowadays encouraged this sort of music more, with excellent singing, solid work on harmonization, true refinement and elegance in delivery...

Michael alexander

A Cappella Trudbol julienne your real good on your acapella videos. Enjoy watching them

Cynthia Pickett

Don't worry--people worldwide are still forming vocal groups.

Kevin Lowry

People nowadays could care less about good music-they don’t even know what it is.
Thank the Lord for the Mills Bro’s.

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