Before his international acclaim as a pop vocalist, Nathaniel Adams Coles b… Read Full Bio ↴Before his international acclaim as a pop vocalist, Nathaniel Adams Coles built an indelible reputation as a jazz pianist in the groundbreaking combo, The King Cole Trio. Born into a musical family, young Nat Coles (later changed to Cole) recorded with his older brother, Edward, in 1936 for the Decca label. The four sides cut by Eddie Cole's Solid Swingers gave the general public its first glimpse of Nat's gentle yet lively piano riffs. After touring with a revival show of Eubie Blake's revue Shuffle Along, Cole settled in Los Angeles, playing various nightclubs as a soloist. In 1937, club owner Bob Lewis suggested that Cole assemble a small band to work at his Swanee Inn on North La Brea. The group's unorthodox instrumentation and size - they had no drummer and, at the time, big bands were the rage - featured Wesley Prince on bass and the innovative phrasings of electric guitarist Oscar Moore. The Trio's blend of jump blues and jazzy instrumentals with bouncy vocal stylings was a collective effort, while Cole occasionally took the lead on standard ballads. After an uneventful 1939 session for the Davis & Schwegler recording company in Hollywood, The Trio accompanied Lionel Hampton on two recording dates the following summer. Their association with Hampton helped, and that winter The Trio signed with Decca. Their 1940-41 sessions for the label yielded sixteen songs and captured the attention of fellow musicians, fans and a handful of critics. Later that fall, The Trio sounded right at home with drummer Lee Young on a four-song session for the Ammor label. In 1942, Cole recorded with Red Callender and saxophonist Lester Young for the Philo/Aladdin label, Oscar Moore with Cole at the piano. Image courtesy of the Dave Dexter, Jr. Collection.producing a handful of recordings that became benchmarks in their individual careers. Signing with Capitol Records in 1943, The Trio consisted of Cole, Moore, and Johnny Miller, who had settled in as the permanent bassist. Moore left the fold in 1947 and Irving Ashby replaced him. Capitol Records featured The Trio less and less after that, while Cole was singled out as a vocalist often backed by lush string orchestras. By the 1950's, Cole's reputation as a singer had reached a wide pop audience and, upon his death in 1965, his place in music history was forever cemented. His fellow jazz peers, however, never forgot his equally unique touch on the piano and the influence his early trio work had on later performers such as Oscar Peterson, Red Garland, and Tommy Flanagan.

Hit That Jive Jack
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hit that jive Jack
Put it in your pocket till I get back
Going downtown to see a man
And I ain't got time to shake your hand

Hit that jive Jack
Put it in your pocket till I get back
Time and time waits for no man

And I ain't got time to shake your hand

Standing on a corner
All full of jive
But you know that you're my boy
And I'll always give you five

Hit that jive Jack
Put it in your pocket till I get back
Going downtown to see a man
And I ain't got time to shake your hand

Hit that jive Jack
Put it in your pocket till I get back
Going downtown to see a man
And I ain't got time to shake your hand

Hit that jive Jack
Put it in your pocket till I get back
Time and time waits for no man
And I ain't got time to shake your hand

Standing on a corner
All full of jive
But you know that you're my boy
And I'm forced to give you five

Hit that jive Jack
Put it in your pocket till I get back
Going downtown to see a man
And I ain't got time to shake your hand

Hit that jive Jack
Put it in your pocket
Hit that jive Jack
Put it in your pocket
Hit that jive Jack
Put it in your pocket
Hit that jive Jack
Put it in your pocket

Hit that jive Jack
Put it in your pocket till I get back
Going downtown to see a man
And I ain't got time

I ain't got time
I ain't got time to shake your hands
Won't you put it in your pocket till I get back

Hit that jive Jack

Overall Meaning

The Nat King Cole Trio's song "Hit That Jive Jack" is an upbeat and lively tune about not having time to waste. The singer, presumably named Jack, instructs his friend to "hit that jive," or get into the groove of things, and put it in his pocket until he gets back. He then explains that he is going downtown to see a man and doesn't have time to waste on small talk or idle conversation.

The lyrics are filled with 1940s slang, making it a fun and interesting song to interpret. "Full of jive" refers to someone who is full of themselves or trying to act cool, while "give you five" is slang for giving someone a high five. The repeated refrain of "put it in your pocket till I get back" emphasizes the importance of not wasting time and staying focused on one's goals.

Overall, "Hit That Jive Jack" is a lively and entertaining song about taking charge of one's life and not letting distractions get in the way. It encourages the listener to get into the groove and stay focused on their goals, no matter what obstacles may come their way.

Line by Line Meaning

Hit that jive Jack
Get your groove on, Jack

Put it in your pocket till I get back
Hold that energy and vibe until I return

Going downtown to see a man
Heading out on important business

And I ain't got time to shake your hand
Sorry, no time for pleasantries

Time and time waits for no man
Life marches on, with or without us

Standing on a corner
Hanging out, soaking in the scene

All full of jive
Feeling good, living it up

But you know that you're my boy
We've got each other's backs, bud

And I'll always give you five
We'll always have a good gesture of greeting

Hit that jive Jack
Keep that energy up, buddy

Put it in your pocket
Don't let that vibe go

I ain't got time
I'm on a tight schedule

Won't you put it in your pocket till I get back
Hold onto that good feeling until I return

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Johnny Alston, Campbell Skeets Tolbert

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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