In the Cool Cool Cool of the Evening
The Rat Pack Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sue wants a barbecue
Sam wants to boil ham
Grace votes for bouillabaisse stew
Jake wants a wienie bake, steak and a layer cake
He'll get a tummy ache too

We'll rent a tent or tepee
Let the town crier cry
And if it's RSVP
This is what I'll reply

In the cool cool cool of the evening
Tell 'em I'll be there
In the cool cool cool of the evening
You better save a chair
When the party's getting a glow on
Singing fills the air
In the shank of the night when the doings are right
You can tell 'em I'll be there

We, said the bumblebee, let's have a jubilee
When said the prairie hen, soon
Sure said the dinosaur
Where said the grizzly bear
Under the light of the moon
How 'bout your brother jackass
Everyone gave a cry
You coming to the fracas
Over his expected sighs

In the cool cool cool of the evening
Tell 'em I'll be there
In the cool cool cool of the evening
Slickum on my hair
When the party's getting a glow on
Singing fills the air
If I ain't in the clink
And there's something to drink
You can tell 'em I'll be there
If I can find the right sock by eleven o'clock
You can tell 'em I'll be there
If you need a new face or a tenor off base
You can tell 'em I'll be there




If I can climb out of bed, put a hat on my head
You can tell 'em I'll be there

Overall Meaning

The Rat Pack's "In the Cool Cool Cool of the Evening" is a song that captures the excitement and anticipation of a lively party. The lyrics depict a group of friends planning the ultimate soirée, each person suggesting their favorite food and drink, debating what type of shelter to rent, and even discussing potential party guests. The song's infectious melody and upbeat tempo match the upbeat lyrics, making it a classic feel-good tune.


The first verse highlights the individuals' preferences for food as Sue wants a barbecue, Sam wants to boil ham, Grace wants bouillabaisse stew, and Jake desires a wienie bake, steak, and a layer cake. The lyrics in the second verse reveal the group's plan to rent a tent or tepee for their party, and if they send RSVPs, they will be reminded by the lyrics that "Tell 'em I'll be there."


In the third verse, the lyrics take on a more whimsical tone, as the group imagines a jubilee suggested by the bumblebee, the prairie hen suggesting it's soon, the dinosaur agreeing, and the grizzly bear stating under the light of the moon. Furthermore, the song's lyrics emphasize the importance of fun and singing, as they say "singing fills the air" when the party is in full swing.


Line by Line Meaning

Sue wants a barbecue
Sue desires to have a barbecue for this occasion.


Sam wants to boil ham
Sam wishes to have ham that is boiled for the meal.


Grace votes for bouillabaisse stew
Grace suggests that the stew served should be bouillabaisse.


Jake wants a wienie bake, steak and a layer cake
Jake has an appetite for hot dogs, steak, and cake.


He'll get a tummy ache too
Eating too much of these foods might result in Jake getting a stomach ache.


We'll rent a tent or tepee
The group plans to rent a tent or tepee for this gathering.


Let the town crier cry
They will let the town crier announce the event to everyone.


And if it's RSVP
If the invitation requires an RSVP, they will reply with their attendance status.


This is what I'll reply
They are indicating that they have already decided what their response will be.


In the cool cool cool of the evening
The event will take place during a pleasant evening.


Tell 'em I'll be there
They will be attending the event.


You better save a chair
They request that a chair be reserved for their arrival.


When the party's getting a glow on
As the party becomes more lively and festive,


Singing fills the air
The atmosphere will be filled with singing and music.


In the shank of the night when the doings are right
Late at night when everyone is having a good time,


You can tell 'em I'll be there
They will still be in attendance at that time.


We, said the bumblebee, let's have a jubilee
The bumblebee suggested that they have a celebration.


When said the prairie hen, soon
The prairie hen agreed that they should do it soon.


Sure said the dinosaur
The dinosaur happily said yes to the idea.


Where said the grizzly bear
The grizzly bear inquired as to where the celebration would be held.


Under the light of the moon
They will celebrate outside, illuminated by the moon's light.


How 'bout your brother jackass
The group is asking each other if they will also attend.


Everyone gave a cry
The others reacted with excitement.


You coming to the fracas
They are inquiring about attendance once more.


Over his expected sighs
Even though some may sigh, they are still hoping everyone will come.


Slickum on my hair
The singer will have made themselves presentable for the occasion.


If the party's getting a glow on
If the party is still lively,


And singing fills the air
As long as there is still music and singing,


If I can climb out of bed, put a hat on my head
The artist makes it clear that they will attend if they are able to get out of bed and prepare themselves for the event.


You can tell 'em I'll be there
They affirm their attendance at the event.


If you need a new face or a tenor off base
The singer could be suggesting that they might be able to provide a replacement for someone who is absent or who isn't singing well.


If I can find the right sock by eleven o'clock
The artist is jokingly suggesting that they might not make it if they cannot find matching socks by a certain time.


If I ain't in the clink and there's something to drink
The artist will be in attendance, as long as they aren't in jail and drinks are served at the event.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

SunHomeInfo

went 44 years without hearing this song. just listened for the 4th time in 12 hours. amazing tune sang by the coolest guy ever

Bilal A

Thats a long time 44 years without listening to it

Jonathan Blair

Me n my mom listened this, thanks to her. I still like it even though she passed on. He's cool too

dgermano11

GREAT Dino-jam! No one does it better!!!

Sofía Gala Campusano

Beautiful, I love this songs!!!
Thank you !!!

Alejandro bermúdez

Me too, and this great singer with his unique voice and style.

bdh70

Love this version! They sang it on Lawrence Welk once but this version is much better

Craig Dixon

I remember hearing this album for the first time but not recognising Dean's face on the album cover so put the record in a Dean Album i did know his face in lol

pdndpm

Dean—o FTW!!

Bobby Kotick making love to a pumpkin

Best version.

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