Handful Of Keys
Thomas 'Fats' Waller Lyrics

We have lyrics for 'Handful Of Keys' by these artists:

Benny Goodman and His Orchestra I like to tinkle on an old piana I like to…
Benny Goodman Trio featuring Teddy Wilson I like to tinkle on an old piana I like to…
Fats Waller I like to tinkle on an old piana I like to…
Fats Waller And His Buddies I like to tinkle on an old piana I like to…
Fats Waller And His Continental Rhythm I like to tinkle on an old piana I like to…
Fats Waller and His Orchestra I like to tinkle on an old piana I like to…
Fats Waller and His Rhythm I like to tinkle on an old piana I like to…
Jens Lindemann I like to tinkle on an old piana I like to…

We have lyrics for these tracks by Thomas 'Fats' Waller:

Ain't Misbehavin' No one to talk with All by myself No one to walk…

The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos

TRACKS

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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Andrew Barrett

Check out Tom Roberts, Bernd Lhotzky, Jim Turner, Louis Mazetier, David Boeddinghaus, Mike Lipskin, Brad Kay, Benjamin Intartaglia and (of course) Dick Hyman.
Stephanie Trick has been working hard over the years and made a huge amount of improvement.
All of these folks can kick my butt around the block although they themselves would all defer to the original greats of course.

Mike Lipskin was a student of Willie "The Lion" Smith but paradoxically has recorded in a perfect Fats Waller style.
Tom Roberts has perfectly transcribed, performed and recorded Luckey Roberts' and certain Willie "The Lion" Smith solos and is master at those styles and others.
Brad Kay's strong suit is probably vocal accompaniment and also "modern" 1920s jazz piano like Rube Bloom and early Duke Ellington with a lot of the correct chord voicings and inversions.
David Boeddinghaus has studied Frank Signorelli's style for many years but can also play in other styles and is quite authentic.
For that matter, Robbie Rhodes is also quite authentic although he doesn't usually seem to try to be a "stride" pianist (rather, his style is influenced by several other of his heroes like, most obviously, Wally Rose and Pete Wendling).
Louis Mazetier has great range but I've been most impressed by his re-creations of Donald Lambert's arrangements.
Nathan Bello has made note-for-note transcriptions of James Blythe's and Clarence Johnson's piano rolls and many of their audio recordings, and also performs them perfectly.
Benjamin Intartaglia has transcribed nearly all of Fats Waller's piano rolls and also many of his solo ORGAN recordings, and can perform them.
Jim Turner's recording of Caprice Rag is the only one that (IMO) can stand equally with JPJ's own recording and rolls of this piece.

I am not aware of any single pianist who has come close to sounding like James P. Johnson, although I try my best
(we all try our best).

Andrew Barrett

Several people have transcribed Fats Waller's piano solos.
Paul Posnak has done a printed folio called "Fats Waller: The Great Solos 1929-1937" which includes 16 pieces written out (he has also recorded a CD for Naxos of him playing these transcriptions), of which both the folio and CD are available in various places online (although I recommend Mr. Waller's original recordings far above Mr. Posnak's interpretations of them).

Paul Marcorelles has transcribed THREE folios of Fats Waller piano solos,
volumes 1 (17 pieces); 2 (17 pieces) and 3 (18 pieces) available here:
https://blueblackjazz.com/en/artist/1/fats-waller
In addition, several Waller transcriptions are available in various Riccardo Scivales folios, available here:
https://www.riccardoscivales.com/shop/

Finally, Benjamin Intartaglia has transcribed nearly all of Fats Waller's piano rolls, except for the recently-rediscovered "West Indies Blues" which only turned up a few years ago. I don't know how currently to get Benjamin's transcriptions, as his website has been down for several months now.

All comments from YouTube:

Gustavo Weckesser

10y↑63

Gentlemen, we are listening to THE MASTER!!!
God bless you Fats for bringing to us a century of happines!!!

Piotr Barcz

35w

This recording is fantastic! I love that really tight tone of these old shellac recordings!

MichaelJHuman

12y↑2

Wow, this is great. I love how he uses almost the full range of the piano.

Dave Hunter

10y↑34

In my opinion, no one comes close to Fats Waller. His sense of timing, rhythm and humor make him one of the all-time greats. What incredible musicianship. His music is some of my most favorite in the world.

Kenneth Baskin

9y↑9

Art Tatum

Dave Hunter

Art Tatum was amazing, as well, Noodle-Neck. His speed and precision are out of this world. More people should know and appreciate his work. Thank you for sharing.

oncexist

for me jelly roll morton is the best, but there's indeed some strange voodoo around waller.

Dave Hunter

9y↑4

I agree, oncexist. Jellyroll was an amazing entity unto himself. The likes of him, Willie "The Lion" Smith and Fats will never be seen again. Thank you for your honest comments.

gingervytis

9y↑6

Dave Hunter Yes, but Tatum once said, "Fats, man. It all comes from Fats."

1 More Replies...

saskgeese

11y

Never fails to raise a smile! A great showman and awesome musician!

Dan Fiebiger

12y↑1

From the keyboard genius of Fats, Tatum, Joplin, and others evolved boogie woogie, big band swing, rhythm and blues, rock in so many of its forms, and an influence on all that has come after. Blow the roof off the joint and show 'em ALL how it was REALLY done, Fats ! (Where's Ken Burns and his documentary crew when you NEED them?) Absolutely LOVE it !

Edmund StAustell

12y↑2

Merci, Françoise. Je suis vraiment content que ça vous a plu. Fats était un merveilleux pianiste, un des meilleurs!

Coreena Boyer

12y↑38

it really bothers me that people dont know who fats waller is anymore. I love this music so much and being only 19 years old, i wish my generation appreciated the older music more.

Wizard of Frobozz

Are you familiar with he David Lynch film Eraserhead?
The film is way dark and, if you're into it, works well with a good buzz.
Fats Waller's music is the soundtrack.

Ya Boi Avery

1y↑1

@@ms-jb5hf Bro is 28 now that's crazy

Griffin Bennett

Im 22 right now and I absolutely love this kind of music. Just bought a 1926 brunswick phonograph and this song in particular. Absolutely amazing.

1 More Replies...

K.M. Hansen

11y

Thank you for uploading this! I adore Fats Waller. He was amazing.

Ellex424

12y

Wonderful, beautiful music from a brilliant composer and performer. It's long past time Ain't Misbehavin' was revived on Broadway. Thanks for sharing these wonderful clips!

Mark Arnold

11y↑2

How could anyone not listen to Fats Waller and not smile......A true Artist

Christopher Simmons

8y↑8

The late great Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller was born on this day in 1904 in NYC. He was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, singer, and comedic entertainer, whose innovations to the Harlem stride style laid the groundwork for modern jazz piano.

Angeline Bena

this song is just sooo amazing I wish I can play it

RWBHere

Thanks for reposting this definitive performance. Nobody has bettered it, and many try to play it far too fast. Waller never hurried it.

Martin Oei

13y

fantastic piano player and a great singer.

Guxy Guy

utter utter genius!!!!!!!! fats you was just a force of nature man!!!!

support live&local music

Also worth checking out Jordan Klapman. Jordan has researched the era, and is a musical educator as well as a highly skilled performer. Fills in his performance with history of this genre of music as he entertains. Stride was an uplifting style of music.

LevelUpKev

8y↑9

That Solo Launch in the beginning was definitely inspired by impressionist Piano, no doubt. You can hear the Debussy in it.

Edmund StAustell

11y

Oh yes. I know Stephanie, and have known her and her father (who, sadly, just died) for years. I used to post her videos when she was just starting out. I think she's just absolutely wonderful. One of the best stride pianists EVER! I love this kid.

Pepper Williams

7y↑1

It's amazing how easy he plays this complex stride/rag!!! Pure genius like Art Tatum. Who would be stupid enough to follow after this man on the bandstand?

Rodney Hayes

13y

Pensacola, Florida is blessed with many fine piano musicians. Probably one of the best for playing all genres is Mr. Al Martin who, for years, provided lovely music at a local motel just off I-10, another unknown treasure. Al has since retired but he often gets request to return for "special" requests.

Dufasaur joe

7y↑1

People might be interested in Beethoven's last piano Sonata op 111 2nd movement for it's interesting groove. Pretty amazing since he was born in 1770 and died at 57. Sort of a stodgy german ragtime. This type of stride piano sounds to me closer to ragtime but on the way to jazz. Thomas Waller was another great.

Edmund StAustell

11y

He was wonderful; no doubt about it!

Santosificationable

12y↑6

This is amazing. Apart from Tatum, Waller had probably the finest technique of all stride pianists. "Fingerbuster" by Willie the Lion was a bit faster, but at least it didn't require tenths on the left. James P. Johnson's "Shouts" weren't as hard, Jelly Roll Morton's "Finger breaker" was extremely intimidating, and is indeed very fast in the end, but isn't quite as technically complex as this one.

Moldy Oldie

According to Rex Stewart's book "Jazz Masters of the 30s" Jelly Roll showed up at a NYC jazz club probably in the 20s, played impressively, and called all his competitors turkeys. It was James P. Johnson who showed up and "wiped up the floor with Jelly." James P. was Fats' teacher. Too bad James P. didn't make more electrical recordings.

Andrew Barrett

As someone who plays this piece, several other Waller and JPJ works (and a couple by Willie the Lion... although not well),
I can attest that JPJ has possibly the most complicated "feel" of the recorded 'stride pianists' although of course this is debatable. It is NOT easy to swing like Fats Waller or Willie the Lion Smith etc but what James P Johnson did was extremely sophisticated at another level up rhythmically from what these other gentlemen did. It's only once you hear every single one of his recordings and piano rolls (including all the vocal accompaniments he recorded, jazz band sides etc) that you realize both how funky the man was, and also how colossal his piano technique was, and how clean and perfect in his prime (pre 1940).

Ruud Bergamin

Not only his pyrotechnic piano playing is important, also many compositions he wrote, besides The Handful of Keys: Honeysuckle Rose, Black and Blue, Ain't Misbehavin', etc. etc.

BLACKHOTEP31

10y

when I was in my high school choir we sung this song loved it

davis1985

12y

This song is awesome. Found it thanks to the excellent Jazz documentary by Ken Burns.

Françoise Crameri

12y

A qui le dites vous mon ami !!! Autrefois, en 33t vinyle, je possédais la collection complète de Fats Waller, dans une splendide édition de plus, et, à l'avènement du CD , l'ai donnée ... Quelle bêtise faisons nous parfois dans la vie ... Mille amitiés nostalgiques ... :-)

Martin Ricketts

I really wish there was a video of him playing this.

rufus0333

11y

Simply amazing!

Chomnan Saedan

36w

My tiny hands cry every time they wish to play his music.

Edmund StAustell

12y

Thank you! Yes, Fats was quite a man at the keyboard!

Edmund StAustell

12y

A pleasure, my friend! He was wonderful!

Peter Hendriksma

13y

He was and is my all time favourite pianist. The were others, like Art, who were more virtuoso, but Fats had the most inventive left hand of all. Now he's playing pure oompa, then he's playing tenths, the next moment he's crossing over the right hand playing the melody. Just listen at him, when one of his band members solos. Even there it is full of little surprises. That man simply oozed music.

Alexandra Alexandra

Art Tatum was probably the only pianist who could be considered as "more virtuoso" then Fats...Gods of the Keys!

AAErikCO

11y↑1

You're comment sparked a question of mine. I wonder why there aren't more mainstream movies about the 1920's-30's? Such a great time period with awesome music. I think they could make a GREAT biography movie about Fats and his escapades.

joseph ippolito

Never heard Art Tatum do this one, don't think anyone can play this like Fats man...

Jim Nichols

11y

No one tickled the ivories like Fats! Thanks for the upload.

Agustín Pileggi

12y

es un genio!!

Edmund StAustell

12y

@MichaelJHuman Yes, he was an absolutely superb pianist, and a great and charming man, to boot!

Abodeo Bogde

8y↑3

EPIC! There is only one true "Harlem Strider" left - Dick Hyman. Also check out "Carolina Shout" from James P Johnson, played by Fats.

Andrew Barrett

Mike Lipskin, a student of Willie "The Lion" Smith, is still around.
So is Terry Waldo, who was a student of Eubie Blake.

Riccardo Scivales

12y

Great piece!

Lucas Leroy

12y

Magnifique. Nostalgie venue de France.

Françoise Crameri

12y

Génial !!! Pardon Edmund, de ne pas l'avoir vue plus tôt ... Mille amitiés, Françoise

MANFROMMARS46

What other jazz pianist has this array of dazzling talents. In addition he was a brilliant entertainer.

Henry Lees

Sharpie491
it is greatly documented that every pianist around the time Tatum was prominent all knew and accepted that Tatum was untouchable, and rightly so: he was a phenom, a one in a million.

gingervytis

Henry Bojangles Right, and as I mentioned elsewhere, Tatum once said "Fats, man. It all comes from Fats."

Edmund StAustell

12y↑1

Thank you for the comment. Youtube may actually go a long ways toward narrowing the gap. It's all there for people to hear. Before Youtube, it meant a trip to the record store, and the choices would have been greatly limited. Back in my day (I'm 73) there was extremely limited choice of music, usually only what you could hear on the radio, and later, TV. Now it's all out there to browse through and listen to. All kinds!

bob733333

Thank the Creator for wonderful people.

support live&local music

For outstanding technical skill and highspeed stride piano playing, check out a contemporary Canadian Artist named Michael Kaeshammer. Great entertainer that could tackle Handful of Keys since he does an exemplary version of Tico Tico. Admire them all!

Hermine Stover

10y↑21

It takes a foot full of feets to dance to A HANDFUL OF KEYS! <breathin' real hard!>

hockeyrd99

8y↑1

There are a lot of folks playing stride now.. not sure why folks keep saying nobody plays like this any more. What does someone need to do to be considered a "true Harlem Strider", as commented below?

Back when it was in style, everyone played that way. Anyone ever see the video of Count Basie (of all people) playing Viper's Drag? I thought it was pretty good! Saw it on TV, can't find it on YouTube.

Bertil Ivarsson

The radio`s armful little harmful is fantastic!

Mike Thomson

13y

@cloplya11 In an interview broadcast a while ago George Shearing reported that Fats Waller's hands were enormous. When they shook hands, Shearing found that Fats' hand just seemed to go on and on. It's frustrating for the rest of us that we can't play unison tenths rapidly like Fats could, and we have to break them when the going gets tough. You can develop a technique of catching the tenth on the edges of the keys and that works to a degree.

ddgitz

10y↑1

Thanks for posting! Lots to learn here :-)

Scott Dye

9y↑3

This was the end song in my dad's Celebration of Life,and so appropriate!!

roger callard

12y↑1

Actually, George Shearing (who was blind) said that shaking hands with Fats was like grabbing a bunch of bananas at the grocer's.

Tom Wagner

3y↑2

When Fats played, it sounded like two people playing pianos.

Joseph Ippolito

9y↑9

How the fuck can no-one play like this anymore? I never even heard Tatum play this one. Aint saying that he couldn't, but it would've been nice. Waller was simply the best at this. No one can outdo the master at his own until he becomes a master himself and then realises he's found his own way and all the rest follow. Me, I'm going nowhere, that's Zen for you I've heard...

StanleyKewbeb1

9y↑2

Joseph Ippolito There's a kinescope of Duke Ellington's band on French TV in the early sixties, pretty much the entire concert. He does a solo, and throws in a few bars of stride piano just like this-- so, he could play it. It just wasn't the kind of jazz he was known for.

Juniper Wood Green

+Jacob Zimmermann Thank you, I do believe that we are all one of a kind. But where is that Hyman version you told me about I never got it? ...

Juniper Wood Green

+Jacob Zimmermann Well now that I have listened to Dick I have to say that its not the best ever recorded. Sorry sir...

FattyRollsAgainOSU

8y↑3

+Joseph Ippolito Art Tatum had chops for sure, but compared to Waller, his playing was quite dull. It was a flashy display of virtuosity, and while interesting to listen to, can't match Waller. Because hey, it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing.

Jacob Zimmermann

8y↑3

That is very true. And the incredible fact is that through thr decades there have been two or three pianists who could match Tatum's virtuosity, but no one could ever swing like Waller. Maybe Errol Garner...

11 More Replies...

Victoria Woodworth

13y

This has got the joy!

debackerfrederik

10y

cloplya11 Do you have that transcript on your computer? I'd love to learn how to play this song!

Charles L'Écuyer

7y↑1

Not anly the best piano player, a great man. Thanks

Agamaz

art tatum :)

Yann Oliver

10y↑1

a genius !

sernipan

13y

The best left hand in Jazz.

Christopher Simmons

The late great pianist Fats Waller was born on this day, May 21st, 1904.

michel bignault

11y

Extraordinaire FATS !!!!!!!!

jased30

13y

Thanks for the re-post. I had the other video in my favorites and was quite distressed when I found it removed. Thank you again :)

cloplya11

13y

i have a transcription of this recording.. but my left hand hurts too much in trying to learn it (from all the 10ths). any tips?

GUSTAVO GAMER BKR

12y

Edmund,thanks to post this gold song.

Peter Hendriksma

13y

That man is so full ideas. His right hand is going on , sustaining the melody, but his left is constantly changing. He did play a lot of organ in his younger days, so that may have helped, but compared to James P and the rest, I still find him far superior. He must have played this number millions of times, but still is able to make it sound as if it is brand new.

Andrew Barrett

It's funny you should say this, since the various jazz history books relate (I believe from interviews with Eddie Condon, who was in the studio this session since in addition to the solos, Mr. Waller also led the band "Fats Waller and His Buddies" for tunes like "The Minor Drag" and "Harlem Fuss") that Fats got in the studio not knowing beforehand what he was going to record. He took a half hour (yes, about 30 minutes) to put a tune together and it ended up being THIS one, "Handful of Keys". After practicing it a few times, the Victor engineers started recording and he laid down I think only one or two takes of this masterpiece, its first ever recording, right after being composed! Eddie Condon and several other members of the band were in the studio to bear witness to this event.

Andrew Barrett

I believe the flip side of the record, "Numb Fumblin' " (basically a 12-bar blues) and the two tunes the band plays "Minor Fuss" and "Harlem Drag" (the original titles, which were inadvertently switched / mixed up by the record company in labeling the tunes), were ALL made up in the studio that day; actually, Eddie Condon relates that Fats made up / sketched out both "Minor Fuss" AND "Harlem Drag" in the taxicab on the way to the recording session, and sang the various parts to the various musicians, so they knew how the basic tune went. The rest was all improvisation! ! !

Agamaz

that left hand is so scary lol...... fats was so good on the piano it is insane........

ArcaneInquisitor

I wonder how much it would be to get this on an Edison Wax cylinder if possible? I happen to have access to and old Edison phonograph player.

Knucklehead

Been a fan my entire life

Edmund StAustell

13y↑1

@cloplya11 Don't play all the notes!...just what you can comfortably manage with your left hand:-) A trick known by every coach and accompaniest I ever knew!

TerikKing

9y↑1

Are there any young, contemporary stride players out there worth checking out? Say, for instance, a person wanted to cast a film and have three people play Fats, WIllie the Lion Smith and James P. Johnson. Who would be good?

So Hess

+TerikKing Stephanie Trick is the best contemporary stride pianist, you can search her here on youtube, she writes her own and covers classics (like this one)

Andrew Barrett

NJ Harris

fats a one off the master the king of swing before swing became popular in ww2 what a groove makes you want to dance oohh yeah

Parthasarathy Mozumder

Can someone please tell me where I can find the notation for Fats Waller's piano solos. So far the only one I could find was Alligator crawl. Thanks in advance!!

gingervytis

I transcribed "Smashing Thirds". Never could play it cleanly.

key1959

Parthasarathy Mozumder Got to Bluee black Jazz in France, the best transcriptions ever made!

Da Lab

Parthasarathy Mozumder I googled the company mentioned by key 1959, and an English company came up also, 8 pounds 50, about $13 per song plus shipping:
http://blueblackjazz.com/en/

Andrew Barrett

Edmund StAustell

12y

@DeanHiriiende Fats is about as good as it gets!

Edmund StAustell

13y↑1

@sernipan We might want to discuss Art Tatum:) But yes, your enthusiasm is well placed..certainly one of the very, very few, no problem there! Thanks for comment.

MetalMonster

9y↑4

Is it just me, or does the tempo change constantly throughout the song?

StanleyKewbeb1

9y↑2

MetalMonster Not sure what you mean by "tempo". The rhythm keeps up the same pace for the entire song.

johnny.w

9y↑3

+MetalMonster You. There may, in some pieces, be the slightest rubato in transitions up to prevent entropy. But not in this. The performance is astounding.

Boogie Meister

7y↑1

+StanleyKeweb1 The tempo is what you call the speed of the music.

motard811

7y↑1

Tempo aka BPM don't change at all during this masterwork

Dave Hunter

It's just you.

1 More Replies...

Edmund StAustell

11y

Yes, he's really something!

Paolo Pecos

10y

eccezionale !

DeanHiriiende

12y

this musik is drivin me up the wall! litterally! but im too tired to dance DX

Bon dye Beniw

Just sit back and tap your toe !

Edmund StAustell

11y

I absolutely agree!

Adam Rakowski

13y

@cloplya11 i suggest playing the first note for example i belive it is F in this version and so on and so fourth. Stretching your hand before playing always helps also

Bob Powers

10y↑10

Astounding left hand, wow.

Edmund StAustell

12y

@subg88 Thank you. We could probably flip a coin. They're all great:-)

Edmund StAustell

12y

@alcenirbarbosa My pleasure, my friend. He was wonderful!

Altareggo

10y

wow! Just.. wow.

lykeio schoolprojects

Virtuosity of the highest order!

Roman Blanks

9y↑4

How the actual f*** is it possible to play that well?

Agamaz

I think it is impossible. Only Fats Waller could play it that well.

gingervytis

9y↑2

Practice, lots of practice. Thomas Waller never wanted to learn his scales, didn't want to practice, but one of his mentors (I think it was James P. Johnson) told him he had to... so he did.

Agamaz

haha

Chris Baer

8y↑1

+Roman Blanks I feel the same way. I also feel that way about Glenn Gould. As a pianist - I just cannot fathom how it is possible to play so impeccably. Brilliant stuff!

FattyRollsAgainOSU

8y↑2

+gingervytis You don't just get this through practice. The chops, sure. But that swing feel, that foot-tapping rhythm that Waller can generate, was one of a kind, and there will never be another Waller.

Agamaz

46w

I could never play this xd

Edmund StAustell

12y

@alcenirbarbosa It is a pleasure. Thank you very much for your comment!

GUSTAVO GAMER BKR

12y

My friend Edmund,I have forty one years old and love songs 30`at sixty .You video post is wonderfull,thanks.

Edouard Prisse

9y↑7

No one comes close to Fats Waller!

Agamaz

chopin, tatum aha

Woody Peters

11y

Ohhhh My; Words don't cut it!!

Mick Kennedy

Kids playing on the street
-Fats 'playing' on the piano.

Eric Seal

Fast! Happy! Fun!

norcal53o

12y

is it just me or the intro sounds something out of mario 3 for the nes

deepkeel65

11y

Check out Stephanie Trick. She's young and VERY good at stride piano!

1789mits

11y

fuck yeah! beautifull

Edmund StAustell

12y

@DanFiebiger Thank you! Great comment, much appreciated!

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