Paris was born on the 11th January 1900. His brother, Sidney de Paris, was also a musician. The two brothers started a band in the late 1940s called New New Orleans Jazz. It featured Omer Simeon, the famed clarinettist with Jelly Roll Morton. Other legendary jazzmen who served in the band from time to time were drummers Zutty Singleton and Freddie Moore. The banjo chair was filled first by Eddie Gibbs and later by Lee Blair. Don Kirkpatrick was the piano player who played with them most often. This band became an institution in New York City during the 1950s, toured the world in the late 1950s, and recorded extensively.
Paris died on the 3rd January 1973.
Hot Lips
Wilbur De Paris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And how he blows that horn
Finest since you're born
When he starts you're gone
They all call him "Hot Lips" for
He blows real red-hot notes
And ev'rybody on the floor just floats
(That's what they say)
He's got hot lips when he plays Jazz
He draws out steps like no one has
You're on your toes and shake your shoes
Boy, how he goes when he plays Blues
I watch the crowd until he's through
He can be proud they're "cuckoo," too
His music's rare you must declare
The boy is there with two hot lips
He's got hot lips when he plays Jazz
He draws out steps, like no one has
You're on your toes, and shake your shoes
Boy, how he goes when he plays Blues
I watch the crowd until he's through
He can be proud they're "cuckoo," too
His music's rare you must declare
The boy is there with two hot lips
Heard him play the other night
And old man Oscar Clive who is eighty five
Sure as you're alive
Got so frisky when he started out to do his stuff
Was told to sit right down for being rough
(And then he said)
He's got hot lips when he plays Jazz
He draws out steps, like no one has
You're on your toes, and shake your shoes
Boy, how he goes when he plays Blues
I watch the crowd until he's through
He can be proud they're "cuckoo," too
His music's rare you must declare
The boy is there with two hot lips
Wilbur De Paris's song Hot Lips is a delightful ode to a talented jazz musician, referred to as "Hot Lips" by everyone who knows him. The lyrics highlight his skill and passion for playing the horn with red-hot notes that captivate everyone on the floor. The song praises his impressive jazz and blues playing, which draws out steps like no one else, making the listeners go wild with excitement. The song describes the audience's admiration for Hot Lips, who plays exceptionally and makes them irresistibly dance and tap their toes. His music is so unusual that even old timers like Oscar Clive can't help but move to his rhythms. Hot Lips is an exceptional and rare talent on the Jazz scene that everyone should experience.
The lyrics of Hot Lips were first published in 1922 by piano artist Henry Busse, in collaboration with two other musicians, Lou Davis and Ray Henderson. Busse recorded Hot Lips for the Victor label in 1922, which sold over one million copies. The song became an instant hit and has been recorded by numerous Jazz artists ever since, including Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, and Sidney Bechet. Hot Lips also became the signature tune of Wilbur De Paris and his band.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a boy that's in our band
Since there's a guy in our band who plays so well
And how he blows that horn
He can play so well
Finest since you're born
It's the best you've ever seen
When he starts you're gone
As soon as he starts playing, you're hooked
They all call him "Hot Lips" for
Everyone calls him 'Hot Lips' because
He blows real red-hot notes
He hits some really amazing, fiery notes
And ev'rybody on the floor just floats
Everybody starts dancing and enjoying themselves
He's got hot lips when he plays Jazz
His music is amazing when he plays Jazz
He draws out steps like no one has
He can improvise and come up with new things on the spot
You're on your toes and shake your shoes
His music is so good that everyone is excited and dancing
Boy, how he goes when he plays Blues
He's really talented when it comes to playing the Blues
I watch the crowd until he's through
I look around and see everyone enjoying the music until it ends
He can be proud they're "cuckoo," too
He can be happy that everyone else is loving it just as much as he is
His music's rare you must declare
His music is special and unique
The boy is there with two hot lips
He's the one with the amazing talent
Heard him play the other night
I heard him play recently
And old man Oscar Clive who is eighty five
Even an old guy like Oscar Clive, who is 85,
Sure as you're alive
He was really feeling it
Got so frisky when he started out to do his stuff
Started dancing around when he heard the music
Was told to sit right down for being rough
Got told off for being a little too excited
And then he said
And this is what he said:
His music's rare you must declare
This music is really special
The boy is there with two hot lips
It's all because of that guy's amazing talent
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HENRY BUSSE, LOUIS DAVIS, HENRY LANGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind