[Dixielandjazz] Re: lyrics

[Bill Haesler]

> Anyone have the lyrics to "Struttin' with some barbeque"?
> Brian Tate

Dear Brian,
This request came through this morning (9 Aug 05) dated 5/8/05.
I wonder where it has been?
There are no lyrics on the original version of "Struttin' With Some
Barbecue" by Louis Armstrong's Hot Five (9 Dec 1927), and there may well
have been none at that time.
So far as I can find, the first version with lyrics was recorded by Louis
Armstrong and Gary Crosby for Decca on 18 Jan 1955, backed by the All Stars
with Sonny Burke's Orchestra.
Louis and Velma Middleton sang it in a Nina & Frederik film ('The Formula
For Love'. Jan 1959).
Several 1990s European band renditions have included a vocal.
I have transcribed the following lyrics from the Louis Armstrong/Gary Crosby
version.

"Struttin' With Some Barbecue" (1927. Lil  Hardin [Armstrong]-Louis
Armstrong). Lyrics have been credited to Don Raye, who is probably the
lyricist who became famous in the 1930s for "Rhythm in My Nursery Rhymes",
then went on to a successful song-writing career.
The lyrics sound 50ish to me and certainly not what I would expect from
1927. The sort of dixie stuff that Johnny Mercer used to throw off so
easily. 

Struttin' with some barbecue
When you're with the band
Like the happy people do
Way down in Dixieland.
Hear that ole trom-bone
And the trumpet ad lib
Love to hear a lick while I do my pickin'
Pickin' on a juicy rib.
'Cause I'm struttin' with some barbecue
Feelin' mighty grand
Pass another helpin' please
Of that good ole dixieland
And Mr waiter, if you please
Another rib or two
And I'll go strut, strut, struttin
Struttin' with some barbecue.


Kind regards,
Bill.