Rockin' Chair

About Rockin' Chair

"Rockin' Chair" is a 1929 popular song with lyrics and music composed by Hoagy Carmichael. Musically it is unconventional, as after the B section when most popular songs return to A, this song has an A-B-C-A1 structure. Carmichael recorded the song in 1929, 1930, and 1956. Mildred Bailey made it famous by using it as her theme song. The song was first recorded on February 19, 1929 by Hoagy Carmichael as a test for Victor Records, but not released at the time. This recording was later released on the Historical label as HLA-37. This version is sung by only one vocalist. Hoagy Carmichael and his Orchestra recorded a new version on May 21, 1930 featuring Bix Beiderbecke on cornet. This second version is with two vocalists (Carmichael and Irving Brodsky) and was released on Victor Records as V-38139B. Louis Armstrong recorded it with Hoagy Carmichael on vocals on December 13, 1929 at Okeh studios after the stock market crashed, giving a badly needed boost to Carmichael's finances. The recording was released as Okeh 8756 in 1930 and became popular in 1932. The song utilises "call and response" to create a dialog between an aged father and his son. Armstrong performed "Rockin' Chair" numerous times in his career with his trombonist Jack Teagarden. Mildred Bailey first recorded the song on August 18, 1932 for Bluebird Records (catalog No. 6945), and later for Vocalion Records (catalog No. 3553). The latter recording was a hit in 1937. She became known as The Rockin' Chair Lady. Other popular versions in 1932 were by The Mills Brothers, and by Louis Armstrong with Hoagy Carmichael. more »

Year:

1996

3:31

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 The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com

Old rocking chair's got me, my cane by my side, 
Fetch me that gin, son, 'fore I tan your hide. 
Can't get from this cabin, goin' nowhere 
Just set me here grabbin' at the flies round this rocking chair 

My dear old aunt Harriet, in Heaven she be, 
Send me sweet chariot, for the end of the trouble I see 
Old rocking chair gets it, judgement day is here 
Chained to my rocking chair. 

Old rocking chair's got me, son, (rocking chair got you father) 
My cane by my side, (yes, your cane by your side) 
Now fetch me a little gin son, (ain't got no gin, father) 
What? 'fore I tan your hide, now, (you're gonna tan my hide) 
You know, I can't get from this old cabin, (what cabin? joking) 
I ain't goin' nowhere. (why ain't you goin' nowhere?) 
Just sittin' me here grabbin' (grabbin') at the flies round this old rocking chair 
(rocking chair) 

Now you remember dear old aunt Harriet, (aunt Harriet) 
How long in Heaven she be? (she's up in Heaven) 
Send me down, send me down sweet (sweet chariot) chariot, 
End of this trouble I see. (I see, daddy) 

Old rocking chair gets it son, (rocking chair get it, father) 
Judgement day is here, too. (your judgement day is here) 
Chained to my rocking, old rocking chair.

 The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com

The Mills Brothers

The Mills Brothers, sometimes billed the Four Mills Brothers, and originally known as the Four Kings of Harmony, were an African-American jazz and pop vocal quartet who made more than 2,000 recordings that sold more than 50 million copies and garnered at least three dozen gold records. The Mills Brothers were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998. more »

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