TALKIN’ THAT JAZZ
©1995 Joan Cartwright

(Sing)
Uptown Harlem at Minton’s in Manhattan
Is where the cats would improvise, while other cats were scattin’
Then, it moved Downtown, where upper classes hung out
To listen to the hep cats talkin’ that jazz

And in the fifties, the lingo crossed the water
To Berlin and to Paree where a Baron’s daughter
Understood the story spoken in all blue notes
Fast notes, hot notes, sounding like some new notes

(Rap)
The music was a smash hit and such a sensation
It traveled round the world receiving thunderous ovations
It soon became a language that everyone could dig
Because the beat is so hip when they’re talkin’ that jazz

At seven, I discovered I was imitating Ella
And making sounds like Hendricks, boy, was he a swingin’ fella
By seventeen, I dreamt of singing with my own band
And talkin’ all that jazz in far exotic lands

Then, finally, it happened. I vacated Manhattan
And took a trip to Europe where all the cats were scattin’
I said, “Arrivederci” to my old friends in the City
Et “comment ce va” a mes amis nouveaux en France

It soon became apparent that language was must
I had to talk to people, boy, did I feel like a clutz!
But they could understand me ‘cause I could talk that jazz
And then life on Earth was really not so bad

And now I go a travelin’, a singing and a swinging
A bluesin’ and a croonin’, happy as a loonin’
To propagate the music, I make the razzmatazz
I’m walkin’ and a squawkin’ and talkin’ that jazzzzz

(Sing)
Listen to the hep cats talkin’ that jazz
Fast notes, hot notes, sounding like some new notes
The beat is so hip when we’re talkin’ that jazz