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To: Dr. Bogus Pachysandra

“Jive goes back a lot further than Amos n’ Andy. Cab Calloway’s ‘Jive Dictionary’ ”

Cab Calloway, born in 1907, was an amazing performer. I saw him live in the early 60s in the black stage show of Hello Dolly, starring Calloway and Pearl Bailey. Presumably his dictionary began during his Cotton Club days (1923–1935), but appears to have gained entries through the 50s and early 60s. He died in 1994. Out of the 223 items you listed, these 65 (about 1/3rd) have survived in their original meaning among mainstream slang to this day:

Apple (n.) — the big town [which has become the nickname for New York].
Beat (adj.) — tired, exhausted.
Blow the top (v.) — to be overcome with emotion. Ex., “You’ll blow your top when you hear this one.”
Boogie-woogie (n.) — harmony with accented bass.
Bring down ((1) n. (2) v.) — (1) something depressing. Ex., “That’s a bring down.” (2) Ex., “That brings me down.”
Cat (n.) — musician in swing band.
Chick (n.) — girl.
Come again (v.) ...I don’t understand you.
Comes on like gangbusters (v.) — plays, sings, or dances in a terrific manner, par excellence in any department.
Cop (v.) — to get, to obtain.
Corny (adj.) — old-fashioned, stale.
Cut out (v.) — to leave, to depart. Ex., “It’s time to cut out.”
Dig (v.) — (1) meet. Ex., “I’ll plant you now and dig you later.” (2) look, see. Ex., “Dig the chick on your left duke.” (3) comprehend, understand. Ex., “Do you dig this jive?”
Fall out (v.) — to be overcome with emotion. Ex., “The cats fell out when he took that solo.”
Freeby (n.) — no charge, gratis. Ex., “The meal was a freeby.”
Get in there (exclamation.) — go to work, get busy, make it hot, give all you’ve got.
Gravy (n.) — profits.
Groovy (adj.) — fine. Ex., “I feel groovy.”
Growl (n.) — vibrant notes from a trumpet.
Have a ball (v.) — to enjoy yourself, stage a celebration. Ex., “I had myself a ball last night.”
Hep cat (n.) — a guy who knows all the answers, understands jive.
Hip (adj.) — wise, sophisticated, anyone with boots on. Ex., “She’s a hip chick.”
Hot (adj.) — musically torrid; before swing, tunes were hot or bands were hot.
Hype (n, v.) — persuasive talk.
In the groove (adj.) — perfect, no deviation.
Jack (n.) — name for all male friends.
Jam ((1)n, (2)v.) — (1) improvised swing music. Ex., “That’s swell jam.” (2) to play such music. Ex., “That cat surely can jam.”
Jitterbug (n.) — a swing fan.
Jive (n.) — Harlemese speech.
Joint is jumping — the place is lively, the club is leaping with fun.
Kill me (v.) — show me a good time, send me.
Killer-diller (n.) — a great thrill.
Kopasetic (adj.) — absolutely okay, the tops.
Latch on (v.) — grab, take hold.
Licks (n.) — hot musical phrases.
Lock up — to acquire something exclusively. Ex., “I’m gonna lock up that deal.”
Mellow (adj.) — all right, fine.
Moo juice (n.) — milk.
Murder (n.) — something excellent or terrific. Ex., “That’s solid murder, gate!”
Ofay (n.) — white person.
Out of [this] world (adj.) — perfect rendition. Ex., “That sax chorus was out of [this] world.”
Rank (v.) — to lower.
Riff (n.) — hot lick, musical phrase.
Righteous (adj.) — splendid, okay.
Rock me (v.) — send me, kill me, move me with rhythym.
Send (v.) — to arouse the emotions. (joyful). Ex., “That sends me!”
Sharp (adj.) — neat, smart, tricky. Ex., “That hat is sharp...”
Signify (v.) — to declare yourself, to brag, to boast.
Skins (n.) — drums.
So help me — it’s the truth, that’s a fact.
Solid (adj.) — great, swell, okay.
Sounded off (v.) — began a program or conversation.
Spoutin’ (v.) — talking too much.
Square (n.) — an unhep person.
Stash (v.) — to file, to hide away, to secrete.
Take off (v.) — play a solo.
The man (n.) — the law.
Threads (n.) — suit, dress or costume
Too much (adj.) — term of highest praise. Ex., “You are too much!”
Truck (v.) — to go somewhere. Ex., “I think I’ll truck on down to the ginmill (bar).”
Unhep (adj.) — not wise to the jive, said of an icky, a square.
What’s your story? — What do you want? What have you got to say for yourself?
Yarddog (n.) — uncouth, badly attired, unattractive male or female.
Yeah, man — an exclamation of assent.
Zoot suit (n.) — the ultimate in clothes. The only totally and truly American civilian suit.


43 posted on 04/18/2015 11:32:07 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (The greatest danger facing our world: the marriage of militant Islam with nuclear weapons.-Netanyahu)
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To: Albion Wilde

And I have a Zoot suit to be buried in.


46 posted on 04/18/2015 11:36:33 AM PDT by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra (Don't touch that thing Don't let anybody touch that thing!I'm a Doctor and I won't touch that thing!)
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