There ain't nobody here but us chickens!

Today would have been Louis Jordan's 101st birthday. Louis Jordan began as a jazz saxophonist, who soon into his career learned that he had something more to offer than just being part of the horn section. He could do other stuff that was worth doing. He found he had a personality that would come across on the bandstand...and he found he had a knack for writing songs that had a jumpy, driving rhythm (a forefather to rock and roll) with some humor in them.

He had a string of hit singles and was a major cross-over artist who eventually became "King of the Jukebox" for nearly a decade. From 1942-1950, Jordan scored 18 #1 singles and 54 in the top forty. He spent 113 weeks in the number one position in Billboard's Top lists.

He also appeared in movies and "Soundies".

"Caldonia", "Beware", "G.I. Jive", "There Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens", "Beans and Cornbread", "What's the Use in Getting Sober (When You're Gonna Get Drunk Again?)", "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out"..on and on it goes.

Take a gander and lend an ear to a few examples of Mr. Jordan in action.

"Five Guys Named Moe"

"Caldonia" what makes your big head so hard?



"Look Out, Sister" his answer to his own seemingly misogynous song "Beware" done just for the distaff side. Equal opportunity stool-pigeon.



Thanks Louis.