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Posts Tagged ‘Dat Dere’

Dat Dere (Bobby Timmons)

In Dat Dere on December 22, 2013 at 10:57 pm

Dat Dere” is a jazz song with music by Bobby Timmons and lyrics by Oscar Brown, Jr.

The song was first recorded by Bobby Timmons in his debut album This Here is Bobby Timmons (January 1960) and shortly after by Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers on the album The Big Beat (March 1960) with Timmons as the band’s pianist.15-elephant

Oscar Brown Jr. penned the lyrics later for the song’s release on his 1961 début album Sin & Soul…and Then Some, as he did with two other recent jazz instrumentals, Mongo Santamaría’s “Afro Blue,” and Nat Adderley’s “Work Song”. Brown’s lyrics describe a child’s curiosity and excitement on a visit to the zoo with his father, and the parent’s reflections on the child’s growing up.

Musical structure

It features a joint trumpet and tenor saxophone solo from measures 9 through 23. Then the saxophone takes its own solo from measures 34 through 59, sporting a D minor- B minor7 (b5)- E minor7 (b5) chord progression. At measure 59 the whole band joins in for a loud and proud “shout chorus.” It takes the coda back to 18, and once measure 30 is finished, it is open to the whole band to solo individually.

Other versions

  • Sheila Jordan recorded this song on her debut album for Blue Note Records, “Portrait of Sheila” in 1961.
  • Cannonball Adderley recorded/performed a version of this song when Bobby Timmons was a member of the quintet, and so did Art Blakey.
  • Rickie Lee Jones recorded the song for her 1991 Pop Pop album.
  • Mel Tormé performed his version of this song on Ralph J. Gleason’s exemplary Jazz Casual series. Taped on May 2, 1964, it features Mel with Gary Long on piano, Perry Lind on bass, and Benny Barth on drums.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dat Dere lyrics

In Dat Dere, Lyrics on December 20, 2013 at 10:22 am

This re-creation of the wonder of a child (“Dat Dere” = “That There” – you can change all the “th”s to “d”s if you want. You can also change the genders to fit, too.) has been famously covered by Oscar Brown, Jr., Nat “Cannonball” Adderley, May Lou Williams & Rickie Lee Jones. Thanks to correspondent Mark S. for the chords. also, added easier guitar chords. Download pdf for the chords, at bottom page.

Intro vamp

Hey, mama, what’s that there? And what’s that under there?15-elephant
Hey, mama, up here! Mama – hey! – look at that over there!
And what’s that doing there? And where’re they going there?
And, mummy, can I have that big elephant over there?
Who’s that in my chair? And what’s he doing there?
And, mommy, oh, hey, mommy, can I go over there?
Hey mummy, what’s a square? And where do we get air?
And mummy can I have that big elephant over there?

Bridge1

My quizzical kid! She doesn’t want anything here.
Just forever demanding to know who, what, why or where!
Inquisitive child! Sometimes the questions get wild!
Like, mommy, can I have that big elephant over there?
Don’t wanna comb my hair and where’s my teddy bear?Cowboy_Boots
And, mama, hey! Look at the cowboy coming there!
And can I have a pair of boots like that to wear?
And mummy can I have that big elephant over there?

Intro vamp here

Time will march, days will go and little baby’s going to grow.
I gotta tell her what she needs to know.
I’ll help her along, so she’ll know right from wrong & she’ll be strong.
As life’s parade goes marching by, she’s gonna need to know some reasons why.
I don’t have all the answers, but I’ll try the best as I can.
We’ll make a plan. [alt.: I’ll make him a man.]  That’s right!

[back to verse chords]

‘Cause you give the kid your best and hope she passes the test
And finally send her out into the world somewhere.
And though she’s grown up, I bet I never will forget.
Mummy, can I have that big elephant over there?
Hey, why they do that there? And how you put that there?

Hey, mummy, up here! Hey, mummy, what that say up there?
Hey, mummy, what is fair? How come I have to share?
And, mummy can I have that big elephant over there? [last line 3x]

Outro repeat intro vamp & out

lyrics and chords here: DatDere lyrics