Jazzology Songtext

von Scatman John

[scatting]
The portrait of the jazz man can only be painted
With the colors of the cats of the past.
Wynton Marsalis only blows what he blows
Because Freddie Hubbard molded the cast.
So if you're into jazz and want to learn how to blow
The study of jazzology's essential to know.

Young Herbie Hancock perfected his piano
In the years that he was blowin' with Miles.
Cedar Walton did the same with Art Blakey's band
Maybe we should rise and give our heroes a hand.
Jon Hendricks gave us somethin' precious as gold
And I'm-a give it back now, right now, look out!

[scatting]

Marcus Miller came after Cedar Walton
And Coltrane came after Bird.
You know that Elton Jones was an authentic cat
And hearing Cecil Taylor amplifies that fact.
Ain't no one gonna last without the legends of the past
Can't play like the birds with the legends unheard.

A lady named Ella could keep up with any fella
Ever heard of scat "How High the Moon?"
George Benson plays guitar, but more than that by far
He could scat up a storm, set fire to a room.
So if you're into jazz and want to learn how to blow
The study of jazzology's essential to know.

[scatting]

You've heard of Charlie Parker, the man they call "Bird"
Played the greatest alto saxophone that anybody heard.
Bird's contribution became an institution
He's the man that started be-bop sha-bop.
So if you're into jazz and you want to learn to blow
The study of jazzology's essential to know.

Piano's Bill Evans took us all to the heavens
And who could play Tatum verbatim?
Mel Tormé and Anita O'Day, hey!
Everybody knows the trend they set for today.
And don't forget Sarah, that gentle little terror
That sassy young lassy was classy.

[scatting]

The only thing I say if you wanna learn to play:
You ain't gonna last without the legends of the past.
You can't fry eggs without the pan and the butter
You wanna learn to scat, you don't have to stutter.
So if you're into jazz and you want to learn to blow
The study of jazzology's essential to know, yeah.