Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated as R&B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a heavy, insistent beat" was becoming more popular. In the commercial rhythm and blues music typical of the 1950s through the 1970s, the bands usually consisted of piano, one or two guitars, bass, drums, one or more saxophones, and sometimes background vocalists. R&B lyrical themes often encapsulate the African-American experience of pain and the quest for freedom and joy, as well as triumphs and failures in terms of relationships, economics, and aspirations.
Louis Thomas Jordan was an American saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and bandleader who was popular from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Known as "The King of the Jukebox", he earned his highest profile towards the end of the swing era.
"Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" is a popular song written by Vaughn Horton, Denver Darling, and Milt Gabler.
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by Billboard. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 positions but was shortened to 50 positions in October 2012.
"Buzz Me" is a 1946 song by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five that is credited to Fleecy Moore and Dave Dexter. Released by Decca Records as a single, it was the first song in 1946 to reach the number one spot on the R&B chart and was the first of five Louis Jordan releases to achieve the top position in 1946. "Buzz Me" also peaked at number nine on the pop chart. The single became a double-sided hit when the B-side "Don't Worry 'Bout That Mule" also hit number one on the R&B chart later in the year.
"Don't Worry 'Bout That Mule" is a song attributed to Charles Stewart, William Davis, Duke Groner, and Fleecie Moore. It was performed by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five, recorded in July 1945, and released on the Decca label.
"Ain't Nobody Here but Us Chickens" is a jump blues song, written by Alex Kramer and Joan Whitney. Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five recorded the song on June 26, 1946 and Decca Records released it on a 78 rpm record. This recording was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2013.
"Texas and Pacific" is a song written by Jack Wolf Fine and Joseph E. Hirsch. It was performed by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five, recorded in October 1946, and released on the Decca label. The song describes a rider's experience on the Texas & Pacific Railway. The "B" side of the record was "I Like 'Em Fat Like That".
"Jack, You're Dead" is a song written by Dick Miles and Walter Bishop. It was performed by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five, recorded in October 1946, and released on the Decca label. The song describes a man's physical state if he fails to respond to romance.
"Boogie Woogie Blue Plate" is a song written by Joe Burhkin and Johnny DeVries. It was performed by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five and released on the Decca label.
"What's the Use of Getting Sober " is a song written by Busby Meyers, performed by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five, recorded in July 1942, and released on the Decca label. The "B" side of the record was "The Chicks I Pick Are Slender and Tender and Tall".
"Run Joe" is a calypso song written by Joe Willoughby, Louis Jordan, and Walt Merrick. It was performed by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five with vocal chorus by The Calypso Boys. It was recorded in April 1947 and released on the Decca label. The "B" side of the record was "All for the Love of Lil".
"Salt Pork, West Virginia" is a song attributed to Fleecie Moore and William J. Tennyson Jr., performed by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five, and released on the Decca label. It peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's race record chart and remained on the chart for 15 weeks. It ranked No. 8 on the magazine's list of the most played race records of 1946.
"Beware" is a song attributed to Morry Lasco, Dick Adams, and Fleecie Moore. It was performed by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five, recorded in January 1946, and released on the Decca label.
"That Chick's Too Young to Fry" is a song written by Tommy Edwards and Jimmy Hilliard. It was performed by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five, recorded in January 1946, and released on the Decca label. The record's "B" side was "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie".
"Reconversion Blues" is a song attributed to Steve Graham and Fleecie Moore. It was performed by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five, recorded in October 1946, and released on the Decca label. The record's "B" side was "Salt Pork, West Virginia".
"Don't Burn the Candle at Both Ends" is a song written by Benny Carter, Irving Gordon, and Louis Jordan. It was performed by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five, recorded in December 1947 and released on the Decca label. The "B" side of the record was "We Can't Agree".
"Knock Me a Kiss" is a song written by Mike Jackson (music) and Andy Razaf (lyrics). It was performed by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five, recorded in November 1941, and released on the Decca label. The record's "B" side was "I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town".
