"I ain't got nobody"
Many times has this line been repeated throughout musical history and many times has it always been a thrill to listen to. These words come from "Just a Gigolo", a traditional pop swing song that was made famous by the American singer Louis Prima in 1956.
Louis Prima - Just a Gigolo
Though the tune was incredibly catchy and memorable, this was not an original composition. Prima had actually combined two songs together to create the final product of "Just a Gigolo". The two songs he mashed together were "I Ain't Got Nobody" a 1915 piece by Spencer Williams and Roger A. Graham, and the original version of "Just a Gigolo", "Schöner Gigolo, armer Gigolo" which was the very first recorded version of the song. It was composed by Leonello Casucci, an Austrian musician.
Leonello Casucci (Performed by Dajos Béla) - Just a Gigolo
Louis Prima - Just a Gigolo
Though the tune was incredibly catchy and memorable, this was not an original composition. Prima had actually combined two songs together to create the final product of "Just a Gigolo". The two songs he mashed together were "I Ain't Got Nobody" a 1915 piece by Spencer Williams and Roger A. Graham, and the original version of "Just a Gigolo", "Schöner Gigolo, armer Gigolo" which was the very first recorded version of the song. It was composed by Leonello Casucci, an Austrian musician. Leonello Casucci (Performed by Dajos Béla) - Just a Gigolo
Spencer Williams / Roger A. Graham (Performed by Coon-Sanders Orch.) - I Ain't Got Nobody
Many people are not aware that the song is not completely Prima's work, although it is undeniably the better product of the two songs. As Prima's signature tune continued to grow famous, more artists began to create their own covers of the song.
The next most significant adaption sprung into life during the funky and hip era of disco; The 70's. In 1978 The Village People produced a disco version of the piece, and boy did it have rhythm. It is an immense shame that I could not find any high quality recordings of this song whatsoever, but nonetheless give it a listen.
Village People - Just a Gigolo
It is always extremely satisfying to see an old hit be covered. What's even more thrilling to see is to then watch that very cover became just as famous (and perhaps even more) as the original song. David Lee Roth did just this.
David Lee Roth - Just a Gigolo (Skip to 1:37 for the actual music)
Lead vocalist of Van Halen, David Lee Roth took a small break from the band and decided to have some time for himself in 1985. What he delivered to us during that break was one of the most soulful-pop songs I have ever heard. You can just hear the raw passion in his voice, and he really does seem like he's singing his heart out. David Lee Roth's innovative music video for the single was the biggest factor that contributed to his success, and boy is it amusing.
Now i'm sure that you might be scratching your heads with confusion right now if you watched the video. The inappropriateness in the video may seem very unexpected, but in fact it is quite relevant to the song. It may seem surprising but "gigolo" actually means "male escort": A man who gets payed for his sexual attention and companionship. The entire song is based on a gigolo singing about how he feels about his miserable life, but with a very light and bright tone.
And now we come to the final and most fitting adaption for our generation; The pop version. The Latin pop artist Lou Bega did quite a decent job by modernizing it with heavy bass beats and only god knows how many pop horns they used.
Lou Bega - Just a Gigolo
This 2001 rendition of the original gives it a completely new feel that makes you want to get up and party hard. It is not very well known as Lou Bega is considered to be a one hit wonder with his infamous tune "Mambo No. 5" and had most of his other works overlooked.
One song, four genres: Swing, disco, pop rock, and pop. Out of the four my personal favorite would have to be the original Louis Prima composition with it's smooth swing feel and powerful vocals. I absolutely adore the call and response section, and I especially enjoy when the trumpet plays on the offbeat. It sounds absolutely incredible and I would highly suggest to pay attention to the horns throughout the song.
"Just a Gigolo" has traveled through different generations with varying popularity, but what's amazing is how it persevered. By leaving a giant mark in the music world during the 50's, it has journeyed into the 21st Century with pride and is relevant to this very day. I would not mind to see another cover, but I think the history of the song is fine as it is and can be left alone with it's rich past, and as Louis Prima brightly lamented,
"There will come a day when youth will pass away,
What would they say about me?"
All we can say Louis is youth certainly did pass away.
But you'll be timeless.
Many people are not aware that the song is not completely Prima's work, although it is undeniably the better product of the two songs. As Prima's signature tune continued to grow famous, more artists began to create their own covers of the song.
The next most significant adaption sprung into life during the funky and hip era of disco; The 70's. In 1978 The Village People produced a disco version of the piece, and boy did it have rhythm. It is an immense shame that I could not find any high quality recordings of this song whatsoever, but nonetheless give it a listen.
Village People - Just a Gigolo
It is always extremely satisfying to see an old hit be covered. What's even more thrilling to see is to then watch that very cover became just as famous (and perhaps even more) as the original song. David Lee Roth did just this.
Lead vocalist of Van Halen, David Lee Roth took a small break from the band and decided to have some time for himself in 1985. What he delivered to us during that break was one of the most soulful-pop songs I have ever heard. You can just hear the raw passion in his voice, and he really does seem like he's singing his heart out. David Lee Roth's innovative music video for the single was the biggest factor that contributed to his success, and boy is it amusing.
Now i'm sure that you might be scratching your heads with confusion right now if you watched the video. The inappropriateness in the video may seem very unexpected, but in fact it is quite relevant to the song. It may seem surprising but "gigolo" actually means "male escort": A man who gets payed for his sexual attention and companionship. The entire song is based on a gigolo singing about how he feels about his miserable life, but with a very light and bright tone.
And now we come to the final and most fitting adaption for our generation; The pop version. The Latin pop artist Lou Bega did quite a decent job by modernizing it with heavy bass beats and only god knows how many pop horns they used. Lou Bega - Just a Gigolo
This 2001 rendition of the original gives it a completely new feel that makes you want to get up and party hard. It is not very well known as Lou Bega is considered to be a one hit wonder with his infamous tune "Mambo No. 5" and had most of his other works overlooked.
One song, four genres: Swing, disco, pop rock, and pop. Out of the four my personal favorite would have to be the original Louis Prima composition with it's smooth swing feel and powerful vocals. I absolutely adore the call and response section, and I especially enjoy when the trumpet plays on the offbeat. It sounds absolutely incredible and I would highly suggest to pay attention to the horns throughout the song. "Just a Gigolo" has traveled through different generations with varying popularity, but what's amazing is how it persevered. By leaving a giant mark in the music world during the 50's, it has journeyed into the 21st Century with pride and is relevant to this very day. I would not mind to see another cover, but I think the history of the song is fine as it is and can be left alone with it's rich past, and as Louis Prima brightly lamented,
"There will come a day when youth will pass away,
What would they say about me?"
All we can say Louis is youth certainly did pass away.
But you'll be timeless.
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