Artist: Cab Calloway
Author: Irving Mills/Cab Calloway/Clarence Gaskill
Label: Brunswick
Year: 1931
Answersong to Willy The Weeper, which was recorded since 1925 (Ernest Rogers, Frankie Half Pint Jaxon, Dave Van Ronk, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Golden Glows). A moocher is slang for a crook. The Mooche was also a draggy dance in Harlem. Gong in the lyrics was slang for opium pipe. Minnie The Moocher was the first well known opium song, followed-up by Kicking The Gong Around. Banned by the BBC.
Covers:
Blues Brothers [featuring Cab Calloway]
Larry Marshall [in film The Cotton Club]
Conjure [produced by Kip Hanrahan]
Tego Calderon [horn sample in Abayarde]
Buscemi feat. Lady Cath [horn sample in Dipso Calypso; radio hit]
Cab Calloway was Duke Ellington's supersub on the bandstand of the Cotton Club in Harlem, famous for his extravaganza, lingo, body language, dress code and showmanship. Known as "the Hi-De-Ho Man", a catch phrase from Minnie The Moocher (his themesong). Cab used it to keep his audience alert. Hi-de-ho, Hi-de-hi must have been introduced as a catch phrase by the Spasm Band, a pre jazz band in New Orleans' Storyville circa 1895.
If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)