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The Manhattan Transfer




Music World  →  Lyrics  →  T  →  The Manhattan Transfer  →  Albums  →  The Best Of The Manhattan Transfer

The Manhattan Transfer Album


The Best Of The Manhattan Transfer (1981)
1981
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Birdland
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
. . .


Boop bop, Boop Bop
Boop bop, Boop Bop
Boop bop, Boop Bop
Boop bop, Boop Bop

Way down South, in Birmingham
I mean South, in Alabam'
There's a place
Where people go to dance the night away

It's a junction
Where the town folk meet
At each function in their best they'll greet you

Sax solo

Scat solo

Way down South, in Birmingham
I mean South, in Alabam'
That old place

Boop bop, Boop Bop
Boop bop, Boop Bop
Boop bop, Boop Bop
Boop bop, Boop Bop

Way down South, in Birmingham
I mean South, in Alabam'
'Ans old place
Where people go to dance the night away
They all drive or walk for miles
To get blues - that southern style,
So blue - it'll make you want to dance the night away
Tuxedo Junction - where I want to be

. . .


(SPOKEN INTRO)
With a key, you unlock a door to imagination
Beyond it is another dimension
A dimension of sight
A dimension of sound
A dimension of mind

You're moving through a land of both shadow and substance
Of things and ideas
Guiding you through this wondrous journey
Is the hypnotic sound of the twilight tone

When I hear this melody
This strange illusion takes over me
Through a tunnel of the mind
Perhaps a present or future time oh, oh
Out of nowhere comes this sound
This melody that keeps spinning 'round & 'round
Pyramidal locomotion
From a mystic unknown zone

Hearin' the twilight
Hearin' the twilight, twilight tone

Unpretentious girl from Memphis
Saw the future through her third eye
People came with skepticism
Picking, testing her precision, no, wo, oh, oh
Suddenly they heard this sound
This melody that keeps spinning 'round & 'round
A signpost up ahead is calling
Through the mystic unknown zone

Hearin' the twilight
Twilight swept away, feelin' the rhythm
Hearin' the twilight
Twilight swept away, ba da, loo da, ba da loo da
Hearin' the twilight
Twilight tone

Submitted for your approval. One Mr. Miller, who's about
to take a trip into oddness and obsolescene, through a
zone whose boundaries are that of imagination.
Accompanying him on this journey is the mesmerizing
sound of the Twilight Tone.

On a cold & rainy night
One Mister Miller had a rare flight
Glen was up there boppin' a rhythm
Then the engine stopped to listen with him
Play that beat, oh, oh
Suddenly he heard this sound
This melody that keeps spinning 'round & 'round
Now he resides and plays trombone
In the mystic unknown zone

Hearin' the twilight (repeat many times)
(Hearin' the twilight)

. . .


Don't you know, he was the king of saxophones
Yes indeed he was;
Talkin' 'bout the guy that made it sound so good
Some people knew him by the Bean
But Hawkins was his name

He sure could swing and play pretty too
Sounds good to me -- should sound good to you
I love to hear him playing Body and Soul
Very pleasing to the ear

When I first heard it on the record
I just stopped-- right there,
Sounded like a band of angels in the sky,
And I have never ever heard a sweeter tone
In fact I pay no 'ttention to the saxophone
'Til Coleman Hawkins came along and spoke to everyone --
Saying better listen won't you hear me,
While I play for you --

Sometimes it's hot
Then again it's blue
My soul just seems to wander,
Pleasing each and everyone --
It's what I've long been craving for

The doors have not been always open,
But I am trying to please you.
Please don't try to stop me.
Hope you like it folks

And then he started cookin' --
Everytime he played
Some melodic melody fast or slow
You could tell that it was Hawkins --

No other one ever has
Quite captured his tone
Just he alone --
Has the sound that penetrates
It will sure go right through you
Yes it will --
And every chorus gives you just another thrill

Then along came Eddie Jefferson
He sang the melody like Hawkins played it
He sang it true
He sang it blue
Made words for it too

All his fans in New York loved him
There's no one above him
Here in the USA
I've heard 'em say ol' Eddie was the man

Oh how he could sing
Man did he swing
Sang on the wing, did his own thing
Yes he did

Throughout the country --
Music lovers are still wiggin' on Eddie's singin'
All around the world -- he is known
Rhythm was his special joy --
He swung it like a horn

He must have been born to be a singer
'Cause his lyrics were so sincere and true
Funny sad or blue
Oh yeah!

And we've got to remind you
Many years it took him
Singing every day to achieve his first claim to fame

He was twenty years ahead of his time
And he knew it
But he kept right on-a singing
He went all around the world making rhythm
'Cause music sure was in him and he knew it was

Sang with Moody and Richie Cole
He could sing it just like Bird
But his forte was the words he wrote to
Music that he sang

So he sang, and he sang
And he sang his words so clever
And I know they'll silence him never
'Cause he cut this masterpiece

And now we're trying to sing it for you
Hope the Bean and Eddie both would still approve
There we go
We didn't mean to reminisce
You can surely bet
That we won't forget
'Cause we hear them yet
Goodbye

. . .


Candy
I call my sugar Candy
Because I'm sweet on Candy
and Candy's sweet on me

She understands me
My understanding Candy
And Candy's always handy
When I need sympathy

You wish that there were four of her
So I could love much more of her
She has taken your complete heart
Got a sweet tooth for my sweetheart

Candy
It's gonna be just dandy
The day I take my Candy
And make her mine, all mine

Candy
I call my sugar Candy
Because I'm sweet, so sweet on Candy
And Candy's sweet on me

You wish that there were four of him
Oh how I could love much more of him
He has taken your complete heart
You got a sweet tooth for your sweetheart

Candy
It's gonna be just dandy
The day I take my candy
Gee how the sun will shine

On the day my Candy
On the day my Candy
On the day my Candy's mine

. . .


Take a seat and cool it 'cause unless you overrule it
We are ready to show you some blowin'
A rompin' and a stompin' is a lot of fun
Four brothers who are blowin' our horns

So settle down an' listen 'cause you don't know what you're missin'
And we're ready to give you a showin'
A movin' it 'n groovin' it has just begun
Four brothers who are blowin' our horns

We got a little message that you're gonna enjoy
Ain't no sense in dodgin' the facts
So settle in your easy chair an' if you ever had a care - forget it,
It's time to relax

You might as well admit it, we're the best that ever did it
But in case you ain't too sure o' knowin'
We're gonna let you listen to us one by one
Four brothers who are blowin' our horns

JANIS:
How'd ya do, I'm talkin' about you
It's very nice to know that you have really taken time to listen to me blow
'Cause as sure as I'm born, I'm blowin' my horn
Listen't'me baby, I'm blowin', zootin' it up
And I hope you dig the sounds I'm makin' more'n any other
Now I must go for it's time for you to listen to my other brother

TIM:
I think the chick's talkin' 'bout me so I'd better go 'n see
I'm hip that she knows a horn is very best to greet you
That's the reason I'm blowin' so snappily
I don't know what ya got, but it thrills me an' I hope to have a lot
'Cause it puts me in clover
So baby, if you would like to dig my other brother
You're gonna have to turn the record over

ALAN:
Hey hey hey
Who ya talkin' about, say who ya talkin' about
Did I hear you say you'd introduce your other brother
'Cause in case I heard you talkin' about three, that's me
Pleased to meet you, how'd you do, how are you, nothin's new,
How is everything with you?
Whattya say I leave this jazz up to my brother --

CHERYL:
Dig dig dig my Long Island sound
I hope you're puttin' it down
You got me in a mood that's so romantic
If you noticed you can take this silly old actin'
'Cause I'm actin' so distracted when I dig you
Pretty baby you will never know how much I really dig you
You have got me so excited that I goofed blowin' my horn

ALL:
Boop bop the news is gettin' around, we're really puttin' it down
We're glad, in fact, to know that you enjoy it and we wish we had the time to give you
more
Thank you for the compliment
You told us we were better just as though we didn't know it
We're hip that we're the best, we're over all the rest
We're in the modern school, we always play it cool, we never play the fool
The honkers and the squeakers might be stealin' the show
But we don't go for that, so while we blow

BAND MEMBER:
Hi-ho, lackaday, boy it's a natural fact
I ain't no kin, but I would like to get in the act!

ALL:
Well get outta here, get outta here, get outta here now
Fellas we appreciate it makin' you mad,
But we must ask you to apologize
Because after all he's in our band

Four brothers, four brothers, four brothers
Although we sound like more
Four brothers, four brothers, four brothers
We're really only four

We like to blow but we don't know how time can fly and how an hour can pass away
We wish the time would never go so we could take our time an' blow 'til judgement day

Four brothers, four brothers, four brothers
Now just one final word:

JANIS: I'm happy to know you and I hope I don't forget you
TIM: It's really a pleasure and I hope I don't look silly to you
ALAN: I'm hopin' the story that I told did not upset you
CHERYL: Sorry, now in conclusion we are hoping that you heard four

ALL:
So just before we go we want you to know ---
We're glad you let us show you how we always end up with that jazz
(We don't go for braggin' but we're blowin' our own...
Horn!

. . .

Birdland

[No lyrics]

. . .


Gloria
Gloria
It's not Marie
Gloria
It's not Cherie
Gloria (Gloria)
But she's not in love with me

Can't you see
It's not Marie
Gloria
It's not Cherie
Gloria (Gloria)
But she's not in love with me

And maybe (maybe)
She'll want me (want me)
But who am I to know (who am I to know)
And maybe (ooh, maybe)
She'll want me (ooh, want me)
But who am I to know (who am I to know)
Oh---

Gloria (Gloria)
It's not Marie
Gloria (Gloria)
It's not Cherie
Gloria (Gloria)
'Cause she's not in love with me

Gloria!

. . .


CHORUS:
Trickle, Trickle, Splash, Splash
Tell me how long will this rain last
The rain keeps droppin', there ain't no stoppin',
Tell me how long will this rain last

Trickle, Trickle, Slop, Slop
Just got to see my sweet gum drop
She's there waitin' and I'm hesitatin'
Tell me just when this rain will stop

Ronnie, dig my clothes here boy,
One button low
Well, you know I'm sharp, as a tack,
Say can you lend me your Cadillac
Gotta go, gotta go to a party - yeah
Please lend me your short
Well if I can't take it,
You know I can't make it,
I won't see my baby no more.

CHORUS

Ronnie, she's sweet, she's fine yeh boy,
And I love her so.
Well if I don't make the party,
Man - she sure to blow.
Gotta go, gotta go to the party - yeh,
Please lend me your short,
Well if I can't take it, you know I can't make it,
I won't see my baby no more.

CHORUS
Trickle, Trickle, Slop, Slop
Just got to see my sweet gum drop
She's there waitin' and I'm hesitatin'
Tell me how long will this rain last
Tell me how long will it last

. . .


Operator
Give me information
Information
Give me long distance
Long distance
Give me heaven...

(Two, three)
Operator
Information
Give me Jesus on the line
Operator
Information
I'd like to speak to a friend of mine
Oh prayer is the number
Faith is the exchange
Heaven is the street
And Jesus is his name
Operator
Information
Please give me Jesus on the line

Operator
Information
Won't you tell me why
Tell me why
Operator
Information
Don't try to tell me
What number to call
My mother used this number
When I was very small
And everytime she dialed it
She always got 't call the
Operator
Information
Please give me Jesus on the line

Operator
Information
Please hurry if you can
Oh Operator
Information
Please connect me
With the man
Don't worry 'bout the money
You know I will pay the charge
Just give me on the line
I'm callin' from my heart
Operator
Information
Please give me Jesus on the line
Please give me Jesus on the line

Won't you please -
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus on the line

Yeah!

. . .


I love coffee, I love tea
I love the Java Jive and it loves me
Coffee and tea and the java and me
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup (Ah!)

I love java, sweet and hot
Whoops, Mr. Moto, I'm a coffee pot
Shoot me the pot, and I'll pour me a shot
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup

Oh, slip me a slug from that wonderful mug
And I'll cut a rug, 'till I'm snug in a jug
A slice of onion and-a draw one
Draw one -
(Waiter, waiter, percolator)

I love coffee, I love tea
I love the Java Jive and it loves me
Coffee and tea and the java and me
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup (Ah!)

Boston bean (soy beans)
I said, them little itty bitty green beans (cabbage and greens)
I'm not keen about a bean
Unless it is a chilly chili bean (Talk it boy!)

I love java, sweet and hot
Whoops, Mr. Moto, I'm a coffee pot (yeah)
Shoot me the pot and I'll pour me a shot
A cup, a cup, a cup (yeah)

Slip me a slug of that wonderful mug
And I'll cut a rug that's snug in a jug
Drop your nickel in my pot, Joe
Takin' it slow
Waiter, waiter, percolator

I love coffee, I love tea
I love the Java Jive and it loves me
Coffee and tea and the java and me
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, boy!

. . .


That certain night
The night we met
There was magic abroad in the air
There were angels dining at the Ritz
And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square

I may be right
I may be wrong
But I'm perfectly willing to swear
That when you turned and smiled at me
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square

The moon that lingered over London town
Poor puzzled moon
He wore a frown
Oh how could he know we two were so in love

The whole wide world was upside down
The streets of town were paved with stars
It was such a romantic affair
And as we kissed and said goodbye
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square

A nightingale sang. A nightingale sang
The streets of town
Were paved with stars

It was such a romantic affair
And as we kissed and said goodbye
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
Oo-ooh
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square

. . .


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