1981 Joe Jackson album, his fourth.

After 1980s Beat Crazy, the Joe Jackson Band broke up, and Joe got sick (I think it was peritonitis). Being homebound, he was listening to old jazz standards, and when he went into the studio, he decided to to an album of swing covers with lots of horns, saxophone, piano, and drums.

Let's keep in mind this was 1981--some of the people who are now into the current swing craze and listening to the Brian Setzer Orchestra, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Squirrel Nut Zippers, etc weren't even born yet. Joe was severely ahead of the curve, and although the album did okay, it was largely seen as a novelty project. Of course, that didn't stop A&M from rereleasing it in 1999 to cash in on the fad.

And Joe does a great job singing and arranging these songs. It's a testament to Joe's musical training that this album is as tight as it is.

Tracks (I wish I had writing credits for these):

< Beat Crazy | Night And Day >

The Jumpin' Jive (Calloway-Froeba-Palmer)

Boy? Oh, boy!
Panama, Shanama, Swanee shore,
Let me dig that jive some more;

Boy? Oh boy!
The jim-jam-jump with the jumpin' jive
Makes you get your kicks on the mellow side.
Hep! Hep!
Hep! Hep!

The jim-jam-jump with the solid jive,
Makes you nine foot tall when you're four foot five,
Hep! hep!
Hep! Hep!


Don't be that ickeroo,
Get hep and follow through,
And get your steady foo
Make the joint jump like the gators do,


The jim-jam-jump with the jumpin' jive,
Makes you like your eggs on the Jersey side,
Hep! Hep!
Hep! Hep!


The jim-jam-jump with the jumpin' jive,
Makes you hep! hep! hep! on the mellow side! As performed by Cab Calloway

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