jerry jeff walker
Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (1878 - 1949) was a famous black actor and tap dancer, reaching the peak of his carrier during the 1930ies, and he is *not* the origin of this song. Some old and white homeless street performer grabbed Robinson's artist name as a nick to hide his real identity from the police, and ended up in the same cell in New Orleans as Jerry Jeff Walker, when he was swept off the street in -65 for being doped and rude. At that time, JJW still used his birth name Ronald Clyde Crosby. The song describes word by word that night they accidentally spent together.
JJW released it himself officially first as a single in 1968, but his friend Allen Wayne Damron was first to cut it live, one year in advance. It soon became a crossover standard, and I've heard it from artists as different as Bob Dylan via Radka Toneff to Sammy Davies Jr.
The meaning of "bojangles" is discussed, but common use is describing a character that embodies fun and joviality. In black slang it means "jangling" testicles. The old man in New Orleans' identity is as far as I know never been revealed. And who cares?
I knew a man "Bojangles" and he'd dance for you
in worn out shoes
silver hair and ragged shirt and baggy pants
he did the old soft shoe
he jumped so high : he jumped so high
then he'd lightly touch down
I met him in a cell in New Orleans
I was down and out
he looked to me to be the eyes of age
as he spoke right out
he talked of life : he talked of life
he laughed slapped his leg a step
he said the name "Bojangles" and he danced a lick
across the cell
he grabbed his pants a better stance then he jumped so high
he clicked his heels
he let go a laugh : oh he let go a laugh
shook back his clothes all around
he danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs
throughout the south
he spoke with tears of fifteen years how his dog and him
traveled about
his dog up and died : he up and died
after twenty years he still grieves
he said "I dance now at every chance in honky tonks
for drinks and tips
but most of the time I spend behind these county bars
cause I drinks a bit"
he shook his head and as he shook his head
I heard someone ask him please:
"Mr. Bojangles" ...
"Mr. Bojangles" ...
"Mr. Bojangles" ...
"come on : dance!"
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
G Gmaj7 Em ...Em7 I knew a man Bojangles and he'd dance for you C [C/B] D ...D7 in worn out shoes G Gmaj7 Em ...Em7 silver hair and ragged shirt and baggy pants C [C/B] D ...D7 he did the old soft shoe Em Bb B7 Em [...Em/F#] he jumped so high he jumped so high A7 D ...D7 then he'd lightly touch down Em D Mr. Bojangles Em D Mr. Bojangles Em D Mr. Bojangles D7 G come on dance
