The Old Music Master - Hoagy Carmichael - Johnny Mercer

One night long ago by the light of the moon

An old music master sat compossing a tune

His spirit was soaring and his heart full of joy

When right out of nowhere stepped a little colored boy

You gotta jump it, music master

You gotta play that rhythm faster

You’re never gonna get it played

On the Happy Cat Hit Parade

You better tell your friend Beethoven

And Mister Reginald De Koven

They gotta do the same as you

Or they’re gonna be corny too

Along about nineteen-seventeen

Jazz’ll come upon the scene

Then about nineteen-thirty-five

You’ll begin to hear swing, boogie-woogie and jive

You better tell the big broadcaster

That you’re a solid music master

And you’ll achieve posterity

That’s a bit of advice from me

The old music master simply sat there amazed

As wide-eyed and open-mouthed he gazed and he gazed

How can you be certain little boy, tell me how?

Because I was born, he said, hundred years from now

He hit a chord that rocked the spinet

And disappeared into the infinite

And up until the present day

You can take it from me, he’s as right as can be

Everything has happened that-a-way

Along about nineteen-seventeen

Jazz’ll come upon the scene

Then about nineteen-thirty-five

You’ll begin to hear swing, boogie-woogie and jive

He hit a chord that rocked the spinet

And disappeared into the infinite

And up until the present day

You can take it from me, he’s as right as can be

Everything has happened that-a-way, yeah