472. Cab Calloway's Hepster's dictionary

Por una razón que desconozco (quizá porque la estupendez de mi encarnación virtual ha trascendido, o quizá porque yo lo solicité y ahora no me acuerdo), un tal Luiz Oak me manda correos privados periódicamente, con descargas directas de música swing. Hoy me ha llegado un correo bastante extenso, pero que me ha parecido muy interesante (y lo voy a reproducir tal cual a continuación): el diccionario del swing y el jive creado por Cab Calloway en 1938 (del que se puede leer algo más en su entrada en la Wikipedia). Por lo visto, este mostruo del jazz de principios del siglo XX se preocupó por dejar escrita una explicación a los giros lingüísticos y el slang que utilizaba en sus composiciones, para la futura comprensión de sus fans de toda condición. Por ejemplo (por citar el caso que dice la misma Wikipedia), explica que "kicking the gong around" ("dar puntapiés al gong") era la manera negrata y más moderna que tenían entonces de referir al hecho de ponerse de opio hasta el culo.

Voy a colgar el e-mail íntegro y tal cual me ha llegado, no sin antes fusilar también un párrafo que cita la Wikipedia que desconocía y que me ha parecido absolutamente alucinante:

"En 1986, Calloway apareció en Wrestlemania 2 del World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) como árbitro invitado para una pelea de box entre Rowdy Roddy Piper y Mr. T que tuvo lugar en el Nassau Coliseum y en 1990 hizo un cameo en el video musical de Janet Jackson "Alright".

Sobre todo, me ha parecido alucinante porque, como no paran de repetir durante su breve e inconexa biografía, Cab Caloway falleció en 1944... Lo cual es mentira, hombre, bien viejecito que era en sus últimas grabaciones. En fin, este es el tipo de datos tan contrastados y bien explicados que nos regala la Wikipedia, y que luego los pobres redactores a sueldo de los mass media repiten hasta que lo convierten en cultura popular; siendo en realidad una mentira como una casa. Total, que el deceso de Calloway debió ser en la década de los 90s (me he ahorrado mirarlo, que yo no soy un mass media... aún).

Ahora sí, sin más dilación, cortopego el diccionario Hepster's de Cab Calloway de términos del slang habitual en el swing negro sureño de los años 30s y 40s, muy útil o al menos interesante para los que escuchamos este tipo de música:

Cab Calloway's
Hepster' s Dictionary

A hummer (n.): exceptionally good. Ex., "Man, that boy is hummer."
Ain't coming on that tab (v.): won't accept the proposition. Usually abbr. to "I ain't coming."
Alligator (n.): jitterbug.
Apple (n.): the big town, the main stem, Harlem.
Armstrongs (n.): musical notes in the upper register, high trumpet notes.


Barbecue (n.): the girlfriend, a beauty.
Barrelhouse (adj.): free and easy.
Battle (n.): a very homely girl, a crone.
Beat (adj.): (1) tired, exhausted. Ex., "You look beat" or "I feel beat." (2) lacking anything. Ex., "I am beat for cash"; "I am beat to my socks" (lacking everything)
Beat it out (v.): play it hot, emphasize the rhythm.
Beat up (adj.): sad, uncomplimentary, tired.
Beat up the chops (or the gums) (v.): to talk, converse, be laquacious.
Beef (v.): to say, to state. Ex., "He beefed me that, etc..."
Bible (n.): the gospel truth. Ex., "It's the bible!"
Black (n.): night.
Black and tan (n.) dark and light colored folks. Not colored and white folks as erroneously assumed.
Blew their wigs (adj.): excited with enthusiasm, gone crazy.
Blip (n.): something very good. Ex., "That's a blip"; "She's a blip."
Blow the top (v.): to be overcome with emotion (delight). Ex., "You'll blow your top when you hear this one."
Boogie-woogie (n.): harmony with accented bass.
Boot (v.): to give. Ex., "Boot me that glove."
Break it up (v.): to win applause, to stop the show.
Bree (n.): girl.
Bright (n.): day.
Brightin' (n.): daybreak.
Bring down: (1) (n.), something depressing. Ex., "That's a bring down." (2) (v.) Ex., "That brings me down."
Buddy Ghee (n.): fellow.
Bust your conk (v.): apply yourself diligently, break your neck.


Canary (n.): girl vocalist.
Capped (v.): outdone, surpassed.
Cat (n.) musician in swing band.
Chick (n.): girl
Chime (n.): hour. Ex., "I got in at six chimes."
Clambake (n.): ad lib session, every man for himself, a jam session not in the groove.
Chirp (n.): female singer
Cogs (n.): sunglasses
Collar (v.): to get, to obtain, to comprehend. Ex., "I gotta collar me some food."; "Do you collar this jive?"
Come again (v.): try it over, do better than you are doing, I don't understand you.
Comes on like gangbusters (or like test pilot) (v.): plays, sings, or dances in a terrific manner, par excellence in any department. Sometimes abbr. to "That singer really comes on!"
Cop (v.): to get, to obtain (see collar, knock).
Corny (adj.): old-fashioned, stale.
Creeps out like the shadow (v.): "comes on," but in smooth, suave, sophisticated manner.
Crumb crushers (n.) teeth.
Cubby (n.) room, flat, home.
Cups (n.): sleep. Ex., "I gotta catch me some cups."
Cut out (v.): to leave, to depart. Ex., "It's time to cut out"; "I cut out from the joint in the early bright."
Cut rate (n.): a low, cheap person. Ex., "Don't play me cut rate, Jack!"



Dicty (adj.): high class, nifty, smart.
Dig (v.) (1) meet. Ex., "I'll plant you know and dig you later." (2) look, see. Ex., "Dig the chick on your left duke." (3) comprehend, understand. Ex., "Do you dig this jive?"
Dim (n.): evening.
Dime note (n.): ten-dollar bill
Doghouse (n.): bass fiddle.
Domi (n.): ordinary place to live in. Ex., "I live in a righteous domi."
Doss (n.): sleep. Ex., "I'm a little beat for my doss."
Down with it (adj.): through with it.
Drape (n.): suit of clothes, dress, costume.
Dreamers (n.): bed covers, blankets.
Dry-goods (n.): suit of clothes, dress, costume (see drape)
Duke (n.): hand, mitt.
Dutchess (n.): girl.


Early black (n.): evening.
Early bright (n.): morning.
Evil (adj.): in ill humor, in a nasty temper.


Fall out (v.): to be overcome with emotion. Ex., "The cats fell out when he took that solo."
Fews and two (n.): money or cash in small quantity.
Final (v.): to leave, to go home. Ex., "I finaled to my pad" (went to bed); "We copped a final" (went home).
Fine dinner (n.): a good-looking girl.
Focus (v.): to look, to see.
Foxy (v.): shrewd.
Frame (n.): the body.
Fraughty issue (n.): a very sad message, a deplorable state of affairs.
Freeby (n.): no charge, gratis. Ex., "That meal was a freeby."
Frisking the whiskers (v.): what the cats do when they are warming up for a swing session.
Frolic pad (n.): place of entertainment, theater, nightclub.
Frompy (adj.): a frompy queen is a battle or faust.
Front (n.): a suit of clothes.
Fruiting (v.): fickle, fooling around with no particular object.
Fry (v.): to go get hair straightened.


Gabriels (n.): trumpet players.
Gammin' (adj.): showing off, flirtatious.
Gasser (n., adj.): sensational. Ex., "When it comes to dancing, she's a gasser."
Gate (n.): a male person (a salutation), abbr. for "gate-mouth."
Get in there (an exclamation): go to work, get busy, make it hot, give it all you've got.
Gimme some skin (v.): shake hands.
Glims (n.): the eyes.
Got your boots on: you know what it is all about, you are a hep cat, you are wise.
Got your glasses on: you are ritzy or snooty, you fail to recognize your friends, you are up-stage.
Gravy (n.): profits.
Grease (v.): to eat.
Groovy (adj.): fine. Ex., "I feel groovy."
Ground grippers (n.): new shoes.
Growl (n.): vibrant notes from a trumpet.
Gut-bucket (adj.): low-down music.
Guzzlin' foam (v.): drinking beer.


Hard (adj.): fine, good. Ex., "That's a hard tie you're wearing."
Hard spiel (n.): interesting line of talk.
Have a ball (v.): to enjoy yourself, stage a celebration. Ex., "I had myself a ball last night."
Hep cat (n.): a guy who knows all the answers, understand jive.
Hide-beater (n.): a drummer (see skin-beater)
Hincty (adj.): conceited, snooty.
Hip (adj.): wise, sophisticated, anyone with boots on. Ex., "She's a hip chick."
Home-cooking (n.): something very nice (see fine dinner).
Hot (adj.): musically torrid; before swing, tunes were hot or bands were hot.
Hype (n., v.): build up for a loan, wooing a girl, persuasive talk.


Icky (n.): one who is not hip, a stupid person, can't collar the jive.
Igg (v.): to ignore someone. Ex., "Don't igg me!"
In the groove (adj.): perfect, no deviation, down the alley.


Jack (n.): name for all male friends (see gate; pops).
Jam: (1) (n.): improvised swing music. Ex., "That's a swell jam." (2) (v.): to play such music. Ex., "That cat surely can jam."
Jeff (n.): a pest, a bore, an icky.
Jelly (n.): anything free, on the house.
Jitterbug (n.): a swing fan.
Jive (n.): Harlemese speech.
Joint is jumping: the place is lively, the club is leaping with fun.
Jumped in port (v.): arrived in town.


Kick (n.): a pocket. Ex., "I've got five bucks in my kick."
Kill me (v.): show me a good time, send me.
Killer-diller (n.): a great thrill.
Knock (v.): give. Ex., "Knock me a kiss."
Kopasetic (adj.): absolutely okay, the tops.


Lamp (v.): to see, to look at.
Land O'Darkness (n.): Harlem
Lane (n.): a male, usually a nonprofessional.
Latch on (v.): grab, take hold, get wise to.
Lay some iron (v.): to tap dance. Ex., "Jack, you really laid some iron the last show!"
Lead sheet (n.): a topcoat.
Left raise (n.): left side. Ex., "Dig the chick on your left raise."
Licking the chops (v.) see frisking the whiskers.
Licks (n.): hot musical phrases.
Lily whites (n.): bed sheets.
Line (n.): cost, price, money. Ex., "What is the line on this drape?" (how much does this suit cost?) "Have you got the line in the mouse?" (do you have the cash in your pocket?) Also, in replying, all figures are doubled. Ex., "This drape is line forty." (this suit cost twenty dollars.)
Lock up: to aquire something exclusively. Ex., "He's got that chick locked up." "I'm gonna lock up that deal."


Main kick (n.): the stage.
Main on the hitch (n.): husband.
Main queen (n.): favorite girlfriend, sweetheart.
Man in gray (n.): the postman.
Mash me a fin (command): give me $5.
Mellow (adj.): all right, fine. Ex., "That's mellow, Jack."
Melted out (adj.): broke.
Mess (n.): something good. Ex., "That last drink was a mess."
Meter (n.): quarter, twenty-five cents.
Mezz (n.): anything supreme, genuine. Ex., "This is really the mezz."
Mitt pounding (n.): applause.
Moo Juice (n.): milk
Mouse (n.): pocket. Ex., "I've got a meter in the mouse."
Muggin' (v.): making 'em laugh, putting in the jive. "Muggin' lightly," light staccato swing; "muggin' heavy," heavy staccato swing.
Murder (n.): something excellent or terrific. Ex., "That's solid murder, gate!"


Neigho, Pops: Nothing doing, pal.
Nicklette (n.): automatic phonograph, music box.
Nickel note (n.): five dollar bill.
Nix out (v.): to eliminate, get rid of. Ex., "I nixed that chick out last week:; "I nixed my garments." (undressed)
Nod (n.): sleep. Ex., "I think I'll cop a nod."

Ofay (n.): white person.
Off the cob (adj.): corny, out of date.
Off-time jive (n.): a sorry excuse, saying the wrong thing.
Orchestration (n.): an overcoat.
Out of the world (adj.): perfect rendition. Ex., "That sax chorus was out of the world."
Ow! an exclamation with varied meaning. When a beautiful chick passes by, it's "Ow!"; and when someone pulls an awful pu, it also is "Ow!"


Pad (n.): bed.
Pecking (n.): a dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1937.
Peola (n.): a light person, almost white.
Pidgeon (n.): a young girl.
Pops (n.): salutation for all males (see gate; Jack)
Pounders (n.): policemen


Queen (n.): a beautiful girl.


Rank (v.): to lower.
Ready (adj.): 100 percent in every way. Ex., "That fried chicken was ready."
Ride (v.): to swing, to keep perfect tempo in playing or singing.
Riff (n.): hot lick, musical phrase.
Righteous (adj.): splendid, okay. Ex., "That was a righteous queen I dug you with last black."
Rock me (v.): send me, kill me, move me with rhythm.
Ruff (n.): quarter, twenty-five cents.
Rug cutter (n.): a very good dancer, an active jitterbug.


Sad (adj.): very bad. Ex., "That was the saddest meal I ever collared."
Sadder than a map (adj.): terrible. Ex., "That man is sadder than a map."
Salty (adj.): angry, ill-tempered.
Sam got you: you've been drafted into the army.
Send (v.): to arouse emotions (joyful). Ex., "That sends me!"
Set of seven brights (n.): one week.
Sharp (adj.): neat, smart, tricky. Ex., "That hat is sharp as a tack."
Signify (v.): to declare yourself, to brag, to boast.
Skins (n.): drums.
Skinn-beater (n.): drummer (see hide-beater).
Sky piece (n.): hat
Slave (v.): to work, whether arduous labor or not.
Slide your jib (v.): to talk freely.
Snatcher (n.): detective.
So help me: it's the truth, that's a fact.
Solid (adj.): great, swell, okay.
Sounded off (v.): began a program or conversation.
Spoutin' (v.): talking too much.
Square (n.): an unhep person (see icky, Jeff.)
Stache (v.): to file, to hide away, to secrete.
Stand one up (v.): to play one cheap, to assume one is cut-rate.
To be stashed (v.): to stand or remain.
Susie-Q (n.): a dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1936.


Take it slow (v.): be careful.
Take off (v.): play a solo.
The man (n.): the law.
Threads (n.): suit, dress or costume (see drape, dry-goods).
Tick (n.): minute, moment. Ex., "I'll dig you in a few ticks." Also, ticks are doubled in accounting time, just as money is doubled in giving "line." Ex., "I finaled to the pad this early bright at tick twenty." (I got to bed this morning at ten o'clock.).
Timber (n.): toothpick.
To dribble (v.): to stutter. Ex., "He talked in dribbles."
Togged to the bricks: dressed to kill, from head to toe.
Too much (adj.): term of highest praise. Ex., "You are too much!"
Trickeration (n.): struttin' your stuff, muggin' lightly and politely.
Trilly (v.): to leave, to depart. Ex., "Well, I guess I'll trilly."
Truck (v.): to go somewhere. Ex., "I think I'll truck on down to the ginmill (bar)."
Trucking (n.): a dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1933.
Twister to the slammer (n.): the key to the door.
Two cents (n.): two dollars.


Unhep (adj.): not wise to the jive, said of an icky, a Jeff, a square.


Vine (n.): a suit of clothes.
V-8 (n.): a chick who spurns company, is independent, is not amenable.


What's your story? What do you want? What have you got to say for yourself? How are tricks? What excuse can you offer? Ex., "I don't know what his story is."
Whipped up (adj.): worn out, exhausted, beat for everything.
Wren (n.): a chich, a queen.
Wrong riff: the wrong thing said or done. Ex., "You're coming up on the wrong riff."

Yarddog (n.): uncouth, badly attired, unattractive male or female.
Yeah, man: an exclamation of assent.


Zoot (adj.): overexaggerated as applied to clothes.
Zoot suit (n.): overexaggerated clothes.


What a killer-driller, Jack! Turn the nicklette, put a guzzlin' foam in the mouse of your zoot suit, tight your greasers and let's do the Suzie-Q, you jitterbuggy hep cat!! Ow-ow-ow!!!