"Mr. Bojangles" is a song written and originally recorded by American country music artist

Jerry Jeff Walker Jerry Jeff Walker (born Ronald Clyde Crosby; March 16, 1942 – October 23, 2020) was an American country music and folk singer-songwriter. He was a leading figure in the progressive country and outlaw country music movement. He was bes ...

for his 1968 album of the same title.

Composition

Walker said he was inspired to write the song after an encounter with a street performer in a

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

jail. While in jail for public intoxication in 1965, he met a homeless man who called himself "Mr. Bojangles" to conceal his true identity from the police. Mr. Bojangles had been arrested as part of a police sweep of indigent people that was carried out following a high-profile murder. The two men and others in the cell chatted about all manner of things, but when Mr. Bojangles told a story about his dog, the mood in the room turned heavy. Someone else in the cell asked for something to lighten the mood, and Mr. Bojangles obliged with a tap dance. The homeless "Mr. Bojangles", who was white, had taken his pseudonym from Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (1878–1949), a Black entertainer.

Notable recordings

The song was first recorded by popular Austin performer Allen Wayne Damron during a live performance at the Chequered Flag folk club in Austin in 1967. Jerry Jeff Walker recorded his single version (with Bobby Woods, Charlie Freeman, Sandy Rhodes, Tommy McClure,

Sammy Creason Sammy Lee Creason (27 November 1944 – 21 December 1995) was an American session drummer who played with Tony Joe White, Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan amongst others. Life and career Growing up in Jonesboro, Arkansas, United States, he ...

, and a string orchestra) in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...

on June 7, 1968, and it was released by

Atco Records ATCO Records is an American record label founded in 1955. It is owned by Warner Music Group and operates as an imprint of Atlantic Records. After several decades of dormancy and infrequent activity under alternating Warner Music labels, the comp ...

on June 20. He also recorded a non-string version in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

for his album ''Mr. Bojangles'' with

David Bromberg David Bromberg (born September 19, 1945) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. David Bromberg biographyat Billboard.com An eclectic artist, Bromberg plays bluegrass, blues, folk, jazz, country and western, and rock a ...

, Gary Illingworth, Danny Milhon, Bobby Cranshaw, Jody Stecher, Donny Brooks, Ron Carter, Bill LaVorgna, and

Jerry Jemmott Gerald Stenhouse Jemmott (born March 22, 1946, in the Morrisania section of the Bronx, New York City) is an American bass guitarist. Jemmott was one of the chief session bass guitarists of the late 1960s and early 1970s, working with many of th ...

. It was released by Atco on September 25, 1968. Other versions including those by Frankie Laine and

Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927) is an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Jamaican-American pop star, he popularized the Trinbagonian Caribbean musical style with an interna ...

were also recorded.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Since then, it has been recorded by many other artists, including US country rock band Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, whose version (recorded for the 1970 album ''

Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy ''Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy'' is the 1970 album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band that contains the hit song " Mr. Bojangles". The album reached No. 66 on US charts. Three singles charted: "Mr. Bojangles" reached No. 9, "House at Pooh Corner" ...

'') was issued as a single and rose to No. 9 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1971. The band's single version begins with the Uncle Charlie interview (subtitled "Prologue: Uncle Charlie and his Dog Teddy") that also precedes the song on the ''Uncle Charlie'' album. It was originally backed with another interview with Uncle Charlie, also taken from the album. When "Mr. Bojangles" started climbing the charts, the B-side was re-pressed with the same song without the interview. NGDB guitarist Jeff Hanna performed most of the lead vocals on the track, with bandmate

Jimmy Ibbotson James Arvey Ibbotson (born January 21, 1947) is an American musician who is best known as a longtime member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He has also released albums as a solo artist, as a member of the Wild Jimbos, and with John McEuen. Ca ...

performing harmony vocals; the two switched these roles on the last verse. Live versions of the song appeared on Walker's 1977 album ''A Man Must Carry On'', and his 1980 album ''The Best of Jerry Jeff Walker'' and he sang it with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on their 2015 concert album entitled ''Circlin' Back''.

Sammy Davis Jr.

The song became one of

Sammy Davis Jr. Samuel George Davis Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American singer, dancer, actor, comedian, film producer and television director. At age three, Davis began his career in vaudeville with his father Sammy Davis Sr. and the ...

's "long-loved" signature performances, which he recorded for his 1972 album ''Portrait of Sammy Davis, Jr.'' and sang at President

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...

's invitation at a concert at the White House the following year. Study of the Davis version, as released on his ''Greatest Hits, Live'' album, has formed part of the "Music Studies" syllabus in the UK.

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan recorded a much loved version of the song for his 1973 studio album, '' Dylan''.

Christian McBride Big Band

The song appeared on the 2017 album '' Bringin' It'' by jazz bassist

Christian McBride Christian McBride (born May 31, 1972) is an American jazz bassist, composer and arranger. He has appeared on more than 300 recordings as a sideman, and is an eight-time Grammy Award winner. McBride has performed and recorded with a number of j ...

. The album won the

Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album The Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album has been presented since 1961. From 1962 to 1971 and 1979 to 1991 the award title specified instrumental performances. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works ...

at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.

Brendan Grace

The song was performed and recorded by Brendan Grace the Irish entertainer on Ireland’s Late Late Show in the late '70s. The version was later released and did quite well in the Irish and English charts. The song was reissued on Grace’s 2019 posthumous release, ''Airs & Graces'', a 60-song collection of songs he recorded both in studio and live over his 50-year career.

Nina Simone

Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blu ...

recorded a soulful version of the song for her 1974 album, '' It Is Finished''.

Chart history

Weekly charts

Jerry Jeff Walker

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Year-end charts

Al Cherny

Nina Simone

References

External links

Lyrics
at oldielyrics.com * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mister Bojangles (song) 1968 songs 1970 singles 1971 singles 2002 singles Bob Dylan songs Jerry Jeff Walker songs Nina Simone songs Neil Diamond songs Jud Strunk songs Sammy Davis Jr. songs Nancy Wilson (jazz singer) songs Nitty Gritty Dirt Band songs Lulu (singer) songs Tom T. Hall songs Liberty Records singles Robbie Williams songs Cultural depictions of dancers