Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

Mr. Bojangles - Origin

0 views
Skip to first unread message

ALAN DANDIE

unread,
May 30, 1994, 1:44:36 AM5/30/94
to
Can anyone tell me the origin of Bill Robinson's nickname, Mr. Bojangles, as
immortalised in Jerry Jeff Walker's song.

My guess is that it may have been the name of a traditional character in
minstrel shows.


Alan Dandie
Defence Science and Technology Organisation
Guided Weapons Division Phone: (08) 259 5924
PO Box 1500 Fax: (08) 259 7080
Salisbury 5108 Email:a...@gwd.erl.dsto.gov.au

nor...@auvax1.adelphi.edu

unread,
May 30, 1994, 4:06:25 PM5/30/94
to
> Can anyone tell me the origin of Bill Robinson's nickname, Mr. Bojangles, as
> immortalised in Jerry Jeff Walker's song.
>
> My guess is that it may have been the name of a traditional character in
> minstrel shows.

The best explanation of the song is found in a collection of David Bromberg's
when he stops in the middle of the song and talks about how Jerry Jeff Walker
came to write the song. He does not say, however, how the nickname came about.
>
********************************************************************************
Ken E. Norian | nor...@auvax1.adelphi.edu
General Manager | 516-877-6900
WBAU Radio |
Adelphi University, Garden City, NY |
********************************************************************************

Pres. of Billco

unread,
May 30, 1994, 5:20:40 PM5/30/94
to
In article <axd.9.2...@gwd.dsto.gov.au>,

ALAN DANDIE <a...@gwd.dsto.gov.au> wrote:
>Can anyone tell me the origin of Bill Robinson's nickname, Mr. Bojangles, as
>immortalised in Jerry Jeff Walker's song.
>
>My guess is that it may have been the name of a traditional character in
>minstrel shows.

i thought the actual "Mr. Bojangles" was a costar with shirley temple in some
of her movies. but i am not certain. and my trivia books are boxed up right
now. others?
--
discourse by wap...@clark.net/veni, vidi, wapembe! "i came, i saw, i snoozed!"

Scot Witt

unread,
May 30, 1994, 6:39:24 PM5/30/94
to
In article <2sdlb8$5...@explorer.clark.net> wap...@clark.net (Pres. of Billco) writes:


>i thought the actual "Mr. Bojangles" was a costar with shirley temple in some
>of her movies. but i am not certain. and my trivia books are boxed up right
>now. others?
>--
>discourse by wap...@clark.net/veni, vidi, wapembe! "i came, i saw, i snoozed!"

I thought Mr. Bojangles was Mr. William Robinson....the same fellow that
danced with Shirley Temple....I thought that's why Sammy David Junior covered
it....Bojangles was one of his earliest teachers (see Yes, I Can by Mr. Davis)
==========================================================================
"Radio is Two Fat Guys Dancing" Scot Witt
-Joe Nittler scot...@interaccess.com
==========================================================================

John Lupton

unread,
May 31, 1994, 5:11:49 AM5/31/94
to
In article <scotwitt.6...@interaccess.com> scot...@interaccess.com (Scot Witt) writes:
>From: scot...@interaccess.com (Scot Witt)
>Subject: Re: Mr. Bojangles - Origin
>Date: Mon, 30 May 1994 17:39:24 -0500

>In article <2sdlb8$5...@explorer.clark.net> wap...@clark.net (Pres. of Billco) writes:


>>i thought the actual "Mr. Bojangles" was a costar with shirley temple in some
>>of her movies. but i am not certain. and my trivia books are boxed up right
>>now. others?
>>--
>>discourse by wap...@clark.net/veni, vidi, wapembe! "i came, i saw, i snoozed!"
>I thought Mr. Bojangles was Mr. William Robinson....the same fellow that
>danced with Shirley Temple....I thought that's why Sammy David Junior covered
>it....Bojangles was one of his earliest teachers (see Yes, I Can by Mr. Davis)

I seem to recall reading an interview years ago with Walker in which he said
that the Bojangles in his song was *not* Bill "Bojangles" Robinson of Shirley
Temple (and other) fame...he wrote the song about an old black man he found
himself in jail with one night during his wilder days. At least that's what I
remember him saying in the interview.

____________________________________________________________________________
John Lupton, LAN Specialist |Part-time Country/Bluegrass/Old Time DJ
Communications & Network Svcs |WVUD-FM 91.3 "Rural Free Delivery"
University of Pennsylvania, |University of Delaware
School of Arts & Sciences |Listener-supported, Non-commercial Radio
______________________________|_____________________________________________

ALAN DANDIE

unread,
Jun 1, 1994, 2:16:59 AM6/1/94
to
In article <jlupton.21...@mail.sas.upenn.edu> jlu...@mail.sas.upenn.edu (John Lupton) writes:
>From: jlu...@mail.sas.upenn.edu (John Lupton)

>Subject: Re: Mr. Bojangles - Origin
>Date: Tue, 31 May 1994 09:11:49

>In article <scotwitt.6...@interaccess.com> scot...@interaccess.com (Scot
>Witt) writes:

>I seem to recall reading an interview years ago with Walker in which he said
>that the Bojangles in his song was *not* Bill "Bojangles" Robinson of Shirley
>Temple (and other) fame...he wrote the song about an old black man he found
>himself in jail with one night during his wilder days. At least that's what I
>remember him saying in the interview.

I had assumed that the JJW song was about Bill Robinson, but the above and
earlier responses throw serious doubt on it. But do you know where the name
Bojangles originates?

Frank Markus

unread,
Jun 2, 1994, 9:11:05 PM6/2/94
to
My recollection is that Jerry Jeff wrote Mr Bojangles about a
fellow with whom he spent a night in a slammer somewhere. The
person was not Bill "Bojangles" Robinson but someone who was
(nick)named after him. All of which begs the original question
which was whether the name "Bojangles" antedates Mr. Robinson
and has roots in minstral shows. Damned if I know.

Dick Wisan

unread,
Jun 3, 1994, 11:06:11 AM6/3/94
to
In article <axd.9.2...@gwd.dsto.gov.au>, a...@gwd.dsto.gov.au (ALAN DANDIE) writes:
> Can anyone tell me the origin of Bill Robinson's nickname, Mr. Bojangles, as
> immortalised in Jerry Jeff Walker's song.
>
> My guess is that it may have been the name of a traditional character in
> minstrel shows.

Bill Robinson was so unlike that song's character, the gallant, wispy
old down-and-outer, it put me off when I first heard it. But, I think
"Bojangles" was one of those terms, half name half common noun, like
"Chips" for the (any) ship's carpenter. It was the name for a certain
style of soft-shoe dancer. It was Bill Robinson's nickname because he
was a bojangles --in his prime, he became *the* Bojangles--. So, Jeff
Walker's song is about a different Bojangles.

"Jangle" sounds right for that kind of loose-limbed dancing. I wonder
if "Bo" was originally "Beau"?

------------------------------------------------------------------------
R. N. (Dick) Wisan - Email: internet WIS...@hartwick.edu
- Snail: 37 Clinton Street, Oneonta NY 13820, U.S.A.
- Just your opinion, please, ma'am: No fax.

bast...@delphi.com

unread,
Jun 10, 1994, 9:38:54 PM6/10/94
to
Frank Markus <fma...@pipeline.com> writes:

>>Defence Science and Technology Organisation Guided
>>Weapons Division Phone: (08) 259

Do you have to add that? I mean there aren't too many pro-weapons folk
songs out there. Perhaps maybe Northern Ireland has produced a few.
Nothing against you personally, but I hope your job would be eliminated
out of necessity. Can't you talk the people you work for into turning
those "guided weapons" into something useful.
I know the response: guided weapons eliminate other weapons.
Thats what they said about nuclear bombs-and look where we ended
up with that!
Well at least its good to see you apparently don't have your heart
into it (by posting here).
Bastille (a peaceful revolutionary)

Peter Lunt

unread,
Jun 14, 1994, 6:01:08 PM6/14/94
to

I bet I know who'd know, Uncle Cecil! Anybody subscribe to a newspaper that
carries his column that could write and ask?

Pete "not me though" Lunt
Just have his books.

0 new messages