DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #38: Vol Vist Du Gaily Star

This week's song is Vol Vist Du Gaily Star by Slim Gaillard & Slam Stewart.

A groovy tune with strange lyrics! What kind of language is it? Is it Yiddish or Spanish?

According to the article “Who's Yehoodi? – Scat, Jive, and Yiddish, 1938-1953” by Jonathan Z.S. Pollack (link is unfortunately not available anymore), much of the song is in fake Spanish (“maña, maña, lambelo”).

At the end of the song, Slim Gaillard and Slam Stewart have a brief exchange as the song is fading out:

Slim: Hey! Boy!
Slam: What’s the matter, man?
Slim: What’s that “Vol Vist du Gaily Star” mean?
Slam: Man, I don’t know. What does it mean, man?
Slim: Don’t mean a thing, don’t mean a thing.
Slam: Well, all right, man.
Slim: It’s a little jive talk, in the Floogie language, that’s all.

You can find the songs of the series also on my Spotify playlist. Official hashtag of the series: #djcsotw

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Now Check Out:

• Song of the Week #37: “Singin' The Blues” by Bix Beiderbecke and Frankie Trumbauer Orchestra
• Song of the Week #36: “You Shall Reap What You Sow” by Lil Hardin Armstrong
• Song of the Week #35: “Smiles” by the Flavio Ambrosetti Sextett