SONG #27: Scatman John - Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)

Inducted on November 9, 2014

"Trance Hits Volume 2" is not the first dance compilation I ever got. No, that would be "Club Cutz" in the Mid-90s. I can't remember if I got it from the BMG music club, or if it was from a store, but this album was significant in helping to shape my musical interests for a long time. I believe I bought the album for "The Macarena", as it was incredibly popular at the time. However, by the time I listened through Club Cutz a few times, The Macarena was the one of the last of the songs that I'd listen to.

When I put the CD in for the first time and hit play, the first thing I heard was something I had never heard before. "Sca-ba-da-ba-doo-be-dobalkbeaoidhoaeijdoeijaodijeoaij". Okay, that's not exactly how it goes, but I was not familiar with "scat singing" and I definitely hadn't heard it layered over a dance beat. I remember playing this song for people, including my friend Andy, and asking if the singing was the real deal or if it was computerized somehow. I just couldn't understand how somebody could make those sounds with their voice.

The song is typical of 90's dance songs - a lot of repetition in the chorus, a lot of synth, and a punchy beat with fake claps. What sets this song apart is the scatting, and the fact that it's an older man singing (Although, it was older men who sang the Macarena, too). Once I dug deeper and learned about the man, Scatman John Larkin, this song's theme resonated even louder for me. Larkin was a stutterer from his childhood. This led him to seek solace through alchohol. However, the very thing he considered to be a weakness became his strength. His stuttering allowed him to vocalize in ways that other people cannot. This eventually led to his all too short career in Dance Music (he passed away shortly after finding success). After learning his story, his point of view had more impact, and his words "As a matter of fact, don't let nothing hold you back, if the Scatman can do it, brother so can you" gave me a lot of hope in high school.

For some reason I associate this song with bandcamp, although I don't have anyy specific memories about it. Anyway, later on in college, in the age of Napster, I rediscovered Scatman to my roommate Miah's chagrin. Sorry Miah.

http://www.amazon.com/Club-Cutz-Various-Artists/dp/B000002WV7