Harlem Jive
from
The Harlem Renaissance: A Historical Dictionary for the Era
Jive
Translation
Ah-ah
Ain’t got ‘em
Bardacious
Belly rub
Berries
Boogie-woogie
Bookooing
Bottle it, bottle et.
Brick-presser
Bring mud
Buckra
Bull-skating
Bump, bumpty-bump,
Bump the bump
Catch the air
Chip
Cloakers
Collar a hot
Cut
Diddy-wah-diddy
Dickty
Dig
Dog
Dog it
Dog mah cats
Dogging
Doing the dozens
Down to the bricks
Fooping
Frail eel
Fungshun
Gum beater
Gut bucket
Jive
Jump salty
Kitchen mechanic
Kopasetee
Mug man
Negrotarian
a fool
has no virtue; is of no value
wonderful; marvelous
sexy dance
an expression of approval, as in, “She’s the berries.”
a kind of dancing
showing off (from beaucoup)
Shut up
an idler
to disappoint
a white person
bragging
a slow one-step dance
to leave under pressure
to steal
deceivers, liars
to eat a meal
to do something well
a far-distant place; a measure of distance
swell, grand; high-toned
to understand
a complimentary noun
to show off; to strut
astonishment
dancing
verbally agree to insult another’s parents
to the limit
fooling around
a pretty girl
a crowded, sweaty dance room
a bragger
a sleazy club
to talk; to pursue; to deceive; also slang for black music
to get angry
a domestic servant or laborer
approval (from copasetic)
a small time criminal or thug
a white do-gooder coined by Zora Neale Hurston
Harlem Jive
from
The Harlem Renaissance: A Historical Dictionary for the Era
Jive
Translation
Oscar
Piano
Pole out
Rug-cutter
Shim sham shimmy
Shout
Slip, slip in the dozens
Solid
Sooner
Stomp
Stroll
Syndicating
Trucking
Wobble
Woofing
Work under cork
a stupid person
spareribs
to be distinguished or excel
a good dancer
an erotic dance
a ball or prom; a one-step dance
to joke with or kid a person or someone’s family
perfect
cheap; shabby
a raucous dance party
to do something really well
gossiping
to walk with style; also a dance step
a dance
gossip; casual or aimless talk
to appear on stage in blackface makeup
JIVE TALKING
Be a hep cat or an in the groove barbecue,
discovering the Apple,
where cats with cogs
break it up
and canaries ride.
TRANSLATION
Be a cool guy or sleek girl,
discovering Harlem
where musicians with sunglasses
thrill the audience,
and a female vocalists keep perfect tempo.
in the Land o’ darkness
you can get togged to the bricks
and go where the joint jumps,
hep cats jive,
and skin beaters jam.
In Harlem
you can get dressed up
and go where the club is hopping with fun,
cool guys are speaking slang,
and drummers improvise swing music.