RUFFIN: NOW, A JAZZ MOMENT

Alligator Bogaloo up

EVER WONDER WHAT GOES INTO NAMING A SONG? HERE'S NEA JAZZ MASTER LOU DONALDSON TALKING ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF HIS HIT, "ALLIGATOR BOGALOO. "

DONALDSON: That was the best-selling record I ever made. I ever made. It's a funny story. A lot of people don't believe it. I'm a golfer, you know. And I happened to be in Florida on vacation. And I went to the golf course, and I hit a ball in a ditch. And I had a caddy, so I'm going to get the ball and he said, "No, no, don't go in there." I said, "Man, I got to get this ball. That's a Titlist!  It cost me $1.25." I said, "I'm getting my ball!" And he went back and opened up the weeds and there's an alligator down there. So when I was in the studio, we couldn't find a name for this song, so I said, "Well, let's call it the Alligator Bogaloo." And, and that's what it was. The Alligator Bogaloo.

THIS JAZZ MOMENT WITH 2013 NEA JAZZ MASTER LOU DONALDSON, WAS PRODUCED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.
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Excerpt of "Alligator Bogaloo" composed by Lou Donaldson from the album, Alligator Bogaloo, used courtesy of Blue Note / EMI Capitol and by permission of Sony ATV (BM