Willie And The Hand Jive

Lyrics: Johnny Otis
Music: Johnny Otis

Played by the Grateful Dead only half-a-dozen times in 1986/7 - and on two of those with the Neville Brothers as guests. Also played by Jerry Garcia with the New Riders of the Purple Sage in 1971, and by Bob Weir with Kingfish in the mid-1970s and mid-1980s.

These are the lyrics from the first performance by the Grateful Dead, on 12 February 1986, with the Neville Brothers:

I know a cat named way out Willie
He got a cool little chick called rockin' Millie
He can walk and do the Susie-Q
Do that crazy hand jive too

Chorus
Hand jive
Hand jive
Doing that crazy hand jive

Papa told Willie you'll ruin my home
Say you and that hand jive just got to go
Willie told Papa don't put me down
Doing that hand jive all over town

Mama, mama look at Uncle Joe
In the corner getting down with sister Flo
Grandma gave baby sister a dime
She said, do that thing just one more time

[chorus]

Mama, mama look at Uncle Joe
In the corner getting down with sister Flo
Grandma gave baby sister a dime
She said, do that thing just one more time

[chorus]

Doctor and a lawyer and an Indian chief
They all doing that crazy beat
[Way out Willie is] still around
Doing that hand jive all over town

[chorus]
[chorus]

Willie and Lily got married last fall
They had a little Willie Junior, and that ain't all
The kid got famous in his crib, you see
Lord he's doing that hand jive on TV