Reefer Man – Cab Calloway Orchestra

Reefer Man performed by Cab Calloway and his Orchestra

This clip is from the 1933 movie “International House”, which was a comedy starring a number of vaudeville comedians, and included, The Cab Calloway Orchestra performing “Reefer Man”.

A cannabis culture song from before marijuana prohibition was enacted by The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. Reefer Man is a popular classic from the speakeasy days of alcohol prohibition.

Cabell “Cab” Calloway III was a master of energetic scat singing and led one of the United States’ most popular African American big bands from the start of the 1930s through the late 1940s. Calloway’s band featured performers including trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie and Adolphus “Doc” Cheatham, saxophonists Ben Webster and Leon “Chu” Berry, New Orleans guitar ace Danny Barker, and bassist Milt Hinton. Calloway continued to perform until his death in 1994 at the age of 86.

“Reefer Man”

(1932) (uncredited)
Lyrics by Andy Razaf
Music by J. Russel Robinson
Sung by Cab Calloway with His Orchestra

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“Man whats the matter with that cat there?”
“must be full of reefer”
“full of reefer?!”
“yea man”
“you mean that cats high?!”
“sailing”
“sailing”
“sailing lightly”
“get away from here Man is that the reefer man?”
“thats the reefer man”
“I belive hes losing his mind”
“I think hes lost his mind!”

Oh have you ever met that funny reefer man reefer man
have you ever met that funny reefer man reefer man
If he said he swam to china, and he sell you south carolina
then you know your talkn to that reefer man
Have you ever met funny reefer man reefer man
Have you ever met funny reefer man reefer man
If he said he walks the ocean, any time he takes the notion
then you know your talkn to reefer man.

Have you ever met this funny reefer man reefer man
oh baby baby baby reefer man reefer man
If he trades you dimes for nickles
and calls watermellons pickles
then you know your talkn to that reefer man
Have you ever met funny reefer man reefer man
Have you ever met funny reefer man reefer man
If he takes a sudden mania
he’ll want to give you Pennsylvania
oh you know your talking to the reefer man

Have you ever met funny reefer man reefer man
Have you ever met funny reefer man reefer man
If he said one sweet is funny
because he wont sell me atlantic
then you know your talkin to that reefer man