"Tipitin" - Ronell Johnson

“Tipitin” (PDF) from the Ronell Johnson album, That Gentilly Swing.

Prolific Mexican composer María Grever found a home in New York City in the early-twentieth century among the songwriters of Tin Pan Alley. Her blend of regional Hispanic melodies and indigenous rhythms, along with first-hand training from European Impressionists, captured the attention of American jazz musicians while her lyricism inspired productions for the stage and screen. As as result, many of Grever’s published works are standard repertoire in the American songbook.

The song “Ti-Pi-Tin” became a hit for Grever when it was recorded in 1938 and popularized by a variety of performers, such as Guy Lombardo and The Andrews Sisters, despite its aggressive English translation by Raymond Leveen. The composer’s original lyrics portray the singer’s infatuation and admiration for the listener, utilizing the titular onomatopoeic refrain to describe the aroused heartbeat, whereas Leveen’s version describes a non-consensual affair between Rosita and the conveniently-named “Manuel-o,” punctuated by the suitor’s insistence and persistence over a rejected invitation. As unsettling as this translation may seem, Leveen included an additional English verse that re-frames the incident as a happily-ever-after encounter - Rosita’s testimony of the experience remains undocumented.

Regardless of its lyrical content, “Ti-Pi-Tin” has remained popular throughout New Orleans for its blended rhythmic quality - the habanera supporting bassline in the song’s refrain - and it became a New Orleans standard when the Preservation Hall Jazz Band recorded its version in 1999 for the album, Songs of New Orleans.

Here is a YouTube video of Ronell Johnson leading “Tipitin” with the Shotgun Jazz Band:

Recommended reading: María Grever: The Most Famous Unknown Person You Know by Jeanne Montalvo - https://soundgirls.org/maria-grever-the-most-famous-unknown-person-you-know/