The Scatman
By John Larkin
John "The Scatman" Larkin wrote:
"Two of the four verses to "Scatman" deal directly with stuttering....they are:
- "Everybody stutters one way or the other so check out my message to you. As a matter of fact don't let nothin' hold you back if the Scatman can do it....so can you."
- Everybody's saying that the Scatman stutters but doesn't ever stutter when he sings.....but what you don't know I gonna tell you right now that the stutter and the scat is the same thing....yo I'm the Scatman"
The words are intended for kids and youth.
The first verse simply says that we all have problems; and with the courage to accept yourself just as you are and deal with those problems, you can have a good life and a stronger life as the very result of having those problems....and if I can get on with my life, so can you.
The second verse says that the stutter and the scat are the very same thing....by that I mean that the biggest influence to my scatsinging has been my stutter.
(a) The stutter taught me to pronounce the scat syllables the way you hear them on the song.
(b) It can be useful to see scatsinging as "released" stuttering....or "fluent" stuttering.
My scatsinging is unique......because I stutter.....therefore my greatest problem has become my greatest asset."
John Larkin
