Mr. Bojangles ( song ) - wikipedia Mr. Bojangles ( song ) For the 1936 song, see Swing Time ( film ) # Musical_numbers. `` Mr. Bojangles '' Single by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band from the album Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy B - side `` Uncle Charlie Interview # 2 / Spanish Fandango '' ( later replaced with `` Mr. Bojangles '' w / o prologue ) Released November 1970 Format 5209 Genre Country, folk Length 5 : 15 3 : 35 ( without prologue ) Label Liberty Songwriter ( s ) Jerry Jeff Walker Producer ( s ) William McEuen The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band singles chronology `` Buy Me for the Rain '' ( 1967 ) `` Mr. Bojangles '' ( 1970 ) `` House at Pooh Corner '' ( 1971 ) `` Buy Me for the Rain '' ( 1967 ) `` Mr. Bojangles '' ( 1970 ) `` House at Pooh Corner '' ( 1971 ) `` Mr. Bojangles '' / `` I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen '' Single by Robbie Williams from the album Swing When You 're Winning B - side `` The Lady Is a Tramp '' Released 11 March 2002 Format CD single Recorded Genre Pop, swing Length 3 : 15 ( `` Mr. Bojangles '' ) 3 : 17 ( `` I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen '' ) 2 : 55 ( `` The Lady Is a Tramp '' ) Label EMI Songwriter ( s ) Jerry Jeff Walker Producer ( s ) Guy Chambers Robbie Williams singles chronology `` Somethin ' Stupid '' ( 2002 ) `` Mr. Bojangles '' / `` I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen '' ( 2002 ) `` My Culture '' ( 2002 ) `` Somethin ' Stupid '' ( 2002 ) `` Mr. Bojangles '' / `` I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen '' ( 2002 ) `` My Culture '' ( 2002 ) Music video `` Mr. Bojangles '' on YouTube `` I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen '' on YouTube `` Mr. Bojangles '' is a song written and originally recorded by American country music artist Jerry Jeff Walker for his 1968 album of the same title. Since then, it has been recorded by many other artists, including US country music band the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, whose version ( recorded for the 1970 album Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy ) was issued as a single and rose to # 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971. Live versions of the song appeared on Walker 's 1977 album, A Man Must Carry On and his 1980 album The Best of Jerry Jeff Walker. The NGDB 's single version begins with the Uncle Charlie interview ( subtitled `` Prologue : Uncle Charlie and his Dog Teddy '' ) that also precedes the song on the Uncle Charlie album. It was originally backed with another interview with Uncle Charlie, also taken from the album. When `` Mr. Bojangles '' started climbing the charts, the B - side was re-pressed with the same song without the interview. NGDB guitarist Jeff Hanna performed most of the lead vocals on the track, with bandmate Jim Ibbotson performing harmony vocals ; the two switched these roles on the last verse. British pop singer Robbie Williams recorded the song for his 2001 album, Swing When You 're Winning. In early 2002, he released the song as a double A-side with `` I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen ''. Released exclusively in Central and Eastern Europe, the single did not manage to break into the top forty in any country, but the songs, especially `` Mr. Bojangles '', became substantial radio hits around Europe. Contents 1 Content 2 Recorded versions 3 Chart history 3.1 Weekly charts 3.1. 1 Jerry Jeff Walker 3.1. 2 The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band 3.1. 3 Nina Simone 3.1. 4 Robbie Williams version 3.2 Year - end charts 3.2. 1 The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band 4 References 5 External links Content Walker has said he was inspired to write the song after an encounter with a street performer in a New Orleans jail. While in jail for public intoxication in 1965, he met a homeless white man who called himself `` Mr. Bojangles '' to conceal his true identity from the police. He had been arrested as part of a police sweep of indigent people that was carried out following a high - profile murder. The two men and others in the cell chatted about all manner of things, but when Mr. Bojangles told a story about his dog, the mood in the room turned heavy. Someone else in the cell asked for something to lighten the mood, and Mr. Bojangles obliged with a tap dance. The song is notated in two time signatures : 3 / 4 and 6 / 8. Recorded versions The song was first recorded by friend and popular Austin performer Allen Wayne Damron during a live performance at the Chequered Flag folk club in Austin in 1967. Jerry Jeff Walker recorded his single version ( with Bobby Woods, Charlie Freeman, Sandy Rhodes, Tommy McClure, Sammy Creason, and a string orchestra ) in Memphis, Tennessee on June 7, 1968, and it was released by Atco Records ( Atco # 6594 ) on June 20. He also recorded a non-string version in New York City for his album Mr. Bojangles with David Bromberg, Gary Illingworth, Danny Milhon, Bobby Cranshaw, Jody Stecher, Donny Brooks, Ron Carter, Bill LaVorgna, and Jerry Jemmott. It was released by Atco ( Atco # 33 - 259 ) on September 25, 1968. Since then Walker 's song has been recorded by many popular artists : Kristofer Åström, Chet Atkins, Hugues Aufray ( French version, 1984 ), Harry Belafonte, Bermuda Triangle Band, David Bromberg, Garth Brooks, Dennis Brown, George Burns, JJ Cale, David Campbell, Bobby Cole, Edwyn Collins, Jim Croce, Jamie Cullum, King Curtis, Sammy Davis Jr., John Denver, Neil Diamond, Cornell Dupree, Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie, Tom T. Hall, John Holt, Whitney Houston, Queen Ifrica, Billy Joel, Dave Jarvis, Elton John, Frankie Laine, Lulu, Rod McKuen, Don McLean, MC Neat, Bebe Neuwirth, Harry Nilsson, Dolly Parton, Johnny Paycheck, Esther Phillips, Ray Quinn, Mike Schank, Helge Schneider, Nina Simone, Corben Simpson, Todd Snider, Cat Stevens, Jim Stafford, Jud Strunk, Radka Toneff, Bradley Walsh, Robbie Williams, and Paul Winter. A dance choreographed by Bob Fosse to the song appeared in the 1999 West End and Broadway theatre show Fosse, having previously been featured in Fosse 's 1978 show Dancin '. Furthermore, composer Philip Glass makes reference to `` Mr. Bojangles '' in his minimalist opera Einstein on the Beach. Jim Carrey also performed this song in his early stand - up and in his first movie Copper Mountain. Sammy Davis, Jr performed the song on television, as did William Shatner. In an episode of The Simpsons titled `` Milhouse Does n't Live Here Anymore '', Homer sings a version of the song while panhandling. In 2016, Bradley Walsh recorded the song for his debut album, Chasing Dreams. Christian McBride included the song in his 2017 album Bringin ' It. Chart history Weekly charts Jerry Jeff Walker Chart ( 1968 ) Peak position U.S. Billboard Hot 100 77 The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Chart ( 1970 -- 71 ) Peak position Australia KMR 15 Canada ( RPM ) Top Singles Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 28 New Zealand ( Listener ) U.S. Billboard Hot 100 9 U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 10 U.S. Cash Box Top 100 9 Chart ( 1991 ) Peak position Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) 68 Nina Simone Chart ( 1988 ) Peak position UK Singles Chart ( OCC ) 96 Robbie Williams version Chart ( 2002 ) Peak position Dutch Singles Chart 66 Swiss Singles Chart 68 German Singles Chart 77 Year - end charts The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Chart ( 1971 ) Rank Australia 94 Canada 36 US Billboard Hot 100 44 US Cash Box 45 References Jump up ^ Hanna, Jeff ( 2013 ). `` The Making of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band 's ' Mr. Bojangles. ' '' Grammy.com ( December 27, 2013 ). Retrieved 5 - 29 - 2016. Jump up ^ Walker, Jerry Jeff ( 2000 ). Gypsy Songman. Woodford Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 942627 - 57 - 2. Jump up ^ The Man Who Was Bojangles. BBC Radio 4. 11.30, August 23, 2008 Jump up ^ The Handbook of Texas : Damron, Allen Wayne Linked 2016 - 09 - 16 Jump up ^ Jud Strunk, Jud Strunk 's Downeast Viewpoint ( peter rip0 Retrieved June 19, 2016. Jump up ^ Collar, Matt. `` Christian McBride Big Band : Bringin ' It ''. Allmusic. allmusic.com. Retrieved 2 October 2017. Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- Nitty Gritty Dirt Band '' ( in Dutch ). Dutch Top 40. Jump up ^ Flavour of New Zealand, 31 May 1971 Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 1993 ). Top Adult Contemporary : 1961 -- 1993. Record Research. p. 177. Jump up ^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, February 27, 1971 Jump up ^ `` Top RPM Country Tracks : Issue 1592. '' RPM. Library and Archives Canada. August 10, 1991. Retrieved September 8, 2013. Jump up ^ Official Charts, 03.05. 1988 Jump up ^ `` Mr. Bojangles / I Will Talk And Hollywood Will Listen '' Chart Positions Jump up ^ Kent, David ( 1993 ). Australian Chart Book 1970 -- 1992 ( doc ) format = requires url = ( help ). Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0 - 646 - 11917 - 6. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. collectionscanada.gc.ca. Jump up ^ Musicoutfitters.com Jump up ^ Cash Box Year - End Charts : Top 100 Pop Singles, December 25, 1971 External links Lyrics at oldielyrics.com Jerry Jeff Walker Studio albums Viva Terlingua Songs `` Mr. Bojangles '' `` Desperados Waiting for a Train '' `` Trashy Women '' Related Circus Maximus Django Walker H.R. Stoneback Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Bob Carpenter Jimmie Fadden Jeff Hanna John McEuen Studio albums The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Ricochet Rare Junk Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy All the Good Times Stars & Stripes Forever Symphonion Dream The Dirt Band An American Dream Make a Little Magic Jealousy Let 's Go Plain Dirt Fashion Partners, Brothers and Friends Hold On Workin ' Band The Rest of the Dream Not Fade Away Acoustic The Christmas Album Bang, Bang, Bang Welcome to Woody Creek Speed of Life Collaboration albums Will the Circle Be Unbroken Will the Circle Be Unbroken : Volume Two Will the Circle Be Unbroken : Volume III Live albums Alive Live Two Five Compilation albums Dirt, Silver and Gold Twenty Years of Dirt More Great Dirt Notable singles `` Mr. Bojangles '' `` House at Pooh Corner '' `` I Saw the Light '' `` Jambalaya ( On the Bayou ) '' `` The Battle of New Orleans '' `` All I Have to Do Is Dream '' `` An American Dream '' `` Dance Little Jean '' `` Long Hard Road ( The Sharecropper 's Dream ) '' `` I Love Only You '' `` High Horse '' `` Modern Day Romance '' `` Home Again in My Heart '' `` Partners, Brothers and Friends '' `` Fire in the Sky '' `` Baby 's Got a Hold on Me '' `` Fishin ' in the Dark '' `` Oh What a Love '' `` Workin ' Man ( Nowhere to Go ) '' `` I 've Been Lookin ' '' `` Down That Road Tonight '' `` Turn of the Century '' `` And So It Goes '' ( with John Denver ) `` When It 's Gone '' `` I Fought the Law '' Related articles Discography Jimmy Ibbotson Bernie Leadon Robbie Williams Discography Videography Singles Songs Awards and nominations Studio albums Life thru a Lens I 've Been Expecting You Sing When You 're Winning Swing When You 're Winning Escapology Intensive Care Rudebox Reality Killed the Video Star Take the Crown Swings Both Ways The Heavy Entertainment Show Compilation albums The Ego Has Landed Greatest Hits The Best So Far Songbook In and Out of Consciousness : Greatest Hits 1990 -- 2010 Robbie Williams : Classic Album Selection Under the Radar Volume 1 Under the Radar Volume 2 Live albums Live at Knebworth Robbie Williams : Live at the O2 Video compilations Live at the Albert The Robbie Williams Show What We Did Last Summer And Through It All : Robbie Williams Live 1997 -- 2006 Concert tours Show Off Must Go On Tour Ego Has Landed Tour One More for the Rogue Tour 1999 Tour The Sermon on the Mount Tour 2003 Tour Close Encounters Tour Take the Crown Stadium Tour Swings Both Ways Live Let Me Entertain You Tour The Heavy Entertainment Show Tour Musical theatre The Band The Boy in the Dress Related articles Take That Britpop Guy Chambers We Sing Robbie Williams Book Robbie Williams singles Life thru a Lens `` Old Before I Die '' `` Lazy Days '' `` South of the Border '' `` Angels '' `` Let Me Entertain You '' I 've Been Expecting You `` Millennium '' `` No Regrets '' `` Strong '' `` She 's the One '' / `` It 's Only Us '' `` Win Some Lose Some '' Sing When You 're Winning `` Rock DJ '' `` Kids '' `` Supreme '' `` Let Love Be Your Energy '' `` Eternity '' / `` The Road to Mandalay '' `` Better Man '' Swing When You 're Winning `` Somethin ' Stupid '' `` Mr. Bojangles / I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen '' Escapology `` Feel '' `` Come Undone '' `` Something Beautiful '' `` Sexed Up '' Greatest Hits `` Radio '' `` Misunderstood '' Intensive Care `` Tripping '' `` Make Me Pure '' `` Advertising Space '' `` Sin Sin Sin '' Rudebox `` Rudebox '' `` Lovelight '' `` She 's Madonna '' `` Bongo Bong and Je ne t'aime plus '' Reality Killed the Video Star `` Bodies '' `` You Know Me '' `` Morning Sun '' In and Out of Consciousness `` Shame '' Take the Crown `` Candy '' `` Different '' `` Be a Boy '' Swings Both Ways `` Go Gentle '' `` Dream a Little Dream '' `` Shine My Shoes '' The Heavy Entertainment Show `` Party Like a Russian '' `` Love My Life '' `` Mixed Signals '' Other non-album singles `` Freedom '' `` United '' `` Close My Eyes '' Featured singles `` My Culture '' `` Goin ' Crazy '' `` The Days '' Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mr._Bojangles_(song)&oldid=849365451 '' Categories : 1968 songs 1970 singles 1971 singles 2002 singles Bob Dylan songs Jerry Jeff Walker songs Nina Simone songs Neil Diamond songs Jud Strunk songs Sammy Davis Jr. songs Nancy Wilson ( jazz singer ) songs Nitty Gritty Dirt Band songs Lulu ( singer ) songs Tom T. Hall songs Liberty Records singles Robbie Williams songs Songs about dancing Songs about actors Songs about musicians Hidden categories : Pages using citations with format and no URL Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from September 2016 Singlechart usages for Dutch40 Singlechart usages for Canadacountry Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song All articles with failed verification Articles with failed verification from January 2018 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Français Italiano Magyar Norsk Norsk nynorsk Polski Edit links This page was last edited on 8 July 2018, at 13 : 35 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who sang the original version of mr bojangles
Answer: Jerry Jeff Walker