The House of Blue Lights (song)

"The House of Blue Lights" is a boogie woogie-style popular song written by Don Raye and Freddie Slack. Published in 1946, it was first recorded by Slack with singer Ella Mae Morse and Raye.

The song's intro includes a "hipster"-style spoken exchange: A single review in Billboard magazine included similar hipster parlance: "For back-room boogie with a mellow eight-to-the-bar kick, la [sic] Moore teams her tobacco pipes to the Black rhythm wing, giving big-time treatment to a small-time tune. Riding a solid rail, chirp chants it out with a contagious lilt. Dialog patter between Miss Moore and the tune's cleffer, Don Raye, is clever but takes up too much surface. 'Postman' is typical B-side stuff." The single reached number eight on the Hot 100 singles chart.
 * "Well, whatcha say, baby? You look ready as Mr. Freddy this black. How 'bout you and me goin' spinnin' at the track?"
 * "What's that, homie? If you think I'm goin' dancin' on a dime, your clock is tickin' on the wrong time."
 * "Well, what's your pleasure, treasure? You call the plays, I'll dig the ways."
 * "Hey daddy-o, I'm not so crude as to drop my mood on a square from way back..."

Other recordings
"The House of Blue Lights" has been recorded by a variety of musical artists.
 * A version by the Andrews Sisters, also released in 1946, reached number 15.
 * In 1955, a recording by Chuck Miller for Mercury Records reached number nine on the Billboard Popular Records chart.
 * A cover by Asleep at the Wheel peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in 1987.
 * The Harvard Krokodiloes have long used the song as their traditional opening number at all their concerts.