Lapti Nek

"Lapti Nek" was a song by the Max Rebo Band. It was created in impromptu fashion following the group's arrival to Jabba's Palace on the planet Tatooine. Having arrived late, the band was already out of favor with the dangerous Hutt crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure. In an attempt to appease him, Max Rebo crafted a rhythm on his red ball jett organ that the band's lead vocalist, Sy Snootles, quickly improvised lyrics to. The lead horn player Droopy McCool also incorporated a chindinkalu flute riff, and the song pleased Jabba. Rebo would later name the song "Fancy Man" (or "Lapti Nek" in Huttese) and it became one of the band's signatures. Jabba counted it among his favorites, and it grew to be a staple at his palace.

The song's instrumentation was inspired by a dream that Rebo had the night before the song's inception, which turned out to be a memory of one of his father Jeph Rebo's performances. More rooted in than the band's traditional jatz, "Lapti Nek" had an emphasized downbeat, synthesized percussion and kloo horns, and a four-bar bassline. The song was in the key of cresh.

"Lapti Nek" (or "Fancy Man") was originally featured in the theatrical cut of Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi before being replaced with "Jedi Rocks" in the 1997 Special Edition. The song would later be included in the Star Wars Galaxy of Adventures episode Jabba the Hutt - Galactic Gangster. However, these shorts are not meant to be taken as literal canon fact.

The English lyrics were written by Joseph Williams then translated into Huttese by sound department assistant (and aspiring reggae singer) Annie Arbogast. Ben Burtt then recorded Arbogast performing the number for the temp track with the intent of replacing it later with another performer. Despite this, executive producer George Lucas and composer John Williams decided to retain Arbogast's temp track in the theatrical cut. During rehearsals and shooting, "Fancy Man" was sung in English.

For the soundtrack album, Williams opted to include a different version of the song, this time with performing Sy's vocals. Gruska had been the original singing voice for Sy.

(Spelling inconsistencies are retained from the original music sheets.)

WEX AB QUECK ZENICK FESI

(My body heat is risin')

JUP COL IM INNAHIZ JAL

(My soul is sympathisin')

WAH TOC PEG QUI DOZ GEE PIF

(A lovin' man is comin')

BOT GOC JARRAZ BAS DEQ XZOR ZE ZOT

(So I'm shapin' up an' workin' out.)

YEQ JEN WIH TUS TER MO VEY

(I feel my heart a pumpin')

QUI NEB BE OG EZEN NON

(My whole brain is thumpin')

RA WOK LAPTI NEK SEB NOT VAN

(Yes, a fancy man is comin')

BOT JOC JARRAS BAS DEQ XZOR SE VAT

(I'm shapin' up an' workin' out.)

NUK PEMENT ELK

(Well, people sing)

KIV BAH TOH WEP

(You gotta work you mind)

JEX PI VA BEP

(You gotta train to beat)

HEG BUDAS XAT

(You gotta be okay)

PAS COJEC ZES

(You gotta walk the street)

RAT RAW WIM JOCT

(You gotta move your bod)

CO JOPPI QUAF

(You gotta work your feet).

BOT GOC JARREZ BAS DU XZOR SE VAT

(We're shapin' up an' workin' out.)

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