"South America, Take it Away" - Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters

From the Billboard top 30 of 1946, this is one of my favorites for adding in a little dance while doing house or kitchen work--or maybe for a quick mental pick-me-up break at work:

Listen right now with this player, or click here to download the mp3 free from Archive.org.

Aren't those lyrics fun? No love stories here. Just clever twists and rhymes as the singers lament how the newly popular Latin dancing styles are causing such difficulty in their lives.

"South America, Take It Away," written by Harold Rome, was first introduced in the post-World War II Broadway revue "Call Me Mister," which opened in the National Theater on April 18, 1946.1 It was the lament of a canteen hostess, performed by Betty Garrett and preserved for us in this photo by Life Magazine.2, 3 Unlike the Andrews Sisters, in the original lyrics, she declares: "To put it plainly, I'm tired of shakin' my Pan American can."4

I recall a "Jack Benny Show" radio episode in which they worked in Mary Livingstone humming or singing snatches of this. If I find it, I'll post the link.

Desi Arnaz, whose trademark "Babalu " is referenced in the popular Crosby and Andrews Sisters' recording, made his own musical comedy response, "I'll Take the Rhumba."⁵ Here he provides his own demonstrations of both rhumba and jive, in both song and dance, and bids the viewer to consider which one is really more harmful to the back:

In addition to referencing "South America, Take Me Away," Arnaz also seems to be parodying "Minnie the Moocher," "Open the Door, Richard," and the scat-singing of American performers popular at the time (possibly Danny Kaye in particular, or perhaps others?). Do you recognize any more? If so, please share below.

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Acknowledgements, References, and Additional Links

¹Stanley Green, Broadway Musicals, Show by Show,5th ed., Hal Leonard Corporation, Milwaukee, WI, 1996, p. 129.

²"'Call Me Mister,' Broadway's Biggest Revue Hit is Written and Performed by Ex-GI's," Life Magazine, May 27, 1946, p.131-137.

³My thanks go to Wordpress blogger Songbook1 for pointing out originating musical and the related Life Magazine photograph.

⁴This is the Army / Call Me Mister / Winged Victory (Original Cast Album), Decca Broadway

⁵Special thanks go to Nelson Guirado for bringing Desi Arnaz's response to light in his Cubanocast Blog, "The Swing-Rhumba war of 1945: Desi, Bing, Laverne, Patti, and Maxine," January 3, 2009. You can check out his blog for his (presumably) tongue-in-cheek commentary on this "war," as well as links to an album recording of Arnaz' "I'll Take the Rhumba."

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Eve Arden in "Stage Door" (1937)

Yesterday evening's viewing started as one of those chance stumbles. I really don't remember what I was looking over at YouTube when I was provided with a side-link to Eve Arden's appearance on "What's My Line. " What a classy lady. Simultaneously elegant and down-to-earth. (I think she mentions at the end something about living on a farm?)

I know Eve Arden more for her radio work than screen appearances. My mother enjoyed listening to "Our Miss Brooks" in the radio years, before the popular show transitioned to television. It was among the first series I listened to when Golden Age Radio began to become widely available online. My favorite "Our Miss Brooks" radio episode comes from 24 April 1954: "Cow in the Closet:" I had heard Eve Arden in support roles on various other radio shows, though, oddly enough, I never sampled radio's "The Danny Kaye Show" until just a few months ago. Likewise, I was unaware of her earlier film and theater work until just recently, so I did not realize how such previous roles had set the stage for the sardonically wisecracking Miss Connie Brooks.

			Apparently her supporting role in "Stage Door" (1937) was largely responsible for garnering her attention and for setting the pattern for so many of her future roles. She is shown here with Ginger Rogers and the ever-present cat who was so accommodating in working with her throughout the picture.
That cat was a wonderful device for her part, drawing visual attention and interest to her character. I think it also helped communicate a softer, well-intentioned heart beneath the wisecracks.

Arden is not listed among the opening credits of "Stage Door," but Lucille Ball is. I have to laugh at myself. I noticed Ms. Ball's name in the opening credits, but then didn't recognize her throughout the entire movie and forgot to look for her! In fact, I kept scrutinizing her, thinking how "that young actress" reminded me so much of another young actress who came much later, in the late 1980's.

"Oh, By Jingo (Oh By Gee, You're the Only Girl for Me)"

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"All the By-Goshes, with hearts down to their galoshes!"

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I found this song while working late one night. Maybe it was my mood at the time, but I was hooked! I purchased an mp3 and was singing and humming this for a week, dancing along while doing housework.

Performed by Danny Kaye and an unknown "Male Quartet," circa 1948:
(Be ready with "boom chik-a, boom chik-a" if you want to sing along.)

I love how you can actually hear Danny Kaye smiling as he sings the end of the first chorus.

The cleaned-up version which I downloaded from Amazon.com is incredible; it sounds like you are standing right there with the singers at the microphone. I highly recommend it.

Scroll down for lyrics and more renditions from "Jeeves and Wooster," Spike Jones, etc.

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"Oh, By Jingo (Oh, By Gee, You're the Only Girl for Me)"

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1919 Original by Lew Brown / Al Von Tilzer
These lyrics [and improvisations in brackets] are transcribed from the 1949 Brunswick recording by Danny Kaye and Male Quartet, Directed by Vic Schoen.

The second verse is a substitution from the 1919 original and not found in recordings by others. (It sounds like the work of Sylvia Fine, but that is just a surmise on my part.)

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In the land of San Domingo
Lived a girl called Oh-By-Jingo.
[Hoh - bow - do-oh-du-lee-dee-oh-bow--wow]
[boom chik-a, boom chik-a, boom chik-a, boom chik]
From the fields and from the marshes
Came the old and young By-Goshes
[Oh - la - ha- luka-taka-saka-maki--laka ma ]
[boom chik-a, boom chik-a, boom chik-a, boom chik]
Though they spoke a different lingo.
They all loved Oh-By-Jingo
And every night They sang in the pale moon light:

"Oh by Gee, by Gosh, by Gum, by Jove!
[Kitchy-koo, Kitchy-koo, Kitchy-koo.]
Oh By Jingo, won't you hear our love?
[Kitchy-koo, Kitchy-koo, Kitchy-koo.]
We will build for you a hut.
You will be our favorite nut.
We'll have a lot of little Oh-By-Gollies,
Then we'll put them all in the Follies.
[-] By-Jingo said by Gosh, by Gee,
[Kitchy-koo, Kitchy-koo, Kitchy-koo.]
[oh] By Jiminy please don't bother me. [Don't bother me.]
So they all went away singing oh by Gee,
By Gosh, by Gum, by Jove, by Jingo,
Oh, By-Jiminy you're the girl for me!" {original: "By Gee, You're the only girl for me.}

Home they went with spirits wilted
On account of they were jilted
[All the By-Goshes, with hearts down to their galoshes!]
All winter long they brooded-- That is, all but very few did.
[They left to join a fan club for Lana Toyn-a.] [1]
The rest wrote to Beatrice Fairfax [2]
Got the how-to-make-him-care facts
So came the spring
They sailed once more to sing:

"Oh by Gee, by Gosh, by Gum, by Jove!
Oh by Jiminy you're the one we love!
We will build for you a hut.
You will be our favorite nut.
Then we'll have a bunch of Oh-By-Gollies
And we'll put them all in the Follies
[Oh] By Gee, by Gosh, by . . .
[improv segment]

By Jiminy you're the one for me!"

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[1] Lana Turner
[2] Beatrice Fairfax was the "Dear Abby" of New York papers at the turn of the 1900's and at least from 1929 until 1945.

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For you "Jeeves and Wooster" fans, their rendition:

Spike Jones and his Band have a surprisingly nice rendition, provided here courtesy of Archive.org. Play it on the ribbon player below, or download the mp3 here:

Below is a ragtime piano version, with Tom Brier & Adam Swanson jamming late night at The Annual Blind Boone Ragtime & Early Jazz Festival (date unknown):

Let me know if you find any of these fun!

Intentions for this Blog Space

You have stumbled onto my new blog before I have even had a chance to move beyond this first post!  This area is definitely under construction.

I am hoping to use this blog as a space where I can discuss some of the vintage media which I am enjoying, to compile some of the link lists and assorted facts I've brought together, and to share these with others.  Perhaps others can answer some of my questions, too, or share their own thoughts.

I'm currently enjoying Danny Kaye's work, listening to his radio recordings and viewing his movies in chronological order.  To quote Hedda Hopper, "Wow!"  I'm still in his 1940's work--except for some of his recorded albums and television clips courtesy of YouTube.  No rush.  I'm enjoying this like a good meal:  chewing slowly and savoring every bite!

Most of my vintage media experience is with Golden Age Radio comedy and variety shows, which, in turn, have introduced me to more stars and songs of the late 1930's through the 1950's, and thus sent me back to classic movies and early television.