Ronald E. Bornstein
Cole Porter Valentines: Amorous and Glamorous
Ronald E. Bornstein | Cole Porter Valentines Amorous and Glamorous | 02.14.24
Visuals and music played throughout the presentation.
- Hello, it’s Ron Bornstein again. My topic for today is Cole Porter songs, which have different takes on love, either finding it, having it, losing it, and some are sweet and some are bittersweet. And, you know, some are, some will be familiar and some will not be familiar, as is the case for various artists. But before I get to that, I want to talk to you about, just briefly, a programme tomorrow at this time, presented by Marc Dollinger, who’s a professor in San Francisco, who’s very knowledgeable about the history of the Jewish people in California, and also race and religious questions on campus. So, I’m looking forward to that. And the other thing I just wanted to note in passing is the day before yesterday was the 100th anniversary of the first performance of “Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin, and I would feel remiss if I did not do that. Okay, let’s go into Cole Porter.
He was born in 1891. He died in 1964, 60 years ago. And he wrote a staggering number of songs touching on aspects of love. In order to do him justice, you would have to listen not to the 15 or so that we have for you today, but many, many more. In the words of his contemporary, Lorenz Hart, of Rogers and Hart, “You could do a Cole Porter song each day, "and each day would be Valentine’s Day.” Or you could do one every Valentine’s Day for many years. So I’d like to start with a song by Cole Porter from the 1920s. But before that, I’d like to talk to you about the man who’s going to perform it. His name is Bobby Short. He was born in 1924, a hundred years ago. He was a prodigy who grew up in the Midwest and became a, what he would call, a saloon singer at an early age. He’s probably best known for his many decades at the Carlyle Hotel’s Cafe Carlyle in New York. And we are going to hear a clip from him singing there. He was a great expert on The Great American Songbook. He often had interchanges with Ira Gershwin and later Stephen Sondheim.
And Cole Porter heard him perform his songs, and he thanked him for doing that. He also found a lot of lost songs by various composers, and he was quite successful. He moved into Leonard Bernstein’s apartment after the Bernstein’s left, over Carnegie Hall. And he also had a villa in the south of France that was located in Mougins, that he called Villa Manhattan. He was a scholar of Black songwriters and mounted a programme on Broadway called Black Broadway. He was a great fan of Duke Ellington, and he crusaded to have a monument built to Duke Ellington on the northeast side of Central Park, which is there today. He was not only a songwriter. He was also a great, great pianist. And I often think of him and Nat King Cole, who started as a pianist and then obviously became a vastly famous and popular vocalist. Okay, let’s go into this song, “I’m in Love Again,” Bobby Short.
♪ Music plays ♪
♪ Why am I ♪ ♪ Just as reckless as a child ♪ ♪ Why am I ♪ ♪ Like a racehorse running wild ♪ ♪ Why am I ♪ ♪ In a state of ecstasy ♪ ♪ The reason is ‘cause something’s happened to me ♪ ♪ I’m in love again ♪ ♪ Ad the spring is comin’ ♪ ♪ I’m in love again ♪ ♪ Hear my heart strings strummin’ ♪ ♪ I’m in love again ♪ ♪ And the hymn they’re hummin’ ♪ ♪ Is those huddle up, cuddle up blues ♪ ♪ I’m in love again ♪ ♪ And I can’t rise above it ♪ ♪ I’m in love again ♪ ♪ And I love, love, love it ♪ ♪ I’m in love again, and I’m darn glad of it ♪ ♪ Good news ♪ ♪ La da da ♪ ♪ Da da da da ♪ ♪ La da da da ♪ ♪ La da da da ♪ ♪ I’m in love again ♪ ♪ And the hymn they’re hummin’ ♪ ♪ Is those cuddle up, huddle up blues ♪ ♪ I’m in love again ♪ ♪ And I can’t rise above it ♪ ♪ I’m in love again ♪ ♪ And I love, love, love it ♪ ♪ I’m in love again ♪ ♪ And I’m darned glad of it ♪ ♪ Good news ♪
That’s a picture of me at Bobby Short Place around the corner from the Carlyle Hotel in New York a number of years ago. I was a great, and still am, a great fan of Bobby Short. I saw him over five decades many times at Cafe Carlyle, which was close to where I lived. And then later in my life, and later in his life, obviously, in California, both of the Robert Mondavi Winery, an outdoor concert, which was fabulous, and then a concert hall, and that was fabulous, too. Just before he died. A great contributor to The Great American Songbook. There are a lot of his recordings online, and as well as some interviews with him. He used to have a programme on WQXR, the New York Times FM station, every week, talking about The Great American Songbook. Really wonderful contributor to American Music. Okay, next, please. Okay, this is a song which will start in French, obviously, and then end in English. Sung by an American who is bilingual and very well known, Josephine Baker. Play it please.
♪ Music plays ♪
♪ You’d be so easy to love ♪ ♪ So easy to idolise ♪ ♪ All others above ♪ ♪ So worth the yearning for ♪ ♪ So swell to keep every home fire burning for ♪ ♪ We’d be so grand at the game ♪ ♪ So carefree together ♪ ♪ That it does seem a shame ♪ ♪ That you can’t see ♪ ♪ Your future with me ♪ ♪ Cause you’d be oh, oh, so easy to love ♪
Hey, let’s hold it there for a minute. A few words about the song, “Easy to Love.” It was a great hit from “Anything Goes” from 1934, and it was rewritten for a film called “Born to Dance,” starring Jimmy Stewart and Eleanor Powell. And it was rewritten in order to fit the film a bit, and there’s a very sweet clip that you can find on YouTube of James Stewart singing “Easy to Love.” So it’s really a lovely surprise to see the young Jimmy Stewart doing that. And there are a few lyrics. I’m going to add a few lyrics that were not usually recorded, just to give you some idea of Porter’s versatility. There’s one line that ends… ♪ So sweet to waken with ♪ ♪ So swell to sit down to eggs and bacon with ♪ ♪ Oh, how we bloom, how we thrive ♪ ♪ In a cottage for two or even three, four, or five ♪
Excuse my voice, I can’t sing very well. And those lyrics I guess were thought a little bit too risque for public consumption, other than, well at least for broadcast. They were included in the show. Okay, next slide, please. Okay, this is the Pantheon in Paris on the Left Bank in the 5th arrondissement. And this is what it looked like prior to the induction of Josephine Baker into the Pantheon, which is a great, great, great honour. I think she was the first Black woman inducted into the Pantheon. Even though she was born in America and she spent a great deal of, you know, most of her later life in France, and she was not only a singer and a dancer. She was in the resistance during World War II. She gave a talk at the March on Washington in 1964, I think, ‘63 or '64, which was very moving. Great campaigner for peace and for harmony among all people, whatever their race or religion or nationality. Great, great personality in France. And she adopted, you know, many children and had a chateau where they all lived. It’s a very moving story.
Okay, this is a map, and the red dot on the left, St. Louis, Missouri, where Josephine Baker was born and lived before she moved to France. The one in the middle is Peru, or Peru, Indiana, where Cole Porter was born and grew up. And the dot on the right is Danville, Illinois, where Bobby Short was born and grew up. Then to the right is Ohio, and Cleveland, Ohio, is where the next performer grew up. He wasn’t born there. He was born in England. And then to the right of that is Pennsylvania, and in the western part of Pennsylvania we have two singers, both Black, later in this presentation, who are from Pittsburgh. And of these, the three shown here, yeah, both Bobby Short and Cole Porter were buried in their native towns of Peru, Indiana, and Danville, Illinois. Okay, next slide, please. The fellow who grew up in Cleveland, but was born in England. This is a very early video recording of Bob Hope before he was famous. He had done some work in Vaudeville, but was not known. And he gets second billing here. And “Paree, Paree,” was a distillation, a short distillation of the 1929 musical by Cole Porter, which was a great hit called “50 Million Frenchmen.” We’ll come back to another clip from from them later.
But I think this tune will be familiar. Next slide, please. Okay, this is the certificate mention for the production code, which, and it’s number 70, so it’s probably pretty early, 1933 or 1934. Next please. Okay, here, Dorothy Stone gets top billing. And Bob Hope yeah, is co-starred, but he’s certainly not the the star. But we’re going to go on and see him in his younger days. And I hope you enjoy this. Next, please.
[Clip plays]
Oh, Ms. Carroll, Ms. Carroll, I’m a friend of Michael Cumming.
Are you sure you’re not a maniac?
Will you marry me?
You are a maniac.
Oh, but, wait, wait, please, Miss. Oh, but wait a minute, please marry me.
Well, I’m not in the habit of marrying strange men.
Oh, but I’m crazy about you.
Well, you’re crazy about something.
Well, may I call you by whatever your first name is?
My name is Lulu.
Oh, they named you right. You’re sure a Lulu.
Please. Now I’m very busy, Billy. Thanks for the proposal. I’ll think it over.
Oh, I wish you’d marry me.
Does Paris affect you like this?
Oh, it isn’t Paris, it’s you.
♪ You do something to me ♪ ♪ Something that simply mystifies me ♪ ♪ Tell me, why should it be ♪ ♪ You have the power to hypnotise me ♪ ♪ Let me live 'neath your spell ♪ ♪ Do, do that voodoo that you do so well ♪ ♪ For you do something to me ♪ ♪ That nobody else could do ♪ ♪ You do something to me ♪ ♪ Something that simply mystifies me ♪
[Clip ends]
Okay, thank you. Next slide, please. Okay, these are, actually, they’re going to be three songs. A melody sung by Lena Horne at the Waldorf Astoria, which had several nightclubs. It was very, very, very popular. And she called these surprising Cole Porter songs. And you know about Lena Horne, we’ve discussed her on Lockdown before. Great singer, great personality, great crusader for civil rights and women’s rights and in a number of films that we’ve seen on Lockdown. Okay, start the clip, please.
♪ Music plays ♪
♪ In Italia the signori are so very amatory ♪ ♪ That their passion, a priori, is amor ♪ ♪ Is it always amor ♪ ♪ Si, sempre amore ♪ ♪ And in Napoli and Pisa ♪ ♪ Every man has on his knees a ♪ ♪ Little private Mona Lisa to adore ♪ ♪ As I once said before it’s always amore ♪ ♪ The result is when Italians ♪ ♪ meet a friend that’s been away ♪ ♪ Instead of saying how’s your health ♪ ♪ They say ♪ ♪ How’s your romance ♪ ♪ How is it going ♪ ♪ Waning or glowing ♪ ♪ How’s your romance ♪ ♪ Does he or not ♪ ♪ Love you an awful lot ♪ ♪ Cold, tepid, warm, or hot ♪ ♪ Hows your romance ♪ ♪ Do you from the moment you met him ♪ ♪ Never never never forget him ♪ ♪ Do you when he sends you a letter ♪ ♪ Begin to go into a dance ♪ ♪ Break me the news ♪ ♪ I’m with you win or lose ♪ ♪ Just tell me hows and whos ♪ ♪ Your romance ♪ ♪ After you, who ♪ ♪ Could supply my sky of blue ♪ ♪ After you, who ♪ ♪ Could I love ♪ ♪ After you, why ♪ ♪ Should I take the time to try ♪ ♪ For who else could qualify ♪ ♪ After you, who ♪ ♪ Hold my hand and swear ♪ ♪ You’ll never cease to care ♪ ♪ For without you there what could I do ♪ ♪ I could search years ♪ ♪ But who else could change my tears ♪ ♪ Into laughter after you ♪ ♪ Love of my life, life of my love ♪ ♪ I used to pray and pray you’d hear me ♪ ♪ Love of my life ♪ ♪ Angels above ♪ ♪ Sent you at last, to stay ever near me ♪ ♪ Now we are one ♪ ♪ Never to part ♪ ♪ And nevermore need I implore you to miss me ♪ ♪ Come to my arms ♪ ♪ Come to my heart ♪ ♪ Kiss me, kiss me ♪ ♪ Come to me, come to me ♪ ♪ Love of my life ♪
Okay, cut it there, please. Thank you. Okay, next slide, please. Okay, this is a valentine for Trudy. And you will hear at the beginning the introduction, which starts, “If I didn’t belong to a nation, "it goes from Poland to polo in one generation,” which is a favourite phrase of Trudy’s in talking particularly about the history of the evolution of the film business in America. And this, it’s from “50 million Frenchmen,” 1929. And it’s the first reference I’ve heard to that phrase. And if anyone listening knows of an earlier use of that phrase, I’d be very interested, because, you know, I think it may have been coined by Cole Porter. So, please start.
♪ Music plays ♪
♪ If I didn’t belong to a nation ♪ ♪ Where people go from Poland to polo in one generation ♪ ♪ Then I might not slight so many parlour pets ♪ ♪ For my boyfriend back home ♪ ♪ He’s a corn-fed collegiate from Yonkers ♪ ♪ And yet he has the kind of persuasion ♪ ♪ That goes out and conquers ♪ ♪ That is why that I am placing all my bets ♪ ♪ On the boyfriend back home ♪ ♪ Although I know a lot more prominent men ♪ ♪ My Bill is still my one particular yen ♪ ♪ When I went to London I met the king ♪ ♪ I grant you that the king is quite a sweet old thing ♪ ♪ But he’s not as sweet as the boyfriend back home ♪ ♪ I spent the winter in Italy ♪ ♪ I looked at Mussolini and he looked at me ♪ ♪ But he- ♪
Okay, we can cut it there, please. Cut it. Yeah, well this is an interesting song, not only for that reference, but also because it contains some, shall we say, very suggestive lyrics. Goes on to, “although you know Mr. Ziegfeld "may be quite a good producer in a modest way, "he can’t produce like my boyfriend back home.” And then it says “my boyfriend’s low down "doesn’t understand that somehow "his supply meets my demand.” So that’s one of many, many, many suggestive lyrics by Cole Porter, and we’ll come to some others soon. Okay, next, please. “I Get a Kick Out of You,” and produced by Ethel Merman in 1934 in “Anything Goes.” And, you know, this recording is from, I think, 2022. The only 21st century recording that I can think of in this list. And it was Grammy nominated with Tony Bennett, who was in his late 90s, and who sadly died a year ago, and Lady Gaga, who’s probably around 60 years younger than Tony Bennett. But what a duet, what a couple. So, let’s listen to them right now, please. Thank you.
[Clip plays]
Good?
All set.
Tony’s always ready.
[Director] Here we go. ♪ My story is much too sad to be told ♪ ♪ But practically everything leaves me totally cold ♪ ♪ The only exception I know is the case ♪ ♪ When I’m out on a quiet spree ♪ ♪ Fighting vainly the old ennui ♪ ♪ And I suddenly turn and see ♪ ♪ Your fabulous face ♪
You talkin’ about me? ♪ I get no kick from champagne ♪ ♪ Mere alcohol doesn’t thrill me at all ♪ ♪ So tell me why should it be true ♪ Mm, yeah. ♪ I get a kick out of you ♪
Me? ♪ Some they may go for cocaine ♪ ♪ I’m sure that if I took even one sniff ♪ ♪ It would bore me terrifically too ♪ ♪ Yet I get a kick out of you ♪
Okay . ♪ I get a kick every time ♪
[Clip ends]
It’s wonderful, and it’s widely available if you want to listen to it. I also want to mention a little bit of trivia. Tony Bennett’s birth name was Antonio Dominick Benedetto, and Bob Hope saw him perform as an opening act in Greenwich Village after the war and said, “Come on the road with me, "but we’ve got to change your name.” And so he became Tony Bennett. And I’m not even going to try to pronounce what Lady Gaga’s real name is. Okay, but I should mention she sang at Joe Biden’s inauguration, sang the Star-Spangled Banner, the National Anthem of the United States. Okay, next, please. Okay, “The Laziest Gal in Town” is from an Alfred Hitchcock picture, “Stage Fright,” and it’s sung by Marlene Dietrich, 1950.
But the song was one of those songs that Cole Porter wrote that just, you know, kind of off the cuff in the 1920s and hadn’t really been performed. Well, after this film, Marlene Dietrich put it into her cabaret act, and it was associated with her ever since. In this clip, you will also see Jane Wyman, who is the star of the film, and as many of you know, was Mrs. Ronald Reagan for a number of years before he married Nancy Davis. And they had two children together, I think, Maureen and Ron Reagan. Play it, please.
♪ Music plays ♪
♪ It’s not ‘cause she wouldn’t ♪ ♪ It’s not 'cause she shouldn’t ♪ ♪ And you know it’s not 'cause she couldn’t ♪ ♪ It’s simply because ♪ ♪ I’m the laziest gal in town ♪ ♪ Nothing ever worries me ♪ ♪ No one ever hurries me ♪ ♪ I take pleasure leisurely ♪ ♪ Even when I kiss ♪ ♪ But when I kiss, they want some more ♪ ♪ And wanting more becomes a bore ♪ ♪ It isn’t worth the fighting for ♪ ♪ So I tell them this ♪ ♪ It’s not 'cause I wouldn’t ♪ ♪ It’s not 'cause I shouldn’t ♪ ♪ And you know it’s not 'cause I couldn’t ♪ ♪ It’s simply because I’m the laziest gal in town ♪ ♪ Though I’m more than willing to learn ♪ ♪ How these gals get money to burn ♪ ♪ Every proposition I turn down ♪ ♪ Way down ♪ ♪ It’s not 'cause I wouldn’t ♪ ♪ It’s not 'cause I shouldn’t ♪ ♪ And you know it’s not 'cause I couldn’t ♪ ♪ It’s simply because I’m the laziest gal in town ♪
- That’s fine. Cut it, please. ♪ My poor ♪
Okay, it goes on. And unfortunately we don’t have time for the whole thing. But a couple points of note. One is Marlene Dietrich had her own special way of lighting. And Alfred Hitchcock had his own special way of doing everything, but he deferred to Marlene Dietrich because she had so much experience in her early important films in the 30s. So, I thought that was an interesting tidbit. And also you’ll see she’s got a rather elaborate covering, and that was not the original version, but they had to make her body, shall we say, a little more, a little less obvious in this for the sensors. Okay. Also, I should mention Michael Wilding was in it. He was the second husband of Elizabeth Taylor, and they had two children together. And also Joyce Grenfell, who was a great favourite of some of you, particularly in Britain, had a very amusing little part in it. Okay, next, please. Okay, “Looking At You.” I love this song. The introduction is, “I’ve travelled far collecting objets d'art. "I know that whole game by heart. "It was Joe Duveen will tell you what I mean. "It was I who gave him his start.” And Duveen was a great collector and dealer, probably the most famous one of the early 20th century.
And that goes on to say, “But since I’ve looked, dear, in your direction, "I’ve quite forgotten my art collection. "To be exact you simply prove a fact "that nature is greater than art.” And this is from the Woody Allen picture, “Everyone Says I Love You,” sung by Alan Alda, who’s father was Robert Alda, who played George Gershwin in the 1946, I think it was, biopic of “Rhapsody in Blue.” And his father was also the original Sky Masterson in “Guys and Dolls” on Broadway. Woody Allen has a lot of wonderful old songs in his films. And I should also mention that the Bobby Short clip had pictures from “Hannah and Her Sisters,” one of my favourite Woody Allen films. Okay, play Alan Alda singing to Goldie Hawn. Thank you.
[Clip plays]
- A birthday song for Steffi. ♪ Looking at you ♪ ♪ While troubles are fleeing ♪ ♪ I’m admiring the view ♪ ♪ 'Cause it’s you I’m seeing ♪ ♪ And the sweet honeydew ♪ ♪ Of well-being settles upon me ♪ ♪ What is this light ♪ ♪ That shines when you enter ♪ ♪ Like a star in the night ♪ ♪ And what’s to prevent her from destroying my sight ♪ ♪ If you centre all of it on me ♪ ♪ Looking at you ♪ ♪ I’m filled with the essence of ♪ ♪ The quintessence of joy ♪ ♪ Looking at you ♪ ♪ I hear poets tellin’ of ♪ ♪ Lovely Helen of Troy ♪ ♪ Darling, life seemed so grey ♪ ♪ I’ve wanted to end it ♪ ♪ Till that wonderful day ♪ ♪ You started to mend it ♪ ♪ And if you’ll only stay ♪ ♪ Then I’ll spend it looking at you ♪
[Clip ends]
What a gem. What an absolutely lovely song. Next, please. Okay, this is from the biopic of Cole Porter from the mid 1940s starring Cary Grant and a number of other familiar people. This will give you… I like this because it’s Cary Grant playing the piano, not saying a word, with lots of people looking on as he’s, I guess, plugging a song for sheet music sales and playing Cole Porter. Anyhow, play the clip, please.
♪ Music plays ♪
♪ What is this thing called love ♪ ♪ This funny thing called love ♪ ♪ Just who can solve its mystery ♪ ♪ Why should it make a fool of me ♪ ♪ I saw you there one wonderful day ♪ ♪ You took my heart and threw it away ♪ ♪ That’s why I ask the lord ♪ ♪ In heaven above ♪ ♪ What is this thing called love? ♪
Okay, just hold it there, please. I’d like to read to you the verse for that, which was not sung, ‘cause I find it’s very poignant, and it shows Porter’s questioning of love and some of his experience with love. Starts, “I was a humdrum person leading a life apart "when love flew in through my window wide "and quickened my humdrum heart. "Love threw in my window. "I was so happy then. "But after love had stayed a little while, "love flew out again.” So, I think that says it all. And let’s go on to the the next slide, please. “In the Still of the Night,” Cole Porter standard. He was certainly a person of the night. And Billy Eckstine, a great popular singer, also from Pittsburgh, does a great job with this. We’ll just play the first part of it. Play it, please.
♪ Music plays ♪
♪ In the still of the night ♪ ♪ As I gaze from my window ♪ ♪ At the moon in its flight ♪ ♪ My thoughts all stray to you ♪ ♪ In the still of the night ♪ ♪ When the world is in slumber ♪ ♪ Oh, the times without number ♪ ♪ Darling, when I say to you ♪ ♪ Do you love me ♪ ♪ As I love you ♪ ♪ Are you my life to be ♪ ♪ My dream come true ♪ ♪ Or will this dream of mine ♪ ♪ Fade out of sight ♪ ♪ Like the moon growing dim ♪ ♪ On the rim of the hill ♪ ♪ In the chill ♪ ♪ Still of the night ♪ ♪ You ♪
Okay, cut it there, please. Just hold it there. I’d like to read the verse to another Cole Porter song that I’m not going to play, but I think that the words are just so wonderful, and it depicts his view of the night. It says, “The day is my enemy, the night my friend "for I’m always so alone till the day draws to an end. "But when the sun goes down "and the moon comes through "in the monotone of the evening’s drone, "I’m all alone with you.” And then the song starts, “All through the night, "I delight in your love. "All through the night, you’re so close to me. "All through the night from a height far above "you and your love bring me ecstasy.” Now, what better words could there be for Valentine’s Day? Okay, next slide, please.
Okay, this is Bert Lahr, who was born Irving Lahrheim on the Upper East side of New York. He’s probably best known to you as the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz. And after that finished, he was looking for something to do, and Cole Porter asked him if he would like to be in a show co-starring with Ethel Merman, and he said yes. And he plays a washroom attendant in a nightclub in New York. And Ethel Merman is the singer. And he’s very much in love with her, but she’s in love with someone else. And so he decides he’s going to slip her a Mickey Finn, you know, to slip him, his rival, a Mickey Finn, and by mistake, he has it himself, and he dreams that he is not Louis, the washroom attendant, but Louis VX, the King of France, and Ethel Merman is his mistress, Madame Du Barry. And it’s from a show of 1939 “Du Barry Was a Lady,” one of the five shows starring Ethel Merman. And this is probably, along with “Love for Sale,” and even more than “Love for Sale,” the most, how should we say, suggestive.
It’s the most lewd, the most ribbled song that I know of in Cole Porter’s repertoire, and it was banned from being broadcast for over 20 years. So I’m not going to go through the whole thing with you, but I’ll just play a little clip to give you a taste, next, please. And obviously it features the morning, the negative aspect of the morning is contrasted with the positive aspects of the night that I just discussed. Play the clip, please.
♪ Music plays ♪
♪ Love affairs among gentility ♪ ♪ Hit the rocks with great agility ♪ ♪ Either because of income or incompatibility ♪ ♪ We’ve adjusted our finances ♪ ♪ You run mine and I run France’s ♪ ♪ So there’s only one question that’s hot ♪ ♪ Will we have fun or not ♪ ♪ Are you fond of swimming dear ♪ ♪ Kindly tell me, if so ♪ ♪ Yes, I’m fond of swimming, dear ♪ ♪ But in the morning, no ♪ ♪ Can you do the crawl, my dear ♪ ♪ Kindly tell me, if so ♪ ♪ I can do the crawl, my dear ♪ ♪ But in the morning, no ♪ ♪ When the sun through the blind ♪ ♪ Starts to burn my poor behind ♪ ♪ That’s the time when I am low ♪ ♪ Do you use the breast stroke, dear ♪ ♪ Kindly tell me, if so ♪ ♪ Yes, I use the breast stroke, dear ♪ ♪ But in the morning no no no no no no no no ♪ ♪ Are you fond of poker, dear ♪ ♪ Kindly tell me, if so ♪ ♪ Yes, I’m fond of poker, dear ♪ ♪ But in the morning, no ♪ ♪ Do you ante up, my dear ♪ ♪ Kindly tell me, if so ♪ ♪ Yes, I ante up, my dear ♪ ♪ But in the morning, no ♪ ♪ When my old Gunga Din ♪ ♪ Brings the Bromo Seltzer in ♪ ♪ That’s the time when I’m in low ♪ ♪ Can you fill an inside straight ♪ ♪ Kindly tell me, if so ♪ ♪ I’ve filled plenty inside straights ♪ ♪ But in the morning, no no no no no no no no no ♪
Okay, thank you. Thank you. I’m glad the Lockdown sensors didn’t ban that, because it is an aspect of Cole Porter that he really enjoyed, and there are many, many, many subjective naughty lyrics that he wrote. I obviously don’t have to explain that anymore. And this is a picture I took in Paris, which reminded me of the other song I mentioned that was banned for many years from broadcast, “Love for Sale.” Okay. And it was taken in a shop in Paris, just I’m sure not with any intention of association with Cole Porter. Okay, next, please. “Get Out of Town.”
You know, these last songs are very kind of bittersweet, and there’s none more so than this. It’s by sung by Anita O'Day, who’s one of the great female jazz singers after the war. Performed with many, many big bands and solos, and just was really great. I had the pleasure of seeing her a few times, including on a double bill with Chris Connor at Michael’s Pub in New York in the 80s. And this is probably a clip from the 50s, big band. And I particularly like the introduction to this, the verse. And so listen carefully, because you don’t always hear it performed. Play it, please.
♪ Music plays ♪
♪ The fires was ended ♪ ♪ The curtains drawn ♪ ♪ And I at least pretended ♪ ♪ That love was dead and gone ♪ ♪ But now from nowhere you came to me as before ♪ ♪ To take my heart ♪ ♪ And break my heart once more ♪ ♪ Get out of town ♪ ♪ Before it’s too late for my love ♪ ♪ Get out of town ♪ ♪ Be good to me please ♪ ♪ Why wish me harm ♪ ♪ Why not retire to a farm ♪ ♪ And be contented to charm ♪ ♪ The birds off the trees ♪ ♪ Just disappear ♪ ♪ I care for you much too much ♪ ♪ And when you are near ♪ ♪ Close to me dear we touch too much ♪ ♪ The thrill when we meet ♪ ♪ Is so bitter-sweet ♪ ♪ That, darling, it’s getting me down ♪ ♪ So on your mark, get set ♪ ♪ Get out of town ♪
Cut it, please. Cut, thanks, a little loud there. Okay, next slide, please. Okay, this is an album, the back of an album cover that I bought at that performance, and she kindly inscribed it to me. You see on the left, it’s from 1986, and on the right is a proclamation from Tom Bradley, the then mayor of Los Angeles, after whom the airport there is named, LAX is the Tom Bradley Airport. And it proclaiming Anita O'Day day in Los Angeles. A very popular singer. And if you want to hear more and see more of her, in her earlier days, she’s included in the wonderful documentary, “Jazz on a Summer’s Day,” by Bert Stern on the, I think it was 1958, Newport Jazz Festival. And it’s got Louis Armstrong and Jack Teagarden, Mahalia Jackson, Dinah Washington, lots and lots of… And a very young Chuck Berry doing “Sweet Little 16.” It’s really a treat and very well done. Okay, next, please. Okay, “Every Time We Say Goodbye.” I think we’re running out of time. So we’re just going to do a little snippet of this. But it’s a wonderful recording from a wonderful album by Ray Charles and Betty Carter. And you’ve heard of Ray Charles, obviously. Betty Carter was a fabulous jazz singer who’s worth getting to know a little better. We’ll just do the Ray Charles bit. Okay, play it, please.
♪ Music plays ♪
♪ Oh every time ♪ ♪ We say goodbye ♪ ♪ I die a little ♪ ♪ Every time we say goodbye ♪ ♪ I wonder why a little ♪ ♪ Why the gods above me ♪ ♪ Who must be in the know ♪ ♪ Think so little of me ♪ ♪ They allow you to go ♪ ♪ And When you’re near ♪ ♪ There’s such an air of spring about it ♪ ♪ I can hear a lark somewhere ♪ ♪ Begin to sing about it ♪ ♪ There’s no love song finer ♪ ♪ But how strange the change from major to minor ♪ ♪ Every time we say goodbye ♪ ♪ Every time we say goodbye ♪ ♪ Every time we say goodbye ♪ ♪ I die a little ♪
Okay, cut it there, please. Thank you. Sorry, we don’t have time to do the whole thing, but it’s almost five minutes long in its entirety. Okay, the last clip is by Cole Porter and performed by Cole Porter, both the vocal and the piano. And yeah, I think it speaks for itself and echo some of the sentiments that I have discussed earlier. But I thought having him sing and play his tune would be a very fitting way to end this Valentine’s Day broadcast. Play it, please.
♪ If ever to your woes ♪ ♪ Love comes to you one day ♪ ♪ Remember what I say ♪ ♪ I’ve loved, I know ♪ ♪ Love hates the sight of tears ♪ ♪ Love only cares for laughter ♪ ♪ So save your tears 'till after love disappears ♪ ♪ When love comes your way ♪ ♪ Take every bit of joy you can borrow ♪ ♪ Be carefree, be gay ♪ ♪ Forget the past and say goodbye to sorrow ♪ ♪ Simply live for today ♪ ♪ And never think at all of tomorrow ♪ ♪ For just when you are sure that love has come to stay ♪ ♪ Then love flies away ♪
Next slide, please. This is my Valentine to Lockdown University. Actually, it’s a button that my daughters and I got and I came across recently. LU stands for a biscuit company in France, but I thought it was particularly appropriate for this day. And thank you Lockdown University for letting me share these thoughts on Cole Porter. I wish you all a Happy Valentine’s Day. And we’ll take some questions if… We have time, I think, don’t we, Georgia?
Yep, we’ve got time.
Yeah, we do. And am I on the screen?
Yes.
Q&A and Comments
Okay. Before we go into questions, I wanted to mention a few books. If you’re looking for a biography of Cole Porter that’s pretty good, there are many. I would recommend this one by William McBrien. I would also recommend to you this, which is a pocketbook containing an amazing number of lyrics of Cole Porter. It’s from the American Poets Project. And I was surprised to see him considered to be a poet, you know, by the general public. The series includes Walt Whitman, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and many other people who are better known, Emma Lazarus, who are better known as poets. And if you’re interested in reading lyrics, this is a very, very entertaining book. It’s an anthology of lyrics, not only by Cole Porter, but by many other American songwriters. Yeah, last time someone asked me for some reading materials, and so I thought I’d pull these out for you.
Okay, let me answer the questions. Sorry about the meeting ID problem. Never marry for… Monty, “Never marry for love. The same way you fall in love, can fall out of love.” Okay. Okay, “The town is Peru with an accent on the last syllable.” Well, that’s true today, but in Cole Porter’s time, when he was a young man, it was pronounced Peru. “What a delight, thank you very much.” Thank you. “I hope you include how Howard Keel 'So in Love,’ in the movie ‘Kiss Me, Kate.’” Well, yeah, I’d love to include about 300 other songs, and I knew I’d get comments like this, because, you know, there are just so many wonderful ones, and maybe this should be a regular feature, if you want, every Valentine’s Day. Okay, thank you Rita, for the Valentine’s Day, and my present. That’s very sweet of you. And to Wendy and Trudy and everyone.
Okay, Karen, “Lena Horne was inimitable. What a gorgeous voice.” Absolutely, and I hope you liked the songs that she sang, which are not usually known, or even associated with Cole Porter. Just gorgeous. Okay, well thank you very much, Estelle Phillips. “Singing along. Amazing how the words are still current.” Yeah. “Lively presentation,” thank you. Thank you very much. Yeah, we can have a sing along, I suppose. Sorry about my voice not being better. “‘I Get a Kick Out of You,’ thank you for including that clip reference.” Glad I could make the Valentine’s Day a little more uplifting. And whether you’re alone or in a couple, or whatever your status, I think these songs are wonderful. “Perhaps of interest to you. Alan Alda played in ‘Attica,’ film about Ernie Goodman from Detroit, a human rights lawyer in the first racially-integrated firm in the U.S. His son Bill Goodman died recently. A big loss.” Thank you very much. I’m not familiar with those people.
“Love ‘Begin the Beguine.’” Okay, well, again, you know, beguine rhythm, very inventive. Cole Porter had many, many different styles of songs. “In the Morning, No,” the one that’s so lewd is a minuet. And before that he had a gavotte in the show. So yeah, very, very inventive. And there is a clip from the BBC on his, you know, dissecting his musicality. I can’t recall offhand. It was about 15, 20 years ago. But it’s worthwhile, if you’re interested, in the construction of his songs. “Ginny Sims was the female singer in the ‘Night and Day’ clip with Cary Grant, who just stayed there and looked like Cary Grant.” And she was a popular singer. Did a bit of work in film. Thank you, Sharon. “Enjoyed the nostalgic numbers.” Good, it was my pleasure, Lorna. I’m glad you enjoyed it. “Please talk about the song ‘Night and Day.’” Well, I’d love to, but I don’t think we have time. “You mentioned Tony Bennett’s birth name, not Lady Gaga’s. "o yeah, it was Germanotta.” Right, thank you very much for that.
Q: “How about Comedy Harmonists?” A: I’m not quite sure what that’s referring to, Jonathan, but I’ll certainly look into it.
“Thanks for a great present…” Thank you very much. Your parents love that music. Well, you know, I have a fear that, I have a fear that a lot of this music, which was known by, you know, men and women on the street and just everyone, no matter what their station in life, or you know, they just knew these songs, and sadly, not just the Porter songs, but the Irving Berlins and the Gershwins and the Jerome Kerns, and many others are fading from memory. So, it’s a real concern of mine. Thank you very much, Anna and Jean. I’ve made your day, Marilyn? Well, thanks. I hope your night and day, but yeah, it’s not for me to say.
Thank you, Lorna. Thank you, Jillian. Thank you, Thelma. And Leonard Gold, “Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize. Was he a poet?” Well, I think you’d have to ask some other people on Lockdown for their views on that. I’m not really, I would not put him in the class of Cole Porter. “Letters of Cole Porter.” Thanks, I’ve read that, Roberta, and it’s somewhat interesting to me. I mean, it’s got a lot of tidbits in it, but it’s not a great anthology of correspondence in my humble opinion. “Grant played the piano.” I don’t think so. Looks like he was faking it, but I don’t know for sure.
That’s it, thank you very much for joining me. Happy Valentine’s Day, or Valentine’s Day evening, wherever you happen to be. And, yeah, I hope you’re all well and look forward to the next talk, bye.