Hey, Look Me Over (song)

Last updated

"Hey, Look Me Over" is a song from the 1960 Broadway musical Wildcat . In the original musical, the song was sung by comedy actress Lucille Ball, in what was the only Broadway appearance of her career. [1]

Cy Coleman later described the problem facing the songwriting team (Coleman and Carolyn Leigh): "How to write for a woman who had five good notes. And not just any woman, but the biggest star in the world at the time. What is she going to sing when she steps out on that stage for the first time? She had to land big or else we were all dead." During a brainstorming session, Coleman played one of his ideas on piano, doubtful it would work as a star vehicle. Leigh surprised him by calling back a few days later with a funny (incomplete) lyric for his melody. [2]

Ball and co-star Paula Stewart performed the song live on The Ed Sullivan Show , and it was subsequently recorded and/or performed by, among others, Louis Armstrong, [3] Judy Garland, [4] Rosemary Clooney, [5] Bing Crosby, [6] Peggy Lee, Johnny Mathis, Bobby Short, Gene Krupa, [7] Mel Tormé, Jerry Vale, Julie Wilson, Lucie Arnaz, the Pete King Chorale, and British singer Ronnie Hilton.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosemary Clooney</span> American singer and actress (1928–2002)

Rosemary Clooney was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the song "Come On-a My House", which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me", "Mambo Italiano", "Tenderly", "Half as Much", "Hey There", "This Ole House", and "Sway". She also had success as a jazz vocalist. Clooney's career languished in the 1960s, partly because of problems related to depression and drug addiction, but revived in 1977, when her White Christmas co-star Bing Crosby asked her to appear with him at a show marking his 50th anniversary in show business. She continued recording until her death in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cy Coleman</span> American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist (1929–2004)

Cy Coleman was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist.

"Hey There" is a show tune from the musical play The Pajama Game, written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. It was published in 1954. It was introduced by John Raitt in the original production. In the show, Sid sings it to a recording device, telling himself that he's foolish to continue his advances to Babe. He plays the tape back, and after responding to his own comments, sings a duet with himself.

<i>White Christmas</i> (film) 1954 film directed by Michael Curtiz

White Christmas is a 1954 American musical film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen. Filmed in Technicolor, it features the songs of Irving Berlin, including a new version of the title song, "White Christmas", introduced by Crosby in the 1942 film Holiday Inn.

The Edsel Show is an hour-long television special broadcast live on CBS in the United States on October 13, 1957, intended to promote Ford Motor Company's new Edsel cars. It was a milestone in the long career of entertainer Bing Crosby and is notable as the first CBS entertainment program to be recorded on videotape for rebroadcast in the western part of the country following a live performance for the east coast. Crosby arranged for this ‘live’ program to be ‘produced’ by his alma mater Gonzaga University in order that the profits could go to them in a tax efficient way. The program won the Look Magazine TV Award for ‘Best Musical Show’ and was nominated for an Emmy as the “Best Single Program of the Year”.

"They Say It's Wonderful" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin for the musical Annie Get Your Gun (1946), where it was introduced by Ethel Merman and Ray Middleton. A film version in 1950 again featured the song when it was performed by Howard Keel and Betty Hutton. More recently it was performed in an episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel by Darius de Haas.

"I May Be Wrong " is a popular song. The music was written by Henry Sullivan, the lyrics by Harry Ruskin. The song was published in 1929 and it was included in the musical revue Murray Anderson's Almanac which ran for 69 performances at Erlanger's Theatre on Broadway in 1929. It is said that the song was written on-demand for John Murray Anderson.

<i>That Travelin Two-Beat</i> 1965 studio album by Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney

That Travelin' Two-Beat is a duet album by Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney recorded in 1964 and released on Capitol Records in 1965.

"Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" is a song written by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin for the 1937 film Shall We Dance, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as part of a celebrated dance duet on roller skates. The sheet music has the tempo marking of "Brightly". The song was ranked No. 34 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs.

"How About You?" is a popular song composed by Burton Lane, with lyrics by Ralph Freed. It was introduced in the 1941 film Babes on Broadway by Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney.

<i>Wildcat</i> (musical) 1960 musical by Carolyn Leigh and Cy Coleman

Wildcat is a musical with a book by N. Richard Nash, lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, and music by Cy Coleman.

"Would You Like to Take a Walk?" is a popular song with music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Mort Dixon and Billy Rose. It was added to the 1930 Broadway show Sweet and Low starring James Barton, Fannie Brice and George Jessel. The song was published in 1930 by Remick Music Corporation.

"Let's Take a Walk Around the Block" is a popular song composed by Harold Arlen, with lyrics written by Ira Gershwin and E.Y. Harburg.

"You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" is a popular song written by Cole Porter for the 1943 film Something to Shout About, where it was introduced by Janet Blair and Don Ameche. The song was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1943 but lost to "You'll Never Know".

"Old Devil Moon" is a popular song composed by Burton Lane with lyrics by Yip Harburg for the 1947 musical Finian's Rainbow. It was introduced by Ella Logan and Donald Richards in the Broadway show. The song takes its title from a phrase in "Fun to Be Fooled", a song that Harburg wrote with Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin for the 1934 musical Life Begins at 8:40.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Thompson (musician)</span> American musician

Robert Lamar Thompson was a composer, arranger, and orchestra leader from the 1950s through the 1980s. Active in Los Angeles, Thompson was a recording artist for RCA Victor and Dot Records, scored film and television soundtracks, and wrote musical accompaniments for commercials. He composed, arranged, and conducted the orchestra for such wide-ranging artists as Rosemary Clooney, Mae West, Julie London, Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, Chet Atkins, Duane Eddy, Judy Garland, Jerry Lewis, and Phil Ochs.

"Just You, Just Me" is a song from the 1929 musical film Marianne, composed by Jesse Greer with lyrics by Raymond Klages. It was introduced by Marion Davies and Lawrence Gray. The song has had many revisions after its first appearance and has become a jazz standard, having been recorded instrumentally by Red Norvo, Stan Tracey, Oscar Peterson and Lester Young, Buddy Rich, Artie Shaw, Les Paul, Benny Carter, Buddy Bregman, Tex Beneke, Coleman Hawkins, Harry James, Erroll Garner, Benny Goodman, Earl Hines, Joe Pass, Buddy Tate and Abdullah Ibrahim, Les Brown, Bill Evans, Bill Coleman and Duke Ellington.

Singer Rosemary Clooney is known for many songs, including "Come On-a My House", "Botch-a-Me", "Mambo Italiano", "Tenderly", "Half as Much", "Hey There" and "This Ole House". This is a partial discography.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bing Crosby's record labels after 1955</span>

After Bing Crosby's long-term Decca Records contract was up, he signed many short-term contracts with a wide variety of labels. These included many popular labels such as Reprise, RCA, Verve, Decca (again), United Artists, Capitol and more.

Dante Cesare DiPaolo was an American dancer and actor. Sometimes, he also appeared under the name of Dante De Paulo, Dante D' Paulo, and Dante Di Paola.

References

  1. June Bundy (December 26, 1960). "Lucille Ball Tame in 'Wildcat'". Billboard . p. 10.
  2. Propst, Andy, You Fascinate Me So: The Life and Times of Cy Coleman. Milwaukee WI: 2015
  3. Format: 45, (flip side: Moon River) Kapp Records, 10 732 AT. Format: LP: Hello, Dolly by Louis Armstrong 1964. Kapp Records, Stereo: KS 3364, Mono: KL 1364
  4. The Judy Garland Show taped July 7, 1963, aired Nov. 10, 1963. DVD: The Judy Garland Show, Vol. 2. Pioneer Entertainment
  5. RCA Victor – 47-7819, Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM; 1960.
  6. Hey, Look Us Over, Bing Crosby & Rosemary Clooney singing in duet CD Jasmine Records ASIN B0000017D4
  7. Gene Krupa in Concert, newly discovered recordings, CD, Label: DBK/JAZZ, 70015. 1998