Jeeves and the Song of Songs

Last updated

"Jeeves and the Song of Songs"
Author P. G. Wodehouse
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Series Jeeves
Genre(s) Comedy
Publisher The Strand Magazine (UK)
Cosmopolitan (US)
Media typePrint (Magazine)
Publication dateSeptember 1929
Preceded by"Jeeves and the Yule-tide Spirit"
Followed by"Episode of the Dog McIntosh"

"Jeeves and the Song of Songs" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in The Strand Magazine in the United Kingdom in September 1929, and in Cosmopolitan in the United States that same month. The story was also included as the fourth story in the 1930 collection Very Good, Jeeves . [1]

Contents

In the story, Tuppy Glossop becomes romantically involved with an opera singer named Cora Bellinger. Bertie's Aunt Dahlia wants the pair broken up. To accomplish this, Jeeves devises a plan that involves the song "Sonny Boy".

Plot

Bertie is singing "Sonny Boy" in the bath when Jeeves tells him that Tuppy Glossop has come to see him. Bertie slips on some towels, and greets Tuppy, who says he is practically engaged to an opera singer, Cora Bellinger. She dislikes practical jokes, and heard about the time Tuppy tricked Bertie into falling into the Drones Club swimming pool. Tuppy asks Bertie to tell Cora that the incident never happened, and Bertie reluctantly agrees. Later, Tuppy brings Cora to Bertie's place for lunch. Tuppy fawns over Cora, though Bertie does not care for her.

You see, I held strong views on "Sonny Boy". I considered it a song only to be attempted by a few of the elect in the privacy of the bathroom. And the thought of it being murdered in open Oddfellows' Hall by a man who could treat a pal as young Tuppy had treated me that night at the Drones sickened me.

— Bertie reveres the song "Sonny Boy" [2]

Tuppy tells Bertie that their friend "Beefy" Bingham, a parson, runs a clean recreational establishment in the East End. Tuppy has been volunteering at Beefy's establishment to please Cora. She will sing at Beefy's next entertainment. To impress her, Tuppy will also be there to soulfully sing "Sonny Boy"; this shocks Bertie, who holds strong views on the song. When Jeeves informs Bertie that Bertie's Aunt Dahlia is coming, Tuppy quickly leaves. Aunt Dahlia arrives and says that her daughter Angela has had her heart broken by Tuppy, who left her for Cora. Aunt Dahlia wants Tuppy to go back to Angela. Bertie asks Jeeves to think of a plan. When Aunt Dahlia returns the next day, Jeeves has a plan. He believes Cora will lose interest in Tuppy if he is unpopular with Beefy's audience. Jeeves suggests that Bertie sing "Sonny Boy" first, so that the audience will be tired of the song by the time Tuppy performs. Bertie tries to refuse but eventually agrees.

At the entertainment, Bertie is intimidated by the tough-looking audience. He sees Jeeves, who, to keep Tuppy from realizing Jeeves's plan, has advised Tuppy to remain at the bar across the road until he appears. Jeeves suggests that Bertie go to another bar. After drinking there, Bertie feels more courageous and returns. He sings "Sonny Boy", and afterwards tells Jeeves that the crowd did not seem pleased. Jeeves explains that the song had been performed twice already. Bertie feels betrayed, but then Tuppy sings. The crowd shouts and throws food at Tuppy. Tuppy flees. Then Beefy takes the stage, and says that the next performer, Cora, will be late because her car broke down. She is now coming in a cab.

Bertie clutches at Jeeves, shocked that Cora was not there to see Tuppy's failure. Jeeves agrees that the scheme has gone awry. Upset, Bertie leaves, though Jeeves remains for the rest of the show. Later that night, Bertie is visited at home by Tuppy, who has a black eye. Tuppy says Cora is not right for him. He has Bertie call Aunt Dahlia for him, then goes to see Angela. Jeeves enters, and tells Bertie what happened. Upon Cora's arrival, Jeeves had told Cora that Tuppy wanted her to sing "Sonny Boy". The crowd did not react well, and she, thinking Tuppy had played a joke on her, punched Tuppy in the eye. Impressed, Bertie regards Jeeves reverently.

Publication history

The story was illustrated by Charles Crombie in the Strand and by James Montgomery Flagg in Cosmopolitan, in which it was titled "The Song of Songs". [3]

The 1932 collection Nothing But Wodehouse and the 1958 collection Selected Stories by P. G. Wodehouse included the story. [4] The story was also featured in the 1960 collection The Most of P. G. Wodehouse, and in the 1983 collection P. G. Wodehouse Short Stories, published by The Folio Society with drawings by George Adamson. [5]

"Jeeves and the Song of Songs" appeared in the 1929 anthology Literary Treasures of 1929, published by Hearst's International Cosmopolitan Magazine. [6] The story was included in the 1940 anthology Bedside Book of Famous British Stories, published by Random House. This anthology was reissued with the title An Anthology of Famous British Stories by Modern Library in 1952. [7] The 1960 anthology Fifty Modern Stories, published by Row, Peterson & Company, featured the story. [8]

Adaptations

An episode of The World of Wooster adapted the story. The episode, titled "Jeeves and the Song of Songs", was the fourth episode of the first series. It was originally broadcast in the UK on 20 June 1965. [9]

This story was adapted into the Jeeves and Wooster episode "Tuppy and the Terrier", the second episode of the first series, which first aired on 29 April 1990. [10] There are some changes in plot, including:

Related Research Articles

Dahlia Travers is a recurring fictional character in the Jeeves stories of English comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being best known as Bertie Wooster's bonhomous, red-faced Aunt Dahlia. She is much beloved by her nephew, in contrast with her sister, Bertie's Aunt Agatha.

<i>Right Ho, Jeeves</i> 1934 novel by P.G. Wodehouse

Right Ho, Jeeves is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, the second full-length novel featuring the popular characters Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, after Thank You, Jeeves. It was first published in the United Kingdom on 5 October 1934 by Herbert Jenkins, London, and in the United States on 15 October 1934 by Little, Brown and Company, Boston, under the title Brinkley Manor. It had also been sold to the Saturday Evening Post, in which it appeared in serial form from 23 December 1933 to 27 January 1934, and in England in the Grand Magazine from April to September 1934. Wodehouse had already started planning this sequel while working on Thank You, Jeeves.

<i>Much Obliged, Jeeves</i> 1971 novel by P.G. Wodehouse

Much Obliged, Jeeves is a comic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, published in the United Kingdom by Barrie & Jenkins, London, and in the United States by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York under the name Jeeves and the Tie That Binds. Both editions were published on the same day, 15 October 1971, which was Wodehouse's 90th birthday.

Tuppy Glossop

Hildebrand "Tuppy" Glossop is a recurring fictional character in the Jeeves stories by humorist P. G. Wodehouse. Tuppy is a member of the Drones Club, a friend of Bertie Wooster, and the fiancé of Angela Travers, Bertie's cousin.

<i>Very Good, Jeeves</i> 1930 short story collection by P.G. Wodehouse

Very Good, Jeeves is a collection of eleven short stories by P. G. Wodehouse, all featuring Jeeves and Bertie Wooster. It was first published in the United States on 20 June 1930 by Doubleday, Doran, New York, and in the United Kingdom on 4 July 1930 by Herbert Jenkins, London. The stories had all previously appeared in Strand Magazine in the UK and in Liberty or Cosmopolitan magazines in the US between 1926 and 1930.

<i>Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit</i> 1954 novel by P.G. Wodehouse

Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit is a comic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom on 15 October 1954 by Herbert Jenkins, London and in the United States on 23 February 1955 by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, under the title Bertie Wooster Sees It Through. It is the seventh novel featuring Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves.

"Jeeves and the Yule-tide Spirit" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in The Strand Magazine in the United Kingdom in December 1927, and in Liberty in the United States that same month. The story was also included as the third story in the 1930 collection Very Good, Jeeves.

"Tuppy and the Terrier" is the second episode of the first series of the 1990s British comedy television series Jeeves and Wooster. It is also called "Bertie Is In Love" or "The Golf Tournament". It first aired in the UK on 29 April 1990 on ITV. The episode aired in the US on 18 November 1990 on Masterpiece Theatre.

"The Hunger Strike" is the fourth episode of the first series of the 1990s British comedy television series Jeeves and Wooster. It is also called "How Does Gussie Woo Madeline?". It first aired in the UK on 13 May 1990 on ITV. The episode aired in the US on 2 December 1990 on Masterpiece Theatre.

"Will Anatole Return to Brinkley Court?" is the fifth episode of the first series of the 1990s British comedy television series Jeeves and Wooster. It is also called "Brinkley Manor" or "The Matchmaker". It first aired in the UK on 20 May 1990 on ITV. The episode aired in the US on 9 December 1990 on Masterpiece Theatre.

"Jeeves Makes an Omelette" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in the Star Weekly in Canada in August 1958. The story was also included in the 1959 collection A Few Quick Ones.

"Jeeves and the Greasy Bird" is a short story by English humorist P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in Playboy magazine in the United States in December 1965, and in Argosy magazine in the United Kingdom in January 1967. The story was also included in the 1966 collection Plum Pie.

"Fixing it for Freddie" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. Originally starring Reggie Pepper, the story was published in The Strand Magazine as "Helping Freddie" in the United Kingdom in September 1911, and in Pictorial Review as "Lines and Business" in the United States in March 1912. The story was later changed to feature Bertie Wooster and Jeeves when it was included in the 1925 collection Carry On, Jeeves.

"Clustering Round Young Bingo" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in the Saturday Evening Post in the United States in February 1925, and in The Strand Magazine in the United Kingdom in April 1925. The story was also included in the 1925 collection Carry On, Jeeves.

"Jeeves and the Impending Doom" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in The Strand Magazine in the United Kingdom in December 1926, and in Liberty in the United States in January 1927. The story was also included as the first story in the 1930 collection Very Good, Jeeves.

"Episode of the Dog McIntosh" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in The Strand Magazine as "Jeeves and the Dog McIntosh" in the United Kingdom in October 1929, and in Cosmopolitan as "The Borrowed Dog" in the United States that same month. The story was also included as the fifth story in the 1930 collection Very Good, Jeeves.

"The Spot of Art" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in The Strand Magazine in the United Kingdom in December 1929, and in Cosmopolitan in the United States that same month, as "Jeeves and the Spot of Art". The story was also included as the sixth story in the 1930 collection Very Good, Jeeves.

"The Love that Purifies" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in The Strand Magazine in the United Kingdom in November 1929, and in Cosmopolitan in the United States that same month, as "Jeeves and the Love that Purifies". The story was also included as the eighth story in the 1930 collection Very Good, Jeeves.

"The Ordeal of Young Tuppy" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in The Strand Magazine in the United Kingdom in April 1930, and in Cosmopolitan in the United States that same month, both as "Tuppy Changes His Mind". The story was also included as the eleventh story in the 1930 collection Very Good, Jeeves.

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Cawthorne (2013), p. 74.
  2. ↑ Wodehouse (2008) [1930], chapter 4, pp. 92-93.
  3. ↑ McIlvaine (1990), p. 148, D17.40, and p. 185, E133.130.
  4. ↑ McIlvaine (1990), pp. 113-114, B2a, and p. 120, B11a
  5. ↑ McIlvaine (1990), pp. 120-121, B12a, and p. 129, B32
  6. ↑ McIlvaine (1990), p. 196, E71.
  7. ↑ McIlvaine (1990), p. 194, E29.
  8. ↑ McIlvaine (1990), p. 194, E18.
  9. ↑ Taves, Brian (2006). P. G. Wodehouse and Hollywood: Screenwriting, Satires and Adaptations. McFarland & Company. p. 177. ISBN   978-0786422883.
  10. ↑ "Jeeves and Wooster Series 1, Episode 2". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
Sources
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.