Makin' Whoopee

Last updated
"Makin' Whoopee"
Makin' Whoopee! (1928) Sheet Music.pdf
Sheet music, 1928
Song
Published1928 by Donaldson, Douglas & Gumble
Released1928 (1928)
Genre Jazz, blues
Composer(s) Walter Donaldson
Lyricist(s) Gus Kahn

"Makin' Whoopee" is a jazz/blues song, first popularized by Eddie Cantor in the 1928 musical Whoopee! . Gus Kahn wrote the lyrics and Walter Donaldson composed the music for the song as well as for the entire musical.

Contents

The title refers to celebrating a marriage. Eventually "making whoopee" became a euphemism for intimate sexual relations. [1] The song has been called a "dire warning", largely to men, about the "trap" of marriage. [2] "Makin' Whoopee" begins with the celebration of a wedding, honeymoon and marital bliss, but moves on to babies and responsibilities, and ultimately on to affairs and possible divorce, ending with a judge's advice.

The original lyrics and music of the song entered the public domain in the United States in 2024. [3]

Other versions

In advertising

Related Research Articles

"Something's Gotta Give" is a popular song with words and music by Johnny Mercer in 1954. It was published in 1955. It was written for and first performed by Fred Astaire in the 1955 musical film Daddy Long Legs, and was nominated for an Academy Award in 1955 as Best Original Song, losing to "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" from the film of the same name.

"Buttons and Bows" is a popular song with music written by Jay Livingston and lyrics by Ray Evans. The song was published on February 25, 1948 by Famous Music Corp., New York. The song was written for and appeared in the Bob Hope and Jane Russell film The Paleface and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It was originally written with an Indian theme, but was changed when the director said that would not work in the movie. It was a vocal selection on many radio programs in late 1948. It was reprised in the sequel, Son of Paleface, by Roy Rogers, Jane Russell and Bob Hope. In 2004 it finished #87 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of the top tunes in American cinema.

"Lullaby of Broadway" is a popular song with music written by Harry Warren and lyrics by Al Dubin, published in 1935. The lyrics salute the nightlife of Broadway and its denizens, who "don't sleep tight until the dawn."

"Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive" is a popular song which was published in 1944. The music was written by Harold Arlen and the lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The song was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 18th Academy Awards in 1945 after being used in the film Here Come the Waves.

"On the Sunny Side of the Street" is a 1930 song composed by Jimmy McHugh with lyrics by Dorothy Fields. Some authors say that Fats Waller was the composer, but he sold the rights to the song. It was introduced in the Broadway musical Lew Leslie's International Revue starring Harry Richman and Gertrude Lawrence.

<i>Ella Fitzgerald Sings Sweet Songs for Swingers</i> 1959 studio album by Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald Sings Sweet Songs for Swingers is a 1959 album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, recorded with a studio Orchestra arranged and conducted by Frank DeVol.

"Do Nothing till You Hear from Me" is a song with music by Duke Ellington and lyrics by Bob Russell. It originated as a 1940 instrumental that was designed to highlight the playing of Ellington's lead trumpeter, Cootie Williams. Russell's words were added later. In 1944, Ellington's own recording of the song was a number one hit R&B chart for eight non-consecutive weeks and number six on the pop chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Fine Romance (song)</span> 1936 song composed by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Dorothy Fields; from the 1936 film "Swing Time"

"A Fine Romance" is a popular song composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Dorothy Fields, published in 1936.

"Don't Fence Me In" is a popular American song written in 1934, with music by Cole Porter and lyrics by Robert Fletcher and Cole Porter. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.

"This Can't Be Love" is a show tune and a popular song from the 1938 Rodgers and Hart musical The Boys from Syracuse when it was sung by Eddie Albert and Marcy Westcott. The lyrics poke fun at the common depiction of love in popular songs as a host of malignant symptoms, saying, "This can't be love because I feel so well."

"Embraceable You" is a jazz standard song with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin. The song was written in 1928 for an unpublished operetta named East Is West. It was published in 1930 and included in that year's Broadway musical Girl Crazy, performed by Ginger Rogers in a song and dance routine choreographed by Fred Astaire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somebody Loves Me</span> 1924 song by George Gershwin

"Somebody Loves Me" is a popular song, with music written by George Gershwin, and lyrics by Ballard MacDonald and Buddy DeSylva. The song was published in 1924 and featured in George White's Scandals of 1924.

"I Love Paris" is a popular song written by Cole Porter and published in 1953. The song was introduced by Lilo in the role of La Mome in the musical Can-Can. A line in the song's lyrics inspired the title of the 1964 movie Paris When It Sizzles.

"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.

"Moonlight Becomes You" is a popular song composed by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Johnny Burke. The song was written for the Paramount Pictures release Road to Morocco (1942) and published in 1942 in connection with the film. Vic Schoen wrote the arrangement.

"I've Got a Crush on You" is a song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin. It is unique among Gershwin compositions in that it was used for two different Broadway productions: Treasure Girl (1928), when it was introduced by Clifton Webb and Mary Hay, and Strike Up the Band (1930), when it was sung by Doris Carson and Gordon Smith. It was later included in the tribute musical Nice Work If You Can Get It (2012), in which it was sung by Jennifer Laura Thompson. When covered by Frank Sinatra he was a part of Columbia Records.

"Witchcraft" is a popular song from 1957 composed by Cy Coleman with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh.

"It's All Right with Me" is a popular song written by Cole Porter, for his 1953 musical Can-Can, where it was introduced by Peter Cookson as the character Judge Aristide Forestier.

"(You'd Be So) Easy to Love" is a popular song written by Cole Porter for William Gaxton to sing in the 1934 Broadway show Anything Goes. However Gaxton was unhappy about its wide vocal range and it was cut from the musical. Porter re-wrote it for the 1936 film Born to Dance, where it was introduced by Eleanor Powell, James Stewart, and Frances Langford under its alternate title, "Easy to Love". The song was later added to the 1987 and 2011 revivals of Anything Goes under the complete title "You’d Be So Easy to Love".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All by Myself (Irving Berlin song)</span> 1921 popular song written by Irving Berlin

"All by Myself" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin, published in 1921.

References

  1. "Whoopee". Merriam-Webster. Webster.com. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2006-10-08.
  2. Holden, Stephen (April 19, 2002). "Crooning About the Woes of Whoopee". The New York Times. Retrieved 2006-10-08. A review of a James Naughton cabaret performance. "Mr. Naughton pounces on the dire warning to men lurking beneath the song's playful surface: that once the honeymoon is over, marriage can become a trap from which there is no escape."
  3. "Public Domain Day 2024 | Duke University School of Law". web.law.duke.edu.
  4. "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  5. 10CD-set Bing Crosby, CD 1 Early Bing Vol. 1, Mebran Music Ltd. (2008), ISBN   978-3-86860-027-8
  6. "Makin' Whoopee". lyrics.com.
  7. Cool Cole, The King Cole Trio Story, Proper Records, 2001
  8. Nature Boy, Nat King Cole, Living Era, 2003
  9. "Music | Original Columbia LP "I'll See You In My Dreams" [1951]". DorisDayTribute.com. 1951-12-14. Archived from the original on 2008-09-27. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
  10. "Music | Original Columbia LP "Cuttin' Capers" [1959]". DorisDayTribute.com. 1959-03-09. Archived from the original on 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
  11. "Frank Sinatra Album List : Release Date Ascending". Sinatrafamily.com. Archived from the original on 2012-01-14. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
  12. "Mercury Records Discography: 1956". Jazzdisco.org. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
  13. ""M*A*S*H" Dear Dad.... Three (TV episode 1973)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
  14. Garcia, Gilbert (27 January 2003). "The Ballad of Paul and Yoko". Salon.com . Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  15. Hay, Carla (August 22, 1998). "MuchMusic Readies Awards, Spinoff Channel; MTV's Suite Set". Vol. 110, no. 34. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 85. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  16. "The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989)". Internet Movie Database . Retrieved 2015-10-25.
  17. ""NewsRadio" Stupid Holiday Charity Talent Show (1997)". Internet Movie Database . Retrieved 2019-03-15.
  18. "Pepsi-Cola Uses Old 'Whoopee' Hit as Jingle Theme". Billboard Music Week . 1961-02-13. p. 36. Retrieved 2016-11-17.
  19. Gurwitch, Annabelle. (2015). I see you made an effort : compliments, indignities, and survival stories from the edge of 50. Penguin. ISBN   9780142181874. OCLC   881869606.
  20. "BioShock Infinite - 2K". Archived from the original on 2015-04-29.
  21. "Stupid Holiday Charity Talent Show". IMDb .