Strip Polka

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"Strip Polka" is a 1942 novelty song with music and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. [1] The music incorporates a polka beat; the lyrics are about Queenie, a burlesque performer who longs to quit her job and retire to life on a farm. [2] [3]

Contents

Its use in the film Navy Blues (1941) was prevented as a result of Joseph Breen's memo to Jack Warner regarding the low moral tone of the lyrics. [4] [5] [6]

The first recording of "Strip Polka", which featured the vocals of Mercer, Phil Silvers, and Margaret Whiting, with piano by Jimmy Van Heusen, and an arrangement by Paul Weston, was a significant early hit (charting at #7) for Capitol Records, selling more than a million copies. [7] [8] [9] [4]

The recording by The Andrews Sisters came in at #2 on Variety's list of bestselling songs despite censors only allowing the song to play on the radio for nine or ten weeks. [3] A version by Alvino Rey was popular. [10]

The song was popular with U.S. troops during World War II. [11]

Recordings

In other media

References

  1. ↑ Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1971). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series.
  2. ↑ Furia, Philip; Patterson, Laurie J. (2022). The Poets of Tin Pan Alley. Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-090646-7.
  3. 1 2 Shteir, Rachel (2004). Striptease: The Untold History of the Girlie Show. Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-530076-5.
  4. 1 2 3 Eskew, Glenn T. (2013-11-15). Johnny Mercer: Southern Songwriter for the World. University of Georgia Press. ISBN   978-0-8203-3330-4.
  5. ↑ Zimmers, Tighe E. (2021-05-07). That's Entertainment: A Biography of Broadway Composer Arthur Schwartz. McFarland. ISBN   978-1-4766-7881-8.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Mercer, Johnny; Kimball, Robert; Day, Barry; Kreuger, Miles; Davis, Eric (2009-10-20). The Complete Lyrics of Johnny Mercer. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN   978-0-307-26519-7.
  7. ↑ Lees, Gene (2009-08-19). Portrait of Johnny: The Life of John Herndon Mercer. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN   978-0-307-48969-2.
  8. ↑ Weston, Paul; Stafford, Jo. Song of the Open Road: An Autobiography and Other Writings. BearManor Media.
  9. ↑ Gavin, James (2015-10-06). Is That All There Is?: The Strange Life of Peggy Lee. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   978-1-4516-4179-0.
  10. ↑ Johnson, Vincent (1942-10-28). "Peel Wheel Not for Turntable in Case of Airing Strip Polka". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 28. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  11. ↑ "Survey Shows Troops Aren't Singing Much". The Daily Tribune. 1943-12-28. p. 3. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  12. ↑ Furia, Philip (2004-12-09). Skylark: The Life and Times of Johnny Mercer. St. Martin's Publishing Group. ISBN   978-1-4668-1923-8.
  13. ↑ Orodenker, M.H. (5 September 1942). "On the Records". The Billboard . p. 20. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  14. ↑ Nimmo, H. Arlo (2007-04-17). The Andrews Sisters: A Biography and Career Record. McFarland. ISBN   978-0-7864-3260-8.
  15. ↑ "National and Regional Best Selling Retail Records". The Billboard . 26 September 1942.
  16. ↑ "David Janssen Dean's Guest". The Shreveport Journal. 1969-09-19. p. 38. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  17. ↑ Cassavetes, John (1970). Faces. New American Library.
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