Too Darn Hot

Last updated

"Too Darn Hot" is a song written by Cole Porter for his musical Kiss Me, Kate (1948). In the stage version, it is sung at the start of Act 2, and in the 1948 original Broadway production, it was sung by Lorenzo Fuller (as Paul) and Eddie Sledge and Fred Davis (as the specialty dancers), leading the full company.

Contents

In the 1953 MGM Hollywood film version, it is moved to a much earlier point, and it is sung by Ann Miller (as Lois Lane, Fred's new girlfriend, who is cast as Bianca). The song does not contribute to the plot in either the stage or film versions (according to general opinion); in the stage version, the song represents the company of The Taming of the Shrew taking a break offstage during the intermission of their play; in the film version it allowed the audience to see Lois's fun-loving, risk-taking nature, and gave Ann Miller a chance to show off her dancing skills, specifically tap. The line 'According to the Kinsey report' (in the original stage production) was changed in the film version to 'According to the latest report'. The song has also been covered by many artists.

Notable recordings

"Too Darn Hot"
Song by Ella Fitzgerald
from the album Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook
Released1956
RecordedFebruary - March 1956
Genre
Length3:51
Label verve
Songwriter(s)

On February 16, 1964 Mitzi Gaynor performed the song on The Ed Sullivan Show broadcast live from the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach in between the two sets of The Beatles for their second appearance on the show.

This song was the soundtrack of a 2003 Adidas commercial. [3]

The song gained new currency in 2004 because of two films that came out that year. The first was the Porter biopic De-Lovely , and the second was the movie Kinsey , which used the tune because Porter mentioned the Kinsey report on American sexual attitudes in the song's bridge.

This song is referenced in the title song of the 2008 musical In the Heights by Usnavi.

In 2013 for Verve Remixed: The First Ladies, RAC (DJ) did a chill version of Ella Fitzgerald's take.

In 2015, Katie Derham danced the Charleston to 'Too Darn Hot' on the thirteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing with her professional dancing partner Anton Du Beke.

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.

"All of You" is a popular song written by Cole Porter and published in 1954.

Whatever Lola Wants Song from the musical Damn Yankees

"Whatever Lola Wants" is a popular song, sometimes rendered as "Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets". The music and words were written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross for the 1955 musical play Damn Yankees. The song is sung to Joe Hardy by Lola, the Devil's assistant, a part originated by Gwen Verdon, who reprised the role in the film. The saying was inspired by Lola Montez, an Irish-born "Spanish dancer" and mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, who later became a San Francisco Gold Rush vamp.

"They Can't Take That Away from Me" is a 1937 popular song with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin. It was introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1937 film Shall We Dance and gained huge success.

"Black Coffee" is a song with music by Sonny Burke and words by Paul Francis Webster. The song was published in 1948.

"Three Little Words" is a popular song with music by Harry Ruby and lyrics by Bert Kalmar, published in 1930.

"It's De-Lovely" is one of Cole Porter's hit songs, originally appearing in his 1936 musical, Red Hot and Blue. It was introduced by Ethel Merman and Bob Hope. The song was later used in the musical Anything Goes, first appearing in the 1956 film version ; in the 1962 revival where it was sung by Hal Linden and Barbara Lang, and in the 2004 biographical film De-Lovely, where it was performed by Robbie Williams.

A Fine Romance (song) 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.

"Just One of Those Things" is a popular song written by Cole Porter for the 1935 musical Jubilee.

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

<i>Kiss Me Kate</i> (film) 1953 film directed by George Sidney

Kiss Me Kate is a 1953 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film adaptation of the 1948 Broadway musical of the same name.

"I Concentrate on You" is a song written by Cole Porter for the 1940 film Broadway Melody of 1940, where it was introduced by Douglas McPhail.

"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.

"Do I Love You?" is a 1939 popular song written by Cole Porter, for his musical Du Barry Was a Lady, where it was introduced by Ronald Graham and Ethel Merman.

"From This Moment On" is a 1950 popular song written by Cole Porter, which has since become a jazz standard. It was originally written for the 1950 musical Out of This World, but director George Abbott dropped it from the musical before its Broadway premiere, possibly due to lackluster singing by cast member William Eythe. It was then included in MGM's 1953 film Kiss Me Kate, an adaptation of Porter's stage musical Kiss Me, Kate when it was sung by Ann Miller, Tommy Rall, Bob Fosse and Bobby Van.

"(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 only later added to the 1987 and 2011 revivals of Anything Goes under the complete title "You’d Be So Easy to Love".

"Dream Dancing" is a song written by Cole Porter for the 1941 film You'll Never Get Rich, where it was introduced as an instrumental. The first recording was made by Fred Astaire with Harry Sosnik and his Orchestra and The Delta Rhythm Boys in 1941 under the Decca label (#18188).

Youre Driving Me Crazy Song

"You’re Driving Me Crazy" is an American popular song composed by Walter Donaldson in 1930 and recorded the same year by Lee Morse, Rudy Vallée & His Connecticut Yankees and Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians.

"Pick Yourself Up" is a popular song composed in 1936 by Jerome Kern, with lyrics by Dorothy Fields. It has a verse and chorus, as well as a third section, though the third section is often omitted in recordings. Like most popular songs of the era it features a 32 bar chorus, though with an extended coda.

References

  1. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  2. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  3. "Adidas - Too Darn Hot (2003) - 0:30 (USA) | Adland ®". adland.tv. Retrieved 2018-10-16.