| "You'd Be Surprised" | |
|---|---|
 You'd Be Surprised | |
| Composition by Irving Berlin | |
| Written | 1919 |
| Songwriter(s) | Irving Berlin |
"You'd Be Surprised" is a song written by Irving Berlin in 1919 which Eddie Cantor interpolated it into Ziegfeld's Follies of 1919. [1] Cantor soon recorded it and it became a major hit. Other popular versions in 1920 were by the All-Star Trio and by Irving Kaufman. [2]
The first verse introduces the shy Johnny and the woman Mary who finds him to be an exceptional lover, although apparently no one else ever has. She explains his appeal in the first chorus. By the second verse, Mary's talking-up of Johnny has resulted in him now being very popular with the ladies. The song leaves any questions about Mary's status unanswered.
The first chorus mentions the Morris Chair, made popular in America by furniture maker Gustav Stickley.
Part of first verse:
Parts of various choruses:
Part of second verse:
Other chart versions in the USA were by Orrin Tucker (vocal by Bonnie Baker) in 1940 and by Johnnie Ray in 1954. [3]
The song was recorded by a number of other artists, including Billy Murray on November 19, 1919, for Victor (No. 18634A). [4] Five years later in 1924, Murray would record a similar-themed tune called "Charley, My Boy", which included an instrumental referback to this one.
The Hoosier Hot Shots covered the song in 1942. [5]
The song was revived by Olga San Juan in the 1946 Bing Crosby/Fred Astaire film, Blue Skies .
The song was also memorably recorded by Marilyn Monroe in 1954 - with alternate lyrics. [6] It is available on the Marilyn Monroe compilation album titled Anthology. [7]
Kathy Linden released a version of the song as a single in 1958 that reached No. 50 on the Billboard pop chart. [8]
Burl Ives included the song on his album Burl Ives Sings Irving Berlin in 1960. [9]
Madeline Kahn sang it at Carnegie Hall in 1988 for Berlin's 100 Birthday Celebration.
Additionally, rock band White Hassle recorded a cover of the song for their 2005 album Your Language. [10]
"All Alone" is a popular waltz ballad composed by Irving Berlin in 1924. It was interpolated into the Broadway show The Music Box Revue of 1924 where it was sung by Grace Moore and Oscar Shaw. Moore sat at one end of the stage under a tightly focused spotlight, singing it into a telephone, while Oscar Shaw sat at the other, doing the same.
"Heat Wave" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin for the 1933 musical As Thousands Cheer, and introduced in the show by Ethel Waters.
"Let's Fall in Love" is a song written by Harold Arlen (music) and Ted Koehler (lyrics) for the film Let's Fall in Love and published in 1933. In the film, it is heard during the opening credits and later sung by Art Jarrett and chorus, and by Ann Sothern.
"Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee" is a song by Irving Berlin appearing in the musical comedy Face the Music, which opened in 1932. On opening night it was sung by J. Harold Murray and Katherine Carrington. The song, set in a self-service restaurant modeled on the Horn & Hardart Automat, is sung in the play by a group of once-wealthy citizens who were awaiting better times, as mirrored in the song's opening lyrics:
"I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now" is a popular song. The music was written by Harold Orlob, the lyrics by Will M. Hough and Frank R. Adams. Orlob worked for Joseph E. Howard generating songs for Howard's productions and Howard presented the song as his own work for several years. The song was published in 1909 and was first introduced in the 1909 musical The Prince of To-Night when it was performed by Henry Woodruff.
"It's a Lovely Day Today" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin for his successful musical Call Me Madam (1950) when it was introduced by Russell Nype and Galina Talva. The musical was adapted as a movie in 1953 and the song "It's a Lovely Day Today" was performed by Donald O'Connor and Vera-Ellen.
"You're Laughing at Me" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin for the 1937 film On the Avenue, where it was introduced by Dick Powell. Popular versions in 1937 were by Fats Waller and by Wayne King.
"Isn't This a Lovely Day?" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin for the 1935 film Top Hat, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire in the scene where his and Ginger Rogers' characters are caught in a gazebo during a rainstorm. The lyric is an example of a song which turns a bad situation into a love song, a common style for Irving Berlin, as in I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm and Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee.
"How About Me?" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin in 1928. The song is an expression of sorrow over a love affair that is over. The first recording by Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians was popular in 1928 and the song has subsequently been recorded by many artists.
"The Song Is Ended (but the Melody Lingers On)" is a popular song composed by Irving Berlin in 1927. Early hits in 1928 were by Ruth Etting and by Whispering Jack Smith. In 1948, Nellie Lutcher and Her Rhythm briefly charted with the song.
"Slumming on Park Avenue" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin for the 1937 film On the Avenue, where it was introduced by Alice Faye. Popular recordings in 1937 were by Red Norvo and his Orchestra, Fletcher Henderson and by Jimmie Lunceford.
"Here in My Arms" is a popular song published in 1925, written by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Lorenz Hart.
Clap Hands! Here Comes Charley! is a popular song that was written by Billy Rose, Ballard MacDonald and Joseph Meyer and was first published in 1925. The song was recorded by several popular singers of the era, including a version by Billy Murray in 1925, but the most popular version at that time was by Johnny Marvin. In the 1930s the song became the theme tune of British dance band pianist Charlie Kunz. In the 1960s, the song was used to promote Hormel chili, as in, "Clap hands, here comes chili...".
I Want to Go Back to Michigan is a song by Irving Berlin composed in 1914. It was a moderate commercial success when it was first released with popular versions by Elida Morris and by Morton Harvey. Afterwards it became a staple in vaudeville. Its most famous performance was by Judy Garland in the film Easter Parade.
"I Love a Piano" is a popular song with words and music by Irving Berlin. It was copyrighted on December 9, 1920 and introduced in the Broadway musical revue Stop! Look! Listen! when it was performed by Harry Fox and the ensemble. The song was given a tremendous boost in the show as the set for it consisted of an enormous keyboard running completely across the stage. In front of this were six pianos with six pianists playing the tune. Irving Berlin always regarded the song as one of his best efforts.
"All of My Life" is a 1944 song composed by Irving Berlin. It was first recorded in 1945 by Bing Crosby whose version reached No. 12 in the Billboard charts. Other chart hits in 1945 were by Sammy Kaye and his Orchestra and by The Three Suns.
"The Moon of Manakoora" is a popular song written by Frank Loesser (lyrics) and Alfred Newman (music) for the 1937 Paramount film The Hurricane starring Dorothy Lamour. Lamour sang the song in the film and also made a commercial recording of it. The song "The Moon of Manakoora" is considered a standard and was Loesser's first success as a lyric writer.
Goodbye, France is a World War I era song written and composed by Irving Berlin and published by Waterson, Berlin & Snyder Co.
"Say It with Music" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin. It was introduced in the Music Box Revue of 1921, where it was the de facto theme song and sung as a duet. The song was popularised by Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra on 30 August 1921; this recording debuted on the charts on 12 November of that year, remained there for 14 weeks and peaked at number 1. Other popular versions in 1921/22 were by John Steel and by Ben Selvin.
"I Never Had A Chance" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin, published in 1934. Popular versions that year were by Eddy Duchin and by Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra.
