Rhode Island Is Famous For You

By Arthur Schwartz & Howard Dietz
1948

A ridiculously cute and catchy number from the obscure Schwartz/Dietz musical revue Inside the U.S.A. The show only ran for a few months, and only produced one hit, "Haunted Heart". Most attribute this to the ASCAP strike that prevented the recording of a proper cast album or radio version. This particular number was introduced in the show by Jack Haley, best known as the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz. Like the rest of the numbers/sketches in the show, it spotlights a particular state--although in this case, it also includes many others in a classic "list-song" format.

Lyrics: 

Copper comes from Arizona
Peaches come from Georgia
And lobsters come from Maine
The wheat fields
Are the sweet fields of Nebraska
And Kansas gets bonanzas from the grain

Old whiskey comes from old Kentucky
Ain't the country lucky
New Jersey gives us glue
And you, you come from Rhode Island
And little old Rhode Island
Is famous for you

Cotton comes from Lou-siana
Gophers from Montana
And spuds from Idaho
They plow land
In the cow land of Missour-a
Where most beef meant
For roast beef seems to grow

Grand canyons come from Colorad-a
Gold comes from Nevada
Divorces also do
And you, you come from Rhode Island
Little old Rhode Island
Is famous for you

Pencils come from Pennsylvania
Vest from Vest Virginia
And Tents from Tent-esee
They know mink where they grow
Mink in Wyo-mink
A camp chair in New Hamp-chair
That's for me

And minnows come Minnesota
Coats come from Dakota
But why should you be blue?
For you, you come from Rhode Island
Don't let them ride Rhode Island
It's famous for you

Recorded By:

John Pizzarelli
Blossom Dearie
Jack Haley
Nancy Lamott
Layla Solomon (my daughter's own rendition, which I hope you enjoy!)

Always True to You in My Fashion

By Cole Porter
1948

Perhaps one of the master's greatest and cleverest compositions, with a lyric that never ceases to elicit amusement and exude effortless charm. It was written for Porter's celebrated musical Kiss Me, Kate, in which it was introduced by Broadway standout Lisa Kirk. The combination of sophistication and underlying naughtiness is the epitome of Porter's body of work.

Lyrics (extended stage version):

Oh, Bill
Why can't you behave
Why can't you behave?
How in hell can you be jealous
When you know, baby, I'm your slave?
I'm just mad for you
And I'll always be
But naturally.....

If a custom-tailored vet
Asks me out for something wet
When the vet begins to pet, I cry "hooray!"
But I'm always true to you, darlin', in my fashion
Yes, I'm always true to you, darlin', in my way

I enjoy a tender pass
By the boss of Boston, Mass
Though his pass is middle-class and not Backa Bay
But I'm always true to you, darlin', in my fashion
Yes, I'm always true to you, darlin' in my way

There's a madman known as Mack
Who is planning to attack
If his mad attack means a Cadillac, okay!
But I'm always true to to you, darlin', in my fashion
Yes, I'm always true to you, darlin' in my way

I've been asked to have a meal
By a big tycoon in steel
If the meal includes a deal, accept I may
But I'm always true to you, darlin', in my fashion
Yes, I'm always true to you, Darlin' in my way

I could never curl my lip
To a dazzlin' diamond clip
Though the clip meant "Let 'er rip", I'd not say "Nay!"
But I'm always true to to you, darlin, in my fashion
Yes, I'm always true to you, darlin' in my way

There's an oil man known as "Tex"
Who is keen to give me checks
And his checks, I fear, mean that sex is here to stay!
But I'm always true to you, darlin', in my fashion
Yes, I'm always true to you, darlin' in my way

There's a wealthy Hindu priest
Who's a wolf, to say the least
When the priest goes too far East, I also stray
But I'm always true to to you, darlin', in my fashion
Yes, I'm always true to you, darlin'in my way

There's a lush from Portland, Ore
Who is rich but such a bore
When the bore falls on the floor, I let him lay
But I'm always true to to you, darlin', in my fashion
Yes, I'm always true to you, darlin',in my way

Mister Harris, plutocrat
Wants to give my cheek a pat
If the Harris pat means a Paris hat, Bébé, Oo-la-la!
Mais je suis toujours fidele, darlin', in my fashion
Oui, je suis toujours fidele, darlin', in my way

From Ohio, Mister Thorne
Calls me up from night 'til morn
Mister Thorne once corner'd corn and that ain't hay
But I'm always true to to you, darlin', in my fashion
Yes, I'm always true to you, darlin', in my way

From Milwaukee, Mister Fritz
Often moves me to the Ritz
Mister Fritz is full of Schlitz and full of play
But I'm always true to to you, darlin', in my fashion
Yes, I'm always true to you, darlin', in my way

Mister Gable, I mean Clark
Wants me on his boat to park
If the Gable boat means a sable coat, anchors aweigh!
But I'm always true to to you, darlin', in my fashion
Yes, I'm always true to you, darlin', in my way

Recorded By:

Blossom Dearie
Ella Fitzgerald
Della Reese
Eartha Kitt
Peggy Lee & George Shearing

Key Largo

By Benny Carter, Karl Suessdorf & Leah Worth
1948

Written for the Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall film of the same name, this smooth, gentle number was introduced by Carter's own band. It would later become a popular tune with the progressive jazz performers who would emerge in the 1950s.

Lyrics:

Key largo,
Alone on Key Largo,
How empty it seems,
With only my dreams

Strange cargo,
They come to Key Largo,
But where is the face
My heart won’t erase?

The moon tide,
Rolling in from the sea,
Is lonely,
and it always will be, till you’re with me.

And I know,
I’ll stay in Key Largo,
Just watching the shore
To find you once more

In Key Largo, find you once more in Key Largo.

Recorded By:

Sarah Vaughan
Benny Carter

So in Love

By Cole Porter
1948

This is one of the finest accomplishments of a songwriter whose career was fairly littered with them. Possessing a dark, brooding, minor key melody and lyrics that communicate desperate, aching longing and devotion, it is one the American songbook's great odes to love. It was written for Porter's adaptation of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew--Kiss Me, Kate--in which it was introduced on stage by Patricia Morison and Alfred Drake. It would be a big charted hit the following year for Patti Page.

Lyrics:

Strange dear, but true dear,
When I'm close to you, dear,
The stars fill the sky,
So in love with you am I.

Even without you,
My arms fold about you,
You know, darling why,
So in love with you am I.

In love with the night mysterious,
The night when you first were there.
In love with my joy delirious,
The thought that you might care.

So taunt me, and hurt me,
Deceive me, desert me,
I'm yours till I die,
So in love with you am I.

Recorded By:

Ella Fitzgerald
Dinah Shore
Gordon McRae
Peggy Lee
Dick Haymes

Red Roses for a Blue Lady

By Sid Tepper & Roy C. Bennett
1948

Introduced by Vaughn Monroe at the end of 1948, and a strong hit for the singer. It remained the signature version of the song, despite several versions immediately after, and a revival of the song in the mid 1960s, during the "easy listening" craze. I've always been partial to Dean Martin's country-tinged rendition, myself.

Lyrics:

I want some red roses for a blue lady.
Mister florist, take my order please.
We had a silly quarrel the other day.
I hope these pretty flowers chase her blues away.

I want some red roses for a blue lady.
Send them to the sweetest gal in town.
And if they do the trick, I'll hurry back to pick
Your best white orchid for her wedding gown.

Recorded By:

Guy Lombardo
Vic Dana
Wayne Newton
Bert Kaempfert
Ray Conniff