Oh, You Beautiful Doll
"Oh, You Beautiful Doll" | |
---|---|
Sheet music cover, 1911 | |
Song | |
Published | 1911 |
Genre | Ragtime |
Composer(s) | Nat D. Ayer |
Lyricist(s) | Seymour Brown |
"Oh, You Beautiful Doll" is a ragtime love song published in 1911 with words by Seymour Brown and music by Nat D. Ayer. The song was one of the first with a twelve-bar opening.
The tune has been recorded hundreds of times by many artists from first publication until recent times.
Lyrics
Verse 1
- Honey dear, When you're near,
- Just turn out the light and then come over here,
- Nestle close, Up to my side,
- My heart's on fire, With love's desire.
- In my arms, rest complete,
- I never thought that life could ever be so sweet,
- Till I met you some time ago,
- But now you know I love you so
Chorus
- Oh! you beautiful doll,
- You great big beautiful doll!
- Let me put my arms about you,
- I could never live without you;
- Oh! you beautiful doll,
- You great big beautiful doll!
- If you ever leave me how my heart will ache,
- I want to hug you but I fear you'd break
- Oh, oh, oh, oh,
- Oh, you beautiful doll!
Second verse
- Precious prize, Close your eyes,
- Now we're goin' to visit love's paradise,
- Press your lips Again to mine,
- Love is king Of ev'ry thing,
- Squeeze me dear, I don't care!
- Hug me just as if you were a grizzly bear,
- This is how I'll go through life,
- No care or strife, When you're my wife
- )
Notable use in film
As well as being used in the 1949 film of the same name, the tune had been featured in several major movies — The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939), For Me and My Gal (1942), Broadway Rhythm (1944), Strangers on a Train (1951), The Eddie Cantor Story (1953) and The Taming of the Shrew (1969) as well as some Looney Tunes cartoons such as Hair-Raising Hare. The Kidsongs Kids and Billy and Ruby Biggle sang this song with a baby elephant named Belle in their 1995 video and DVD: "Baby Animal Songs". The song also appears on the animated series Hey Arnold! where Grandpa Phil sings the song while taking a shower, as well as in the last Fred Astaire variety special, in which he and dance partner Barrie Chase danced to it.
Other recordings
- 1911 – Billy Murray and The American Quartet recorded the song on September 29, 1911. It was released on Victor 16979.
- 1954 – John Serry Sr. and his accordion ensemble for RCA Victor (See "RCA Thesaurus").
References
Bibliography
- Ayer, Nat D.; Brown, Seymour. "Oh, You Beautiful Doll" (sheet music). New York: Jerome H. Remick & Co. (1911).