Dearie
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"Dearie" | |
---|---|
Song | |
Composer(s) | David Mann |
Lyricist(s) | Bob Hilliard |
"Dearie" is a
The song is about reminiscences, and often sung as a duet. When done as a duet, each one of the singers asks the other whether he or she remembers a number of long-ago events, and then says "if you remember, you're much older than I." When sung as a solo, the same questions are directed at the audience.
It makes a string of pseudo-nostalgic references: to
Recordings
In 1950, some of the best-known versions were recorded by Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians (with a vocal by Kenny Gardner), Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae, Ray Bolger and Ethel Merman, and Lisa Kirk and Fran Warren.
The Guy Lombardo record was recorded on January 26, 1950 and released by Decca Records (catalog number 24899). It first reached the Billboard chart on March 31, 1950 and lasted nine weeks on the chart, peaking at number 5.[1]
The Jo Stafford/Gordon MacRae record was recorded on January 14, 1950 and released by Capitol Records (catalog number 858). It first reached the Billboard chart on March 3, 1950 and lasted 11 weeks on the chart, peaking at number 12.[1]
The
The
The various versions of the song (combined, as was normal for Cash Box) reached number 4 on their Best-Selling Records chart.
In the UK, there were contemporary cover versions released by Bob and Alf Pearson (as part of their medley "In Big Bits of Big Hits"), The Five Smith Brothers, Ted Ray and Kitty Bluett, Billy Ternent and his Orchestra (with vocals by Eva Beynon and Bobby Breen), Joe Loss and his Orchestra, and Donald Peers. Ray and Bluett were playing a married couple in the BBC Radio comedy show Ray's a Laugh at the time.[2] Their recording features lyrics adapted for British audiences, who may not have understood all the American references.[3][4]
Recorded versions
- Ray Bolger and Ethel Merman (recorded January 4, 1950)
- Bing Crosby
- Let's Fall in Love
- Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians (Kenny Gardner and The Lombardo Trio) (recorded January 26, 1950)
- Mary Martin
- Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (January 14, 1950)
- Bob and Alf Pearson (as part of their medley "In Big Bits of Big Hits") on British Parlophone[5]
- Columbia)[2]
- Billy Cotton and Kathie Kay on their 1961 album Bill and Kate[6]
- The Five Smith Brothers[4]
- Billy Ternent and his Orchestra (vocals by Eva Beynon and Bobby Breen)[4]
- Joe Loss and his Orchestra[4]
- Donald Peers[4]
- George Towne and his Orchestra (vocals by The Satisfyers)[4]
- Mary Ellen Quartet (Mary Ellen, Bob Scott and Quartet)[4]
The song was featured on the
Dennis Day performed a version on The Jack Benny Program on April 9, 1950, with the final verse directed at "Jackie" instead of "dearie", reminiscing on the life of Jack Benny, who chimes in with a very off-key "I'm thirty-nine" as the penultimate line.
References
- ^ a b c d Whitburn, Joel (1973). Top Pop Records 1940-1955. Record Research.
- ^ a b McKay, Mark (9 March 2009). "PERFORMERS: TED RAY". Laughterlog.com. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ "Count on me/Dearie by Ted Ray and Kitty Bluett". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ ISBN 9781852832681.
- ^ "78 Record: Bob And Alf Pearson - "In Big Bits Of Big Hits" (No. 3) Part 1 (1950)". 45worlds.com. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ "Billy Cotton And Kathie Kay - Bill And Kate". Discogs.com. 1961. Retrieved 9 February 2021.