The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #163583 Message #3904513
Posted By: Joe Offer
09-Feb-18 - 03:08 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req/Add: Button Up Your Overcoat
Subject: ADDPOP: Button Up Your Overcoat (original)
The Nancy Sinatra version I posted above was from one of "those" Websites. This is from a far more credible source.
BUTTON UP YOUR OVERCOAT (Buddy DeSylva, Lew Brown, Ray Henderson)
VERSE 1 Listen, Big Boy, Now that I've got you made, Goodness, but I'm afraid, Something's gonna happen to you. Listen, Big Boy, You've got me hooked, and how! I would die if I should lose you now.
REFRAIN 1 Button up your overcoat When the wind is free, Take good care of yourself, You belong to me! Eat an apple every day, Get to bed by three, Take good care of yourself, You belong to me! Be careful crossing streets, oo-oo! Don't eat meats, oo-oo! Cut out sweets, oo-oo! You'll get a pain and ruin your tum-tum! Keep away from bootleg hooch When you're on a spree. Take good care of yourself, You belong to me!
VERSE 2 Listen, girlfriend! You've knocked me off my feet. I think you're very sweet, Making such a fuss about me. Listen, girlfriend! Now that I'm fond of you, I'm afraid I'm gonna worry too.
REFRAIN 2 Button up your overcoat When the wind is free, Take good care of yourself, You belong to me! Wear your flannel underwear When you climb a tree. Take good care of yourself, You belong to me! Don't sit on hornet's tails, oo-oo! Or on nails, oo-oo! Or third rails, oo-oo! You'll get a pain and ruin your tum-tum! Don't go out with college boys When you're on a spree. Take good care of yourself, You belong to me!
Source: Reading Lyrics (page 176), by Robert Gottlieb and Robert Kimball (Pantheon Books, New York, 2000).
Wikipedia says the song was published in 1928, and first recorded in 1928 by Ruth Etting. Helen Kane came out with a popular recording of the song in 1929.