Lyr Req: They're Either Too Young or Too Old

Subject: RE: Req: Unidentified WW2-era song - 2 Young or 2 Old?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 27 Nov 10 - 09:43 PM

Good Song , but I dont think I could get away with singing it! The Beard spoils the effect !

Subject: RE: Req: Unidentified WW2-era song - 2 Young or 2 Old?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Nov 10 - 09:19 PM

YouTube has another recording by Kitty Kallen & Jimmy Dorsey Orch but the sound quality is poor.

…and another by Liz Tilton & Jan Garber Orch, which is a bit better.

Subject: RE: Req: Unidentified WW2-era song - 2 Young or 2 Old?
From: GUEST,DWR
Date: 27 Nov 10 - 09:14 PM

Jim, I've got the Kitty Kallen/Jimmy Dorsey recording if you'd like to have it.

Dale at dale8r AT hotmail.com

Subject: Lyr Add: THEY'RE EITHER TOO YOUNG OR TOO OLD
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Nov 10 - 06:47 PM

Bravo, EBarnacle, and others! I'm sure this must be the right song. I even found a recording of Bette Davis singing it at YouTube. There I compared the words above with the recording and found a few differences, which are boldfaced below:


THEY'RE EITHER TOO YOUNG OR TOO OLD
(Lyrics: Frank Loesser. Music: Arthur Schwartz)
(As sung by Bette Davis.)

You marched away and left this town as empty as can be,
And I am like the driftwood in a deadly calm at sea.
I can't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me,
For there is no secret lover that the draft board didn't discover.

They're either too young or too old.
They're either too gray or too grassy green.
The pickings are poor and the crop is lean.
What's good is in the Army; what's left will never harm me.

They're either too old or too young,
So, darling, you'll never get stung.
Tomorrow I'll go hiking with that Eagle Scout unless
I get a call from grandpa for a snappy game of chess.

I'm finding it easy to stay good as gold.
They're either too young or too old.

They're either too warm or too cold.
They're either to fast or too fast asleep,
So, darling, believe me, I'm yours to keep.
They're isn't any gravy; the gravy's in the Navy.

They're either too fresh or too stale.
There is no available male.
I will confess to one romance I'm sure you will allow.
He tries to serenade me, but his voice is changing now.

I'm finding it easy to keep things controlled.
They're either too young or too old.

They're either too bald or too bold.
I'm down to the wheelchair and bassinet.
My heart just refuses to get upset.
I simply can't compel it to, with no Marines to tell it to.

I'm either their first breath of spring,
Or else I'm their last little fling.
I either get a fossil or an adolescent pup.
I either have to hold him off or have to hold him up.

The battle is on, but the fortress will hold.
They're either too young or too old.

I'll never, never fail ya
When you are in Australia,
Or out in the Aleutians,
Or off among the Rooshians,
And flying over Egypt,
Your heart will never be gypped,
And when ya get to India,
I'll still be what I've been to ya.
I've looked the field over and lo and behold,
They're either too young or too old.

Subject: ADDPOP: They're Either Too Young or Too Old
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 27 Nov 10 - 01:39 PM

THEY'RE EITHER TOO YOUNG OR TOO OLD
From the film "Thank Your Lucky Stars" (1943)
(Lyrics: Frank Loesser / Music: Arthur Schwartz)

Bette Davis (Film Soundtrack) - 1943
Jimmy Dorsey & His Orch. (vocal: Kitty Kallen) - 1943
Hildegarde - 1944
Joan Edwards - 1944
Jane Froman (feat. in the film "With A Song In My Heart") - 1952
Margaret Whiting - 1977
Rosemary Clooney - 1990
Andrea Marcovicci - 1990
K.T. Sullivan - 2001
Valerie Lemon - 2006



You rushed away and left this house as empty as can be
And I am like the driftwood in a deadly calm at sea
I can't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but thee
For there is no secret lover that the draft board didn't discover

They're either too young or too old
They're either too gray or too grassy green
The pickings are poor and the crop is lean
What's good is in the Army, what's left will never harm me

They're either too old or too young
So, darling, you'll never get stung
Tomorrow I'll go hiking with that Eagle Scout unless
I get a call from grandpa for a snappy game of chess

They're either too warm or too cold
They're either to fast or too fast asleep
So, darling, believe me, I'm yours to keep
They're isn't any gravy, the gravy's in the Navy

They're either too fresh or too stale
There is no available male
I will confess to one romance I'm sure you will allow
He tried to serenade me, but his voice is changing now

They're either too bald or too bold
I'm down to the wheelchair and bassinet
My heart just refuses to get upset
I simply can't compel it to, with no Marine to tell it to

I'm either their first breath of spring
Or else, I'm their last little fling
I either get a fossil or an adolescent pup
I either have to hold him off or have to hold him up

The battle is on, but the fortress will hold
They're either too young or too old

(Orchestral Break)

So, remember this, boys
She'll never, never fail ya
While you are in Australia
Or out in the Aleutians
Or off among the Rooshians
And flying over Egypt
Your heart will never be gypped
And when you get to India
She'll still be what she's been to ya
She's looked the field over
And lo and behold
They're either too young or too old



(Transcribed from the Bette Davis
recording by Mel Priddle - Nov 2007)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unidentified WW2-era song
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 27 Nov 10 - 11:48 AM

Here?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unidentified WW2-era song
From: EBarnacle
Date: 27 Nov 10 - 11:44 AM

I suspect the song is "They're either too young or too old." It is considered part of the Great American Songbook.

Subject: Lyr Req: Unidentified WW2-era song
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Nov 10 - 11:36 AM

Over Thanksgiving, I visited an aunt of mine who had been a teenager during WW2. She remembered part of a pop song from that era—sung from the point of view of a young woman who was complaining that there were no desirable young men available because they were all in the army. Of the men who might entertain her, they were either too young or too old, or had something else wrong with them. All she had to look forward to that weekend was that her grandpa might invite her over for an exciting game of chess.

I don't have any exact quotes, just the above paraphrase. I might be able to get some quotes a few days from now, but I thought this might be enough to jog the memory of someone at Mudcat. I'd appreciate any related information.