Lyr Req: Let's Do It (Cole Porter)

Subject: Cole Porter- Lets do it
From: alison
Date: 28 Oct 99 - 08:45 PM

Yes.. I know.. its not folk..... looking for a friend who says he has tried everywhere else.

I assume it's the one that goes...

Birds do it, Bees do it
even educated fleas do it
Lets do it
Lets fall in love

Anyone got any more???

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cole Porter- Lets do it
From: Mark Roffe
Date: 28 Oct 99 - 11:59 PM

Sponges, they say, do it,
Oysters, down in Oyster Bay, do it,
Let's do it, Let's fall in love.
Cold Cape Cod clams, 'gainst their wish, do it,
Even lazy jelly fish do it,
Let's do it, Let's fall in love.
Electric eels, I might add, do it,
Though it shocks 'em I know.
Why ask if shad do it, Waiter, bring me shad roe.
In shallow shoals, English soles do it,
Goldfish, in the privacy of bowls, do it,
Let's do it, let's fall in love.

I have the rest, but I can't type anymore right now.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cole Porter- Lets do it
From: alison
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 03:20 AM

it's a start anyway, Thanks Mark...

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cole Porter- Lets do it
From: Roger the zimmer
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 05:56 AM

Noel Coward also recorded a more (for the times) risque version with the names of celebrities,("Marlene could just do it") but I don't have it, sorry. I suspect many artistes tinkered with it in their own versions. I think the Ella version I'm most familiar with is lyrically accurate if melodically adventurous.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cole Porter- Lets do it
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 31 Oct 99 - 06:51 PM

Hi Alison, There are some great Porter bio sites out there. At least one has the lyrics to his most popular songs PLUS the raunchier versions which were used on stage but never made it to record. I'm really strapped for the next ten days, but someone else may be able to oblige. The bios about his sex life make for interesting reading - I researched hin 6 months ago for one of my son's school projects on jazz greats, He used Django instead. Regards, John,

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cole Porter- Lets do it
From: Jo Taylor
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 05:35 PM

Alison, I've got a recording (somewhere in the unsorted heaps) of a friend called Boris 'doing it' which is the loooongest version I've ever heard, and absolutely splendid - I'll be happy to sit & transcribe, unless there's a way of my sending it to you - far too long for a .wav file. Let me know... - if you've already got it, whatever...
Jo Taylor

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cole Porter- Lets do it
From: alison
Date: 02 Nov 99 - 02:28 AM

don't worry.. he found them at a Cole Porter site.

Thanks for your help.

slainte

alison

Subject: Lyr Add: LET'S DO IT (LET'S FALL IN LOVE) (Porter)
From: James in Cape Breton
Date: 02 Nov 99 - 08:29 AM

Alison

Found the following going through "Artist Collections" at Lyrics World site.

It's missing Porter's introduction "When the little bald clerk, so unhappy with his work starts to sing, ding, ding..." but otherwise is complete as it was published. The second version below bears some resemblance in a few places to what Noel Coward recorded (I think - it's been a while since I heard that version) but is more likely a collection of Porter verses deemed superfluous by the publisher. A lot of his lyrics had to be tidied up for that purpose I gather.

Track Title: LET'S DO IT (LET'S FALL IN LOVE)
Album Title: Cole Porter Songbook, disc 2
Prime Artist: Ella Fitzgerald
Producer: Norman Granz
Written by: Cole Porter (C. Albert P.)
From the Show: Paris 1928 (S)

Birds do it. Bees do it.
Even educated fleas do it.
Let's do it. Let's fall in love.

In Spain, the best upper sets do it.
Lithuanians and Letts do it.
Let's do it. Let's fall in love.

The Dutch in old Amsterdam do it,
Not to mention the Finns.
Folks in Siam do it. Think of Siamese twins.

Some Argentines, without means, do it.
People say in Boston even beans do it.
Let's do it. Let's fall in love.

Romantic sponges, they say, do it.
Oysters down in Oyster Bay do it.
Let's do it. Let's fall in love.

Cold Cape Cod clams, 'gainst their wish, do it.
Even lazy jellyfish, do it.
Let's do it. Let's fall in love.

Electric eels, I might add, do it,
Though it shocks em, I know.
Why ask if shad do it?
Waiter bring me "shad roe."

In shallow shoals, English soles do it.
Goldfish in the privacy of bowls do it.
Let's do it. Let's fall in love.

Transcribed (from the stated recording) by Todd Peach
Other verses I've seen in print follow:

In old Japan, all the Japs do it.
Up in Lapland little Laps do it.
Let's do it. Let's fall in love.

The chimpanzees in the zoos do it.
Some courageous kangaroos do it.
Let's do it. Let's fall in love.

I'm sure giraffes on the sly do it.
Even eagles as they fly do it.
Let's do it. Let's fall in love.

Electric eels, I might add, do it.
Though it shocks em, I know
Why ask if shad do it?
Garcon, de "shad roe."

The world admits bears in pits do it.
Even Pekingeses at the Ritz do it.
Let's do it. Let's fall in love.

The royal set sans regret did it,
And they considered it fun.
Marie Antoinette did it,
With or without Napoleon.

Parliament, pleasure bent, did it.
Mam'selles, every time they're short of rent, did it.
Let's do it. Let's fall in love.

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cole Porter- Lets do it
From: alison
Date: 02 Nov 99 - 08:49 AM

thanks James

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cole Porter- Lets do it
From: RWilhelm
Date: 02 Nov 99 - 09:43 AM

I bought a CD of Rudy Vallee recordings from the 20's (don't ask) that includes "Let's Do It." I almost fell off my chair when the first words he sang were:

Chinks do it, Japs do it

Subject: Lyr Add: THEY ALL DO IT.
From: John M.
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 05:00 PM

I was scrounging around the Mudcat archives and came across this thread. Well it looks like Cole Porter didn't write his version but adapted a folksong. Here is a poem/song from a 5th Feb 1907 dated manuscript from upstate New York:


               THEY ALL DO IT!

Fight against it all you can, though sad the thought, - ALL DO IT.

Yes - the pheasants and the fen do it;
    The robins and the wrens do it;
The roosters and the hens do it;
    The wild Comanche braves do it,
The Esquamaux in caves do it.
    And kings and queens are slaves to it.
Temptation all will bring to it,
    Parsons doff their pantaloons to it;
Goats in fall and spring do it;
    And boars bend their necks and swoon to it;
Moths and mites in cheese do it;
    And butterflies and bees do it;
And frogs settle down and freeze to it;
    Cold earth worms cone up in swarms to it;
And underneath the trees do it;
    Well-- I'm but a lonely woman,
With every pulse and feeling human,
    But I'm not the folks called "common".
And I'll never do it!
    The deed is rash, and I would rue it,
I'd scorn the act, and well you know it,
    But - Well -- I'll lay still, and let YOU do it.

A PDF of the manuscript is available on my website. If you know any bawdy songs, toasts or recitations, I would like to correspond with you. You can email me at JOHN (at)) Mehlberg.com.

Sincerely,

John Mehlberg
~
My bawdy songs, toasts and recitations website: www.immortalia.com

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cole Porter- Lets do it
From: Joe_F
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 05:35 PM

I once heard coming out of a loudspeaker, source unknown:

In Texas, some of the men do it.
Others dig a hole and then do it.
Let's do it, etc.