Lyr Add: I See by the Papers (from Nat King Cole)

Subject: Lyr Add: I SEE BY THE PAPERS (from Nat King Cole)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Mar 15 - 04:04 PM

I heard Van Ronk's version on the radio today, and I thought the lyrics were clever, so I looked it up, and this seems to be the origin.


I SEE BY THE PAPERS
Written by Don George, Paul Reif & Virgil Johnson, ©1950.
As sung by Nat King Cole on "The Complete Capitol Recordings of the Nat King Cole Trio"

I see by the papers how the quintuplets grew,
How a duckbill platypus was given to the zoo,
But I don't see a thing about my baby comin' home.

I see by the papers Superman saved the day,
Li'l Abner's still the only boy for Daisy Mae,
But I don't see a thing about my baby comin' home.

I look in the personal column,
Read the timetables each day.
I've got it bad.
Think I'll buy an ad:
"Help wanted right away."

I see by the papers there's a whole lot o' news,
But there's none to cancel my subscription to the blues,
'Cause I don't see a thing about my baby comin' home.


[There is at least one other song called I SEE BY THE PAPERS, written by Al Hoffman, Al Goodhart & Ned Washington, ©1932.]

Subject: Lyr Add: BLUES IN THE NEWS (from Dave Van Ronk)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Mar 15 - 04:08 PM

I don't know why the title got changed, or where the additional lyrics came from:


BLUES IN THE NEWS
As sung by Dave Van Ronk on "Sweet & Lowdown" (2001)

I see by the papers the economy's bad,
Politicians lyin', it's enough to drive you mad,
But I don't see a thing about baby comin' home.

I see by the papers Superman saved the day.
Little Abner's still the only boy for Daisy Mae
But I don't see a thing about my baby comin' home.

I looked in the personal column,
Read my horoscope each day,
But I got it bad.
Think I'll place an ad:
"Help wanted right away."

I see by the papers there's a whole lot of news.
Nothin' to cancel my subscription to the blues.
I don't see a thing about my baby comin' home.

Looked in the bus'ness column.
Wall Street's doin' OK,
But my stock is down
Since my baby left town.
Depression's here to stay.

I see in the papers there's a murder ev'ry day,
Another show just open, open on Broadway,
But I don't see a thing about baby comin' home.


[Jazz vibraphonist Lionel Hampton wrote and recorded an instrumental piece called BLUES IN THE NEWS, but it's a totally different tune.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I See by the Papers (from Nat King Cole)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Mar 15 - 04:24 PM

There are a few YouTube videos of the Nat King Cole recording of I See by the Papers. Interesting song.

The results of searching for Blues in the News were interesting, but not the Van Ronk song. I found the Lionel Hampton instrumental, too. Nice tune, but not the same one.

-Joe-