|
04 Aug 09 - 03:09 PM (#2693692) Subject: Lyr Add: Ma! (He's Making Eyes At Me!) From: Genie Part of the lyrics to this song have been posted in the Flirting Songs thread, but Eddie Cantor includes another chorus variation, which I think is delightful. Also, the lyrics he sings (and those in my old sheet music for the song) are slightly different from what has already been posted. This is a staple of my Mother's Day programs as well as tributes to the Roaring Twenties or Vaudeville. "MA". (He's Making Eyes At Me!) (Music by Con Conrad / Lyrics by Sidney Clare ©1921) Ma! He's makin' eyes at me, Ma, he's awful nice to me. Ma, he's almost breaking my heart. I'm beside him -- Mercy! Let his conscience guide him! Ma, he wants to marry me, Be my honeybee. Every minute he gets bolder -- Now he's leanin' on my shoulder! Ma! He's kissin' me! Little Lily was oh, so silly and shy, And all the fellows knew she wouldn't bill and coo. Every single night some smart fellow would try To cuddle up to her, but she would cry, "Ma! He's makin' eyes at me, Ma, he's awful nice to me. Ma, he's almost breaking my heart. He's good-lookin' -- Wait until he tastes my cookin'! Ma, he wants to marry me, Be my honeybee. Hurry, mom, and call for papa -- If not pa, then call a copper! Ma! He's kissin' me!" Lilly was so shy everybody could tell She'd never ever roam, she'd always stay at home. All the neighbors knew little Lilly so well, 'Cause when the boys would call they'd hear her yell, "Ma! He's makin' eyes at me, Ma, he's awful nice to me. Ma, he's almost breaking my heart. If you're peekin', can't you see I'm gonna weaken? Ma, he wants to marry me, Be my pride and joy. I just found out his name is Daniel -- Cuter than a cocker Spaniel! Ma, I love that boy! ---- Con Conrad, Sidney Clare Con Conrad Music Co./EMI Mills Music, Inc. ----------------------- I don't know if some of the lyric modifications/additions were Sidney Clare's own or from Cantor himself. I'm also wondering if this song is public domain, since it was written in 1921. |
|
04 Aug 09 - 03:24 PM (#2693710) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ma! (He's Making Eyes At Me!) From: Genie This site gives a MIDI, chords, and some lyrics but contains what I think are a couple of errors in the lyrics. ... Lilly was so good,*everybody could tell, You'd never see her roam, She'd always stay at home, All the neighbors knew little Lilly too well, For when the boys would call, They'd hear her yell; Chorus 2 "Ma, he's making eyes at me, Ma, he's awful nice to me, Ma, he's almost breaking my heart, If you peek in**, can't you see I'm goin' to weak-in, Ma, he wants to marry me, be my honey bee, Ma, I'm meeting with resistance,*** I shall holler for assistance, Ma, he's kissing me! *My sheet music says "shy," not "good." **Could be a 'mondegreen' thing with little substantive difference, but pretty sure it's "If you're peekin'" and it should be "weaken," not "weak-in." *** The last couplet may be from the original sheet music, but Cantor sings the couplet I posted in the first post -- which I think is funnier. |
|
04 Aug 09 - 04:48 PM (#2693758) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ma! (He's Making Eyes At Me!) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Eddie Cantor, not the first to use the song, frequently sang it in a melody with other songs, often just using the two choruses, leaving out parts of the verses by Clare and Conrad. I think the version I posted in the Flirting Songs thread (link by Genie above) is the original from 1921, but I can't find reliable sheet music on the net. I have a typed copy, supposedly original, but without the original sheet music, I can't be sure. It was first sung by Isham Jones and his Orchestra in 1922 and by the Benson Orchestra of Chicago in 1920-1921. Cantor make his hit versions in the 1930s. The Benson recordings have been re-issued on a CD collection, but I haven't heard them. Many singers used the song, including Pearl Bailey, Count Basie, Bing Crosby, etc. The Cantor versions all seem to be later than 1923, thus may be under copyright. He also used a longer title, "Ma, He's Making Eyes at Me." Weaken' I believe is correct. |
|
07 Aug 09 - 09:35 AM (#2695428) Subject: Lyr Add: MA! (HE'S MAKING EYES AT ME!) From: Jim Dixon From the sheet music at Indiana University: MA! Words, Sidney Clare. Music, Con Conrad. (New York: Fred Fisher, Inc., 1921) 1. Little Lilly was oh so silly and shy, And all the fellows knew She wouldn't bill and coo. Every single night some smart fellow would try To cuddle up to her, but she would cry: CHORUS 1: "Ma, he's making eyes at me. Ma, he's awful nice to me. Ma, he's almost breaking my heart. I'm beside him. Mercy! Let his conscience guide him. Ma, he wants to marry me, Be my honeybee. Ev'ry minute he gets bolder. Now he's leaning on my shoulder. Ma, he's kissing me." 2. Lilly was so good, everybody could tell. You'd never see her roam. She'd always stay at home. All the neighbors knew little Lilly too well, For when the boys would call they'd hear her yell: CHORUS 2: "Ma, he's making eyes at me. Ma, he's awful nice to me. Ma, he's almost breaking my heart. If you peek in, Can't you see I'm goin' to weaken.* Ma, he wants to marry me, Be my honeybee. Ma, I'm meeting with resistance. I shall holler for assistance. Ma, he's kissing me." [*I have corrected the obvious misspelling "weakin'". Also, as always, I have standardized punctuation.—JD] |
|
07 Aug 09 - 01:24 PM (#2695584) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ma! (He's Making Eyes At Me!) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Thanks, Jim. I should have looked there. |
|
15 Nov 09 - 12:21 PM (#2766461) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ma! (He's Making Eyes At Me!) From: GUEST,amy dainel i would mary a fork in stead of daNEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |