THE YANKEE DOODLE BOY (YANKEE DOODLE DANDEE, 1942)

“My mother thanks you, my father thanks you,

my sister thanks you, and I thank you.” – George M. Cohan

James Cagney is in pure top form as George M. Cohan, an entertainer who grew up with his performing family during vaudeville days. One of the best musicals ever made not to mention Cagney identified with gangster flicks can withstand any established singer-actors.


THE YANKEE DOODLE DANDY BOY
sung by: James Cagney

I'm the kid that's all the candy
I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy
I'm glad I am
So's Uncle Sam
I'm a real live Yankee Doodle
Made my name and fame and boodle
Just like Mister Doodle did, by riding on a pony
I love to listen to the Dixie strain
I long to see the girl I left behind me
That ain't a josh
She's a Yankee, by gosh
Oh, say can you see
Anything about a Yankee that's a phony

Father's name was Hezikiah
Mother's name was Ann Maria
Yanks through and through.
Red, White and Blue
Father was so Yankee-hearted
When the Spanish war was started
He slipped on a uniform and hopped upon a pony
My mother's mother was a Yankee true
My father's father was a Yankee too
That's going some
For the Yankees, by gum
Oh, say can you see
Anything about my pedigree that's phony

I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy
A Yankee Doodle, do or die
A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam's
Born on the Fourth of July
I've got a Yankee Doodle sweetheart
She's my Yankee Doodle joy
Yankee Doodle came to London, just to ride the ponies
I am the Yankee Doodle Boy

HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS (MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, 1944)

"A cast of favorites in the Charming . . . Romantic . . . Tuneful Love Story of the Early 1900s!" - tagline

One of Judy Garland's famous scene in one of her movies beside trekking down the yellow brick road is where she sung the iconic holiday tune, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. In the film, Meet Me In St. Loius where the equally famous song was first heard. The film is about the Smiths sisters discovering everything about love and life before moving to New York. A family movie for all time.

HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS

sung by: Judy Garland

Have yourself a merry little Christmas

Let your heart be light

Next year all our troubles will be out of sight

Have yourself a merry little Christmas

Make the yuletide gay

Next year all our troubles will be miles away

Once again as in olden days

Happy golden days of yore

Faithful friends who were dear to us

Will be near to us once more

Someday soon, we all will be together

If the Fates allow

Until then, we'll have to muddle through somehow

So have yourself a merry little Christmas now

BABY MINE (DUMBO, 1941)

One of the beloved Disney animation from the bygone era stars an elephant with humongous ears named Dumbo. Life for Dumbo wasn't very easy for he was being ridiculed because of his ears until he learns what he can do about it. It's heartrending to say least watching Dumbo along with the other Disney classic Bambi. Baby Mine becomes associated with everything maternal that were evident in today's movies, tv's and even commercials. The theme was nominated in the Oscars back then.

BABY MINE

sung by: Betty Noyes

(uncredited)

Baby mine, don’t you cry

Baby mine, dry your eyes

Rest your head close to my heart

Never to part, baby of mine

Little one when you play

Don’t you mind what you say

Let those eyes sparkle and shine

Never a tear, baby of mine

If they knew sweet little you

They’d end up loving you too

All those same people who scold you

What they’d give just for

The right to hold you

From your head to your toes

You’re not much, goodness knows

But you’re so precious to me

Cute as can be, baby of mine

I'LL BE SEEING YOU (I'LL BE SEEING YOU, 1944)

My last post for today is from the movie I'll Be Seeing You. It's about an unlikely meeting of two tortured souls. One, a woman named Mary (Ginger Rogers) serving prison from an accidental killing but given a considerable leave for the Holidays and the other, a man named Sergeant Zachary Morgan (Joseph Cotton) who suffers from battle fatigue. They met, and as the movie saying goes, they both fall in love but Mary's past kept haunting her. The song, very melodic and soulful, has been used many times in various occasions. Proof that the song is universal.

I'LL BE SEEING YOU

sung by: Louanne Hogan

I’ll be seeing you

In all the old familiar places

That this heart of mine embraces

All day through

In that small cafe

The park across the way

The children’s carousel

The chestnut trees

The wishing well

I’ll be seeing you

In every lovely summer’s day

In every thing that’s light and gay
I’ll always think of you that way

I’ll find you

In the morning sun

And when the night is new

I’ll be looking at the moon

But I’ll be seeing you

(INSTRUMENTAL)

I’ll be seeing you

In every lovely summer’s day

In every thing that’s light and gay

I’ll always think of you that way

I’ll find you

In the morning sun

And when the night is new

I’ll be looking at the moon

But I’ll be seeing you

WHITE CHRISTMAS (HOLIDAY INN, 1942)

Today marks the first day of September and it's 115 days before Christmas to be exact. As a reminder for the coming yuletide, today's theme was from the 1942 movie, Holiday Inn. The song White Christmas, one of the famous Christmas carols, was first heard in the said movie. Sung by Bing Crosby and Martha Mears, it became such a huge hit that in 1954, it was made into a holiday movie using the title of the song as the movie's title itself.

WHITE CHRISTMAS

sung by: Bing Crosby & Martha Mears

The sun is shining, the grass is green

The orange and palm trees sway

There's never been such a day

In Beverly Hills, L.A.

But it's December the 24th

And I'm longing to be up North...

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

Just like the ones I used to know

Where the tree-tops glisten

And children listen

To hear sleighbells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

With every Christmas card I write

May your days be merry and bright

And may all your Christmases be white

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the tree-tops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleighbells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white