Singin' in the Bathtub
| "Singin' in the Bathtub" | |
|---|---|
| Song |
"Singing in the Bathtub" is a song written in 1929 by Michael H. Cleary, with lyrics by Herb Magidson and Ned Washington for the film The Show of Shows.[1] The Show of Shows was Warner Bros.' answer to MGM's The Hollywood Revue of 1929, and "Singing in the Bathtub" spoofs Hollywood Revue's song "Singin' in the Rain".[2] In Show of Shows, the number features an enormous bathtub and is performed by Winnie Lightner and a chorus of male and female performers wearing antiquated bathing suits.[3]
The song was recorded by many performers of the time, including Guy Lombardo,[4] Dorothy Provine,[5] Dick Robertson,[6] King Ben Nawahi,[7] Gracie Fields,[8] Vaughn De Leath,[9] The Georgians,[10] Ed Smalle & Jerry Macy, and Danny Kaye, and more recently by Robert Crumb,[11] John Lithgow,[12] and Mandy Patinkin.[13] In Vaughn DeLeath's rendition of the song, she sings the line "the ring around the bathtub is a rainbow to me" as "a rainbow from me", substantially changing its meaning.[14]
The lyrics include a quotation of the title air from "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles".
Use in Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies
"Singing in the Bathtub" is featured in the first-ever Looney Tunes animated short, "Sinkin' in the Bathtub" (1930). The song appeared in 21 Warner Bros. animated shorts in total: Warner Bros.' ownership of the copyright saved royalty payments. The song is frequently sung by Tweety Bird.
- Sinkin' in the Bathtub (1930)
- Porky & Daffy (1938)
- Polar Pals (1939)
- Little Blabbermouse (1940)
- Porky's Pooch (1941)
- The Aristo-Cat (1943)
- Hop and Go (1943)
- Daffy Dilly (1948)
- I Taw a Putty Tat (1948)
- The Pest That Came to Dinner (1948)
- So Much for So Little (1949)
- Which Is Witch? (1949)
- Wise Quackers (1949)
- Homeless Hare (1950)
- Terrier Stricken (1952)
- Forward March Hare (1953)
- Sahara Hare (1955)
- A Witch's Tangled Hare (1959)
- Tweet and Lovely (1959), sung by Tweety Bird
- From Hare to Heir (1960)
- Compressed Hare (1961), sung by Bugs Bunny
Cheap Suit Serenaders Album
Singing in the Bathtub is also the 1993 re-release title of an album by R. Crumb and the Cheap Suit Serenaders. The album was originally released in 1978 as R. Crumb and his Cheap Suit Serenaders No. 3.[11]
Track listing:
- Singing In The Bathtub
- Chile Blues
- Dream Of Heaven
- Suits Crybaby Blues
- Collier Medley: Ben Hur March & Napoleon March
- Shopping Mall
- Yearning And Blue
- Hula Girl
- Pedal Your Blues Away
- La Gima Polka
- Sing Song Girl
- Home
- My Gal Sal
- Hano Hano Hawaii
John Lithgow album
Singin' in the Bathtub is additionally the title of a children's album released in 1999 with songs performed by John Lithgow.[15]
Track listing:
- Everybody Eats When They Come To My House (Adaptation)
- At The Codfish Ball
- Singin' In The Bathtub
- A-You're Adorable
- The Gnu Song
- You Gotta Have Skin
- Triplets
- No One Loves You Any Better Than Your M-O-Double-M-Y (Adaptation)
- Swinging On A Star
- I Had A Rooster
- From The Indies To The Andes In His Undies
- Big Kids
- The Hippopotamus Song
- The Inchworm
Notes
- ^ Sinkin' in the Bathtub
- ^ NY Times, Movies
- ^ NY Times movie review
- ^ Warner Chappell Music
- ^ Warner Chappell Music
- ^ jcgi.pathfinder.com
- ^ MrGosh Playlist
- ^ Vitaphone Varieties
- ^ Vitaphone Varieties
- ^ "The Georgians". redhotjazz.com. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
- ^ a b Amazon.com
- ^ Singin' in the Bathtub at Amazon.com
- ^ Starpulse.com
- ^ Vitaphone Varieties
- ^ Amazon.com