Personality (Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke song)
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"Personality" is a popular song with lyrics by Johnny Burke and music by Jimmy Van Heusen. It was written for the 1946 film Road to Utopia, and Dorothy Lamour performed it in the movie.[1]
In a slightly longer version, the song became a number one Billboard hit for Johnny Mercer in 1946.[1] Dinah Shore also recorded it around that time. Lamour was between record contracts at the time of the film's release, so she did not record the song herself until years later. Bing Crosby recorded the song with Eddie Condon and His Orchestra in January, 1946[2] and it reached the No. 9 spot in the Billboard charts in April 1946.[3]
The lyrics are humorous (and slightly suggestive for the 1940s), employing the word "personality" as an obvious euphemism for a woman's voluptuous figure.
Al Hirt released a version on his 1964 album, Beauty and the Beard.[4]
Rewritten versions of the song have been used as commercial jingles. The most notable was "Wessonality," an advertisement for Wesson cooking oil sung by Florence Henderson.
Most recently, the song makes an appearance in the game Fallout 4 on the in-game radio station Diamond City Radio.
Lyrics
When Madam Pompadour was on a ballroom floor
Said all the gentlemen "Obviously"
"The madam has the cutest personality"
And think of all the books about Du Barry's looks
What was it made her the toast of Paree?
She had a well-developed personality
What did Romeo see in Juliet?
Or Pierrot in Pierette? Or Jupiter in Juno?
You know, and when Salome danced
And had the boys entranced, no doubt
It must have been easy to see
That she knew how to use her personality
A girl can learn to spell and take dictation well
And never sit on the boss's left knee
Unless she's got a perfect personality
A girl can get somewhere in spite of stringy hair
Or even just a bit bowed at the knee
If she can show a faultless personality
Why are certain girls offered certain things
Like sable coats and wedding rings?
By men who wear their spats right?
That's right! So don'tcha say
"I'm smart and have the kindest heart"
Or "What a wonderful sister I'd be"
Just tell me how you like my personality
Baby, you've got the cutest personality![5]
References
- ^ a b Gilliland, John (1994). Pop Chronicles the 40s: The Lively Story of Pop Music in the 40s (audiobook). ISBN 978-1-55935-147-8. OCLC 31611854. Tape 3, side A.
- ^ "A Bing Crosby Discography". A Bing Crosby Discography. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research Inc. p. 110. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- ^ Al Hirt, Beauty and the Beard Retrieved April 10, 2013.
- ^ http://www.metrolyrics.com/personality-lyrics-bing-crosby.html