Pretty Baby (song)
Encyclopedia
Pretty Baby is a song written by Tony Jackson during the Ragtime
era. The song was remembered as being prominent in Jackson's repertory before he left New Orleans in 1912, but was not published until 1916.
The 1916 sheet music
credits Jackson along with Gus Kahn
and
Egbert Van Alstyne
. It is not clear what their actual role in developing Jackson's tune was; Tin Pan Alley
practice at the time often gave partial author credit to staff writers to keep more of the royalty payments within the company. However Kahn may have rewritten some of Jackson's lyrics (the original was said to have been rather risque), and Van Alstyne may have had a hand in arranging the song's bridge. The song and lyrics apparently referred to one of Jackson's male lovers.
The song has been covered by many singers including Al Jolson
, Doris Day
(in Young Man with a Horn
), and Dean Martin
, inspiring his album Pretty Baby
. The song also inspired the 1978 Louis Malle
film Pretty Baby, on whose soundtrack it appears. Most recently, it has been covered by Minnutes on their album of the same name; their version was apparently used in a 2008 Dove commercial and a 2009 Target Commercial.
In 2008, British Soap Opera
, EastEnders
long time character Dot Branning
had the shows first monologue episode, during that episode she starts singing it and telling the tape recorder (For her sick husband, Jim Branning
about her childhood, saying the song was always sung for her during childhood by her beloved uncle.
Here is the way early recording star Billy Murray
covered it in 1916:
Verse 1
Verse 2
Chorus
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
era. The song was remembered as being prominent in Jackson's repertory before he left New Orleans in 1912, but was not published until 1916.
The 1916 sheet music
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
credits Jackson along with Gus Kahn
Gus Kahn
Gustav Gerson Kahn was a musician, songwriter and lyricist.-Biography:Kahn was born in Koblenz, Germany in 1886. The family emigrated from there to the United States and moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1890...
and
Egbert Van Alstyne
Egbert Van Alstyne
Egbert Anson Van Alstyne was a United States songwriter and pianist. Van Alstyne was the composer of a number of popular and ragtime tunes from the early 20th century.He was born in Marengo, Illinois...
. It is not clear what their actual role in developing Jackson's tune was; Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century...
practice at the time often gave partial author credit to staff writers to keep more of the royalty payments within the company. However Kahn may have rewritten some of Jackson's lyrics (the original was said to have been rather risque), and Van Alstyne may have had a hand in arranging the song's bridge. The song and lyrics apparently referred to one of Jackson's male lovers.
The song has been covered by many singers including Al Jolson
Al Jolson
Al Jolson was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer"....
, Doris Day
Doris Day
Doris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
(in Young Man with a Horn
Young Man with a Horn (film)
Young Man with a Horn is a 1950 drama film based on a biographical novel of the same name aboutBix Beiderbecke, the legendary jazz cornetist...
), and Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
, inspiring his album Pretty Baby
Pretty Baby (album)
Pretty Baby is an album recorded by Dean Martin for Capitol Records during two sessions on January 28 and January 30, 1957. The backing orchestration was conducted by Gus Levene. The completed album was released June 17, 1957.-Side A:...
. The song also inspired the 1978 Louis Malle
Louis Malle
Louis Malle was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer. He worked in both French cinema and Hollywood. His films include Ascenseur pour l'échafaud , Atlantic City , and Au revoir, les enfants .- Early years in France :Malle was born into a wealthy industrialist family in Thumeries,...
film Pretty Baby, on whose soundtrack it appears. Most recently, it has been covered by Minnutes on their album of the same name; their version was apparently used in a 2008 Dove commercial and a 2009 Target Commercial.
In 2008, British Soap Opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
, EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
long time character Dot Branning
Dot Branning
Dorothy "Dot" Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, EastEnders, played by June Brown since 1985. In a special episode entitled EastEnders: Dot's Story a young Dot was played by Tallulah Pitt-Brown in flashbacks. Dot first appeared in EastEnders in July 1985 as the mother of...
had the shows first monologue episode, during that episode she starts singing it and telling the tape recorder (For her sick husband, Jim Branning
Jim Branning
James Archibald "Jim" Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by John Bardon, first appearing on 29 April 1996 and becoming a regular character in 1999 and has remained in the series right up to 2011....
about her childhood, saying the song was always sung for her during childhood by her beloved uncle.
Here is the way early recording star Billy Murray
Billy Murray (singer)
William Thomas "Billy" Murray was one of the most popular singers in the United States in the early decades of the 20th century...
covered it in 1916:
Verse 1
- You ask me why I'm always teasing you.
- You hate to have me call you "Pretty Baby."
- I really thought that I was pleasing you,
- For you're just a baby to me.
- Your cunning little dimples and your baby stare,
- Your baby talk and baby walk and curly hair,
- Your baby smile
- Makes life worthwhile.
- You're just as sweet as you can be.
Verse 2
- Your mother said you were the cutest kid.
- No wonder, Dearie, that I'm wild about you
- And all the cunning things you said and did.
- Why, I love to fondly recall.
- And just like Peter Pan it seems you'll always be
- The same sweet cunning little baby dear to me,
- And that is why
- I'm sure that I
- Will always love you best of all.
Chorus
- Everybody loves a baby that's why I'm in love with you,
- Pretty baby, pretty baby,
- And I'd like to be your sister, brother, dad and mother too,
- Pretty baby, pretty baby.
- Won't you come and let me rock you in my cradle of love
- And we'll cuddle all the time.
- Oh, I want a lovin' baby, and it might as well be you,
- Pretty baby of mine,
- Pretty baby of mine.