Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered

I was thinking about this song last night.  I was unfamiliar with it till I downloaded Linda Ronstadt ""Round About Midnight".

Most of what I knew of the song was the refrain.  So I googled the lyrics.  Ella Fitzgerald's lyrics came up first.  (I love Ella Fitzgerald!  I have her singing Cole Porter.)

Whoa!  I read the lyrics.  Earthy.  Scandalous. Truthful.  Then I checked out where it was from: "Pal Joey", a musical.

I immediately had a flashback to Southwestern College, Winfield, KS, with Veda Rogers in the History of Musical Theatre.  If I remember correctly "Pal Joey" was considered the first true American Musical.

I've never seen it and vaguely remember it might have had Frank Sinatra in it ?

I decided last night to do more research on the song and the musical.  Linda's version seems a bit tamer than Ella's.  I am downloading Ella's today.  Compare for yourself.

Bewitched, Bothered , and Bewildered by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart

After one whole quart of brandy

Like a daisy I awake

With no Bromo Seltzer handy,

I don't even shake.

Men are not a new sensation;

I've done pretty well, I think.

But this half-pint imitation

Put me on the blink

REFRAIN

I'm wild again
Beguiled again
A simpering, whimpering child again
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I

Couldn't sleep
And wouldn't sleep
Until I could sleep where I shouldn't sleep
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I

Lost my heart but what of it?

My mistake I agree.

he's a laugh, but I like it

because the laugh's on me.

A pill he is

But still he is

All mine and I'll keep him until he is

Bewitched, bothered and bewildered

Like me.

Seen a lot

I mean I lot

But now I'm like sweet seventeen a lot

Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I

I'll sing to him

Each spring to him

And worship the trousers that cling to him

Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I

When he talks he is seeking

Words to get off his chest.

Horizontally speaking

He's at his very best.

Vexed again

Perplexed again

Thank God I can't be over-sexed again

Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I

(Reprise at the end of the show)

Wise at last

My eyes at last

Are cutting you down to your size at last

Bewitched, bothered and bewildered no more

Burned a lot

But learned a lot

And now you are broke, though you earned a lot

Bewitched, bothered and bewildered no more

Couldn't eat

Was dyspeptic

Life was so hard to bear;

Now my heart's antiseptic

Since you moved out of there

Romance-Finis

Your chance-finis

Those ants that invaded my pants-finis

Bewitched, bothered and bewildered no more.

Linda's version is quite tame by comparison.

He's a fool and don't I know it
But a fool can have his charms
I'm in love and don't I show it
Like a babe in arms

Love's the same old sad sensation
Lately I've not slept a wink
Since this half-pint imitation
Put me on the blink

I'm wild again
Beguiled again
A simpering whimpering child again
Bewitched bothered and bewildered am I

Couldn't sleep and wouldn't sleep
When love came and told me I shouldn't sleep
Bewitched bothered and bewildered am I

Lost my heart but what of it
He is cold I agree
He can laugh but I love it
Although the laugh's on me

I'll sing to him each spring to him
And long for the day when I'll cling to him
Bewitched bothered and bewildered am I

Men are not a new sensation
I've done pretty well I think
But this half-pint imitation
Put me on the blink

I've sinned a lot
I'm mean a lot
But now I'm like seventeen a lot
Bewitched bothered and bewildered am I

I think I prefer the grittiness and power of the first version.  

I see also that Doris Day, Barbra Streisand, Rod Stewart, Frank Sinatra and Patti La Belle and Vivienne Segal sang it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luF8Rx6FYb0&feature=kp

I am now going to find the script for Pal Joey and read it.  I don't think I'vee ever seen anyone perform it.  Hat's off to Veda Rogers for teaching me about it and now I must confess something the has been a burden on my heart all these years.

Veda, I cheated on the final test in your class.  I am ashamed.  I am sorry.  I did not deserve the "A" you gave me.  Forgive me please.  I think that was the only time I willfully cheated in college.  The guilt was so high I could never do it again.  Look at me now, 57 years old,and I still feel so badly about it.

I just read Wikipedia and remembered what "Pal Joey ", 1940,  was known for.  He was one of the first "antiheroes" in a musical: a likeable villain.  Gene Kelly played him on Broadway.  There was revival in 2008.  A movie was made in 1957 starring Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayword, and Kim Novak.

There have been a lot of revivals of "Pal Joey" with the book being rewritten.  Research, HO!

A good review history of Pal Joey:  http://www.theatrehistory.com/american/musical023.html

"Pal Joey was a forceful and uncompromising presentation of unpleasant characters and situations; and it offered a seamy side of life in a disreputable neighborhood. This was strong medicine for American theatre audiences in 1940, so long accustomed to only sweetness and light in their musicals."

I knew I remember something about Pal Joey being different but I had it wrong about being the 1st musical.  

It's too bad the movie is suppose to be so awful.  I'm not finding a script yet and I doubt anyone around here is going to be puttig it on. 

Darn.