Button Up Your Overcoat (needs a picture book!)
Posted on: May 10, 2012
Researching music in, “The Trumpet of the Swan,” I ran across the song, “Button Up Your Overcoat.” It’s such a cute song with wonderful images that it is begging for someone to illustrate it…
Beatle Paul McCartney buttoning up his overcoat
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Button Up Your Overcoat, wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Button_Up_Your_Overcoat
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A little editing might be a good idea, but it makes a great song and terrifc subject for a Singable Picture Book!
BUTTON UP YOUR OVERCOAT
Music by Ray Henderson
Words by B.G. DeSylva and Lew Brown
Listen, big boy,
Now that I’ve got you made,
Goodness, but I’m afraid,
Something’s going to happen to you;
Listen, big boy,
You’ve got me hooked, and how,
I would die if I should lose you now!
Button up your overcoat,
When the wind is free,
Take good care of yourself,
You belong to me!
Oh, eat an apple every day,
Get to bed by three,
Take good care of yourself,
You belong to me!
Be careful crossing streets, ooh-ooh,
Don’t eat meats, ooh-ooh,
Cut out sweets, ooh-ooh,
You’ll get a pain and ruin your tum-tum!
Keep away from bootleg hooch
When you’re on a spree,
Take good care of yourself,
You belong to me!
Don’t step on hornet’s tails, ooh-ooh!
Or on nails, ooh-ooh!
Or third rails, ooh-ooh!
You’ll get a pain and ruin your tum-tum!
Oh, button up your overcoat,
When the wind is free,
Take good care of yourself,
You belong to me!
Oh, wear your flannel underwear,
When you climb a tree,
Take good care of yourself,
You belong to me!
Steer clear of frozen ponds, ooh-ooh,
Peroxide blondes, ooh-ooh,
Stocks and bonds, ooh-ooh,
You’ll get a pain, ruin your bankroll!
Keep the spoon out of your cup,
When you’re drinking tea,
Take good care of yourself,
You belong to me!
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Ruth Ettings 1929 Recording
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UliCMEdTFE
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Helen Kane’s famous recording (remember Bette Boop?) of, “Button Up Your Overcoat”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss1RB3pCLOA
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Related Articles
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SINGABLE PICTURE BOOK WISHES 2 (SONGS THAT WISH TO BE ILLUSTRATED)
There songs are BEGGING to become Singable Picture Books
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2011/03/06/singable-picture-book-wishes-2-songs-that-wish-to-be-illustrated/
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Trumpet of the Swan, a children’s novel with music
