Button Up Your Overcoat

Ruth Etting

About Button Up Your Overcoat

"Button Up Your Overcoat" is a popular song. The music was written by Ray Henderson, the lyrics by B. G. DeSylva and Lew Brown. The song was published in 1928, and was first performed later that same year by vocalist Ruth Etting. However, the most famous rendition of this song was recorded early the following year by singer Helen Kane, who was at the peak of her popularity at the time. Kane's childlike voice and Bronx dialect eventually became the inspiration for the voice of cartoon character Betty Boop (most famously using Kane's famous catchphrase Boop Boop a Doop). From January 9, 1929 to December 21, 1929 Jack Haley and Zelma O'Neal sang "Button Up Your Overcoat" on Broadway in the musical Follow Thru. They reprised the song in the film version which opened on September 27, 1930 which was also one of the first movies in Technicolor. more »

Year:: 1997
: 2:45
: 119 Views
Playlists:: #2

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Listen, big boy
Now that you got me made
Goodness, but I'm afraid
Somethin's gonna happen to you

Listen, big boy
You gotta be 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

Eat an apple every day
Get to bed by three
Oh, take good care of yourself
You belong to me

Be careful crossing streets, ooh, ooh
Cut out sweets, ooh, ooh
Lay off meat, ooh, ooh
You'll get a pain and ruin your tum-tum

Wear your flannel underwear
When you climb a tree
Oh, take good care of yourself
You belong to me

Button up your overcoat
When the wind is free
Oh, take good care of yourself
You belong to me
Boop-boop-a-doop

When you sass a traffic cop
Use diplomacy
Just take good care of yourself
You belong to me

Beware of frozen funds, ooh, ooh
Stocks and bonds, ooh, ooh
Dockside thugs, ooh, ooh
You'll get a pain and ruin your bankroll

Keep the spoon out of your cup
When you're drinking tea
Oh, take good care of yourself
You belong to me

Don't sit 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

Keep away from bootleg hooch
When you're on a spree
Oh, take good care of yourself
You belong to me

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Ruth Etting

Ruth Etting (November 23, 1897 – September 24, 1978) was an American singing star and actress of the 1920s and 1930s, who had over 60 hit recordings and worked in stage, radio, and film. She is known as "America's sweetheart of song". Her signature tunes were "Shine On, Harvest Moon", "Ten Cents a Dance" and "Love Me or Leave Me". Her other popular recordings included "Button Up Your Overcoat", "Mean to Me", "Exactly Like You" and "Shaking the Blues Away". more »

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Sheet Music PDF Playlist

Written by: George Gard Buddy Desylva, Lew Brown, Ray Henderson

Lyrics © RAY HENDERSON MUSIC CO., INC., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

12 facts about this song

Artist Information "Button Up Your Overcoat" was performed by Helen Kane, an American singer famous for popularizing the "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" singing style in the late 1920s. She was also known as the voice of Betty Boop.
Composer's Details The song was composed by Ray Henderson, who is considered one of the key figures in shaping the Traditional Pop and Dixieland Jazz genres in American music.
Collaboration The lyrics for the song were written by the English lyricist duo Buddy G. DeSylva and Lew Brown, both of whom frequently collaborated with Ray Henderson.
Release Date "Button Up Your Overcoat" was released in 1929, making it one of the iconic songs from the Jazz Age.
Ruth Etting Connection Singer Ruth Etting also performed a version of "Button Up Your Overcoat". She was a very popular ballad singer and actress of the 1930s, praised for her clear vocal tone.
Popularity The song gained immense popularity and became an anthem of the age, and has been recorded multiple times by various artists over the decades.
Cover Versions Some of the popular artists who have covered this song include Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, and Judy Garland.
Film and Television It has been featured in several movies, including 'Broadway Melody of 1929' and in the 1999 film 'Dick'. It has also appeared in a few televised advertisements.
Awards Though awards were not common during its release, if the song were released today, considering its immense popularity and mass appeal, it would likely be a strong contender for several music awards.
Song Theme The lyrics of the song provide an advice-oriented message with a playful tone, urging the listener to take care of oneself by buttoning up their overcoat when it's cold, eating an apple every day, avoiding alcohol, and being careful while crossing the street.
Song's Impact "Button Up Your Overcoat" greatly influenced the music of its time and is considered a staple in the Great American Songbook, has been interpreted and re-recorded by numerous artists and bands, demonstrating its timeless appeal.
Memorable Melody The song's upbeat and catchy melody, combined with its cheeky and fun lyrics, make it very memorable and easily recognizable even today.

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