Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief

Betty Hutton, Hoagy Carmichael

About Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief

"Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief" is a popular song published in 1945, with music by Hoagy Carmichael and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster. The title and lyrics are a play on the popular counting game "Tinker, Tailor." The biggest-selling version of the song was recorded by Betty Hutton on June 29, 1945. The recording was released by Capitol Records as catalog number 220. The record first reached the Billboard magazine charts on December 6, 1945 and lasted 17 weeks on the chart, peaking at #1. Another recording was made by the Les Brown Orchestra on January 6, 1946. This recording was released by Columbia Records as catalog number 36945, with the flip side "Day by Day". The record first reached the Billboard magazine charts on March 7, 1946 and lasted 4 weeks on the chart, peaking at #6. The composer Hoagy Carmichael recorded the song for the ARA label on October 23, 1945 (catalog number 128, with the flip side "Am I Blue?") and for the Decca label on December 9, 1946 (catalog number 23862, with the flip side "The Old Man's Sleepin'". A popular British version was recorded by Carole Carr with Geraldo and his Orchestra on September 11, 1945. 


Year:
1994
3:01
140 
#2

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There's a doctor livin' in your town
There's a lawyer and an Indian, too
And neither doctor, lawyer nor Injun chief
Could love you any more than I do

There's a barrel of fish in the ocean
There's a lot of little birds in the blue
And 'Neither fish nor fowl" says the wise old owl
Could love you any more than I do

No! No! No! it couldn't be true
That anyone else could love you like I do
I'm gonna warn all the *dead-eyed dicks*
That you're the chick with the slickest tricks

And every tick of my ticker ticks for you, follow through
Tell the doc to stick to his practice
Tell the lawyer to settle his case
Send the Injun chief and his tommy-hawk

Back to little Rain-In-the-Face
'Cause you
Know! Know! Know! it couldn't be true
That anyone else could love you like I do

(No! No! No! it couldn't be true)
(That anyone else could love you like I do)
And, confidentially, I confess
I sent a note to the local press

That I'll be changin' my home address for you, follow through
Tell the doc to stick to his practice
Tell the lawyer to settle his case
Send the Injun chief and his tommy-hawk

Back to little Rain-In-the-Face
'Cause you
Know! Know! Know! it couldn't be true
That anyone else could love you like I do

No! No! No! it couldn't be true
That anyone else could love you like I do
I'm gonna send a hot *communeek*
To warn the boys down at Cripple Creek

That every dimple on your dimpled cheek is mine, so to speak
Tell the (doc!) to stick to his practice
Tell the (lawyer!) to settle his case
Send the (Injun chief!) and his tommy-hawk

Back to little Rain-In-the-Face (woo-woo-woo, woo-woo-woo)
'Cause you
Know! Know! Know! it couldn't be true
That anyone else could love you like I do
(Like I do)

(Like I do)
(Like I do)
Like I do

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Hoagy Carmichael

Howard Hoagland "Hoagy" Carmichael (November 22, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader. He is best known for composing the music for "Stardust", "Georgia on My Mind", "The Nearness of You", and "Heart and Soul", four of the most-recorded American songs of all time. more »

4 fans

Written by: HOAGY CARMICHAEL, PAUL FRANCIS WEBSTER

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Song Origin
"Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief" is a well-known song from the mid-20th century. It was written and composed by Paul Francis Webster and Hoagy Carmichael.
Performers and Significance
The song was famously performed by iconic music artists of the era, like Betty Hutton and Hoagy Carmichael himself.
Role of Hoagy Carmichael
Apart from being an infamous composer of the song, Hoagy Carmichael also lent his voice to this unique composition.
Oscars
The song was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1946.
Movie Credit
"Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief" was featured in the movie "The Stork Club" (1945) which increased its popularity.
Chart Performance
The song hit the Billboard chart in 1946 and peaked at number one, showing its commercial success.
Betty Hutton's Version
Betty Hutton's version of this song was released by Capitol Records, and it was one of her most popular songs.
The Stork Club Reference
The Stork Club was a popular nightspot in New York City where celebrities often gathered, making the song's inclusion in a movie about it very fitting.
Betty Hutton's Career
"Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief" was a major hit for Betty Hutton and helped solidify her position as one of the great voices of the big-band era.
Song Theme
The song's lyrics tell a story of a woman asking for a magic potion to help her forget a former lover, playing with archetypes of dramatic figures - a doctor, a lawyer, and an Indian chief. This unique theme is one of the highlights of the song.
Cover Version
Several notable artists have also covered the song, including Bing Crosby and Patti Page, pointing to its enduring relevance in popular music culture.
Legacy
Today, the song "Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief" is considered a classic and continues to be covered by numerous artists across a range of genres.

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