'A' You're Adorable

"'A' You're Adorable" is a popular song with music by Sid Lippman and lyrics by Buddy Kaye and Fred Wise, published in 1948.

"'A' You're Adorable"
Song
Published	1948
Composer(s)	Sid Lippman
Lyricist(s)	Buddy Kaye, Fred Wise

Charted versions

The most well-known version was recorded by Perry Como, with The Fontane Sisters on March 1, 1949.[1] This recording was released on single records as follows:

• In the United States, by RCA Victor, on 78 rpm and 45 rpm, in 1949, with the flip side "When Is Sometime?" This record reached number 1 on the US chart on April 9, 1949.[2]
• In the United Kingdom, by HMV, on 78 rpm in June 1949, with the flip side "Forever and Ever"
• In Japan, by Victor Entertainment, on 78 rpm, with the flip side "Bali Ha'i"
• In Australia, by His Master's Voice, on 78 rpm, with the flip side "My Melancholy Baby"

Another recording by Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae was also very popular. The recording was released by Capitol Records. The flip side was "Need You". The recording first appeared on the Billboard charts on March 25, 1949, lasting 13 weeks and peaking at position number 4.[3]

Another recording by the Tony Pastor orchestra (vocal by The Clooney Sisters) also charted. The recording was released by Columbia Records. The recording first appeared on the Billboard charts on May 6, 1949, lasting 2 weeks and peaking at position number 12.[4]

Other recorded versions

• Buddy Kaye Quintet (1949).[5]
• Dean Martin sang the song on The Martin and Lewis Show in 1949.[6]
• Jimmy Dorsey (with Claire Hogan) recorded from a radio broadcast around 1949; collected on The Complete Standard Transcriptions (1999, Soundies)
• Larry Fotine and his Orchestra, (vocal Maralyn Marsh), recorded January 31, 1949 (Decca, catalog No. 24579).[7]
• Beverly Kenney - for the album Beverly Kenney - Sings for Playboys (Decca DL 8743) (1957).[8]
• Mike Douglas - included in his album The Men in My Little Girl's Life (1966).[9]
• John Gary - for his album John Gary Sings/John Gary Swings (1968).[10]
• Tirso Cruz III duet with Nora Aunor on their 1971 album Dream Come True under Vicor Records.
• Sharon, Lois & Bram on their album Smorgasboard (1979)
• Lea Salonga for her 1981 album Small Voice.
• John Lithgow on his CD, Singin' in the Bathtub (1999, Sony Wonder).[11]
• In late 2014, Supertramp released a live version of the song on the 40th anniversary edition of their Crime of the Century album.[12] This performance was recorded on March 9, 1975, at Hammersmith Odeon, London, England.

In popular culture

• In December 1969, the song was performed on Sesame Street by Jack, an Anything Muppet voiced by Jim Henson, to his girlfriend Adrienne, a Muppet voiced by Caroll Spinney. Adrienne is then scared off by Cookie Monster, who demands that Jack return the alphabet blocks he casually threw away during his "wander through the alphabet with you." Cookie eats up the blocks as Jack retrieves them one by one while singing the song again, this time in a harried tone.[13]
• The Kidsongs sing the song on their "Baby Animal Songs" video.
• The song formed the basis for a Morecambe and Wise sketch, where Eric Morecambe started with "A you're adorable, B you're so beautiful" and then randomly chose letters such as J, Q or Z to fox Ernie Wise.
• In a Star Trek: The Next Generation DVD extra, Patrick Stewart, as Jean-Luc Picard, sings the song with slightly altered lyrics for creator Gene Roddenberry's Birthday.
• In a 1974 public service announcement on volunteerism, Johnny Hart's B.C. cartoon characters sing the song with new lyrics featuring the letters A-C-T-I-O-N instead of the whole alphabet.[14]
• The song is referenced in the 2017 film You Were Never Really Here.

See also

• Alphabet Song

References

1. "Perry Como Discography". kokomo.ca. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
2. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 98. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
3. Whitburn, Joel (1973). Top Pop Records 1940-1955. Record Research.
4. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 348. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
5. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 248. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
6. "You Tube". youtube.com. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
7. "The Online Discographical Project". 78discography.com. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
8. "Jazz Discography". jazzdisco.org. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
9. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
10. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
11. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
12. "Supertramp – Crime Of The Century (Vinyl, LP, Album, LP, Album) at Discogs". Archived from the original on 2015-07-25. Retrieved 2015-04-20.
13. Sesame Street - A, You're Adorable, YouTube
14. 1974 "B.C. Comics" ACTION Ad Council PSA, YouTube