The Day Cole Called

Connecticut songwriter Jack Lawrence, whose popular works include “Beyond the Sea,” “If I Didn’t Care” and “All or Nothing at All,” had already experienced a great deal of success working as both a composer and lyricist when he received one of the more interesting and flattering calls of his career.

In a recent interview, Mr Lawrence told The Newtown Bee that in the late 1930s, a newly discovered young lady by the name of Mary Martin was going to make her Broadway debut singing Cole Porter’s “My Heart Belongs to Daddy” in the musical Leave It To Me.

But, as Mr Lawrence tells it, there was a problem.

“Cole was such a clever writer ... he loved writing these double entendre things. He got a great big chuckle out of doing it, and a lot of people did not get the joke,” he said. “But a lot of people in the know did get the joke, like when he talks about: ‘If I invite a boy some night to dine on my fine Finnan Haddie,’ a lot of people didn’t have a clue.”

Mr Lawrence said while Cole Porter couldn’t care less what the public, or for that matter, what the general public, the musical’s producers and the songwriter’s publisher thought, the song would not see the light of Broadway without being “laundered up.”

The publisher, however, was unsuccessful in trying to get Mr Porter to budge on rewriting the lyrics himself.

“Cole hated to rewrite anything. Once he’d written it that was it – he was finished,” Mr Lawrence said. In the end, the publisher and Mr Porter were so pleased with the job, that for years they called on Mr Lawrence to clean up other Porter lyrics.

But until the passing of Mr Porter, Mr Lawrence was sworn to secrecy on that special project.

“They never overpaid me for what I did,” Mr Lawrence recalled, “but the $200 he gave me for each job I would have done for nothing just to be able to say ‘I’m re-writing Cole Porter.’ Which I wasn’t allowed to say.”

The Before and After versions of “My Heart Belongs to Daddy” are offered below. Listen to Jack Lawrence interview clips and listen to samples of his songs at NewtownBee.com.

 

My Heart Belongs To Daddy

Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter

Verse:

I used to fall in love with all

The boys who call on young ladies

But now I tell each young gazelle

To go to hell… I mean Hades!

Since I began to care

For such a sweet millionaire

 

Chorus:

While tearing off a game of golf

I may make a play for the caddy

But when I do, I don’t follow through

‘Cause my heart belongs to Daddy.

 

If I invite a boy some night

To dine on my fine Finnan Haddie

I just adore his asking for more

But my heart belongs to Daddy.

 

Oh my heart belongs to Daddy

So I simply couldn’t be bad

Yes, my heart belongs to Daddy

Da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, Daaaad

 

So I want to warn you, laddie

Though I think you’re perfectly swell

That my heart belongs to Daddy

‘Cause my Daddy, he treats it so well.

©1939 Chappell Music

 

My Heart Belongs To Daddy - REVISED

Music by Cole Porter, Revised Lyrics by Jack Lawrence.

Verse:

I used to fall in love with all

Those boys who call on young cuties

But now I find I’m more inclined

To keep my mind on my duties (See, she’s a serious girl!)

Since I began to share

In such a sweet love affair! (It’s love! Not money!)

 

Chorus:

While teeing off a game of golf

I may get a play from the caddy

But when I do, I don’t follow through

‘Cause my heart belongs to Daddy!

(Loves him more than golf)

 

When some good scout invites me out

For wine and some fine Finnan Haddie

(Simply a dinner date!)

I just adore, keep asking for more (She loves that fish)

But my hear belongs to Daddy! (A girls has to eat!)

 

Yes, my heart belongs to Daddy

So I simply couldn’t be bad

‘Cause I’m gonna marry Daddy (See – she’s legit!)

Da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, Daaaad

 

So I want to warn you, laddie

Better warn you right from the start

That my heart belongs to Daddy

And my Daddy belongs to my heart. (An old-fashioned girl!)

©1940 Chappell Music