"Let's Misbehave," Cole Porter Paris Roaring 20's music, 1920s Broadway style

Описание: Premiered in summer 1927 in Paris at the Ambassadors Cafe by Irving Aaronson and his Commanders. Porter intended for "Let's Misbehave" to be featured in the Broadway musical Paris and sung by wide-eyed Parisian singer Irene Bordoni, but the song was replaced by "Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)" prior to the Broadway opening. The two songs are clearly on the same theme with the same inspiration. Personally, I think "If you want a future darling, why don't you get a past" is an especially inspired lyric (who else but Cole Porter would have thought of that?).

You might also enjoy my performances of "Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)" and "Don't Look at Me That Way" (also from Paris):
   • "Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)," Cole P...  

   • "Don't Look At Me That Way," Cole Porter 1...  

#1920smusic #broadway #coleporter #roaring20s #roaring20smusic

Despite not appearing in the Broadway production of Paris, "Let's Misbehave" was recorded by Irene Bordoni and by Irving Aaronson and his Commanders (who were the onstage band for Paris), and it came to be located as a prototypical example of 1920s fluff; Alec Wilder, writing in the 1950s, opined that Porter's Paris numbers had "a certain manufactured naughtiness" that seemed characteristic of the 1920s. It has been featured in a number of films in 1920s/1930s sequences, including At Long Last Love, Pennies from Heaven, Bullets over Broadway, De-Lovely, and The Great Gatsby. It also was featured in Ken Burns' PBS documentary Prohibition. Not bad for a number cut from a show before the Broadway opening!

Musical Theatre audiences today are probably most familiar with the song through its interpolation into the 1962 revised production of Anything Goes (known as the Belmont version), which available for license and is frequently performed by amateur groups. Now, personally, I wish there were more productions of the original 1934 Anything Goes, but Anything Goes, as long it's within spitting distance of the original Broadway musical, is still good fun!

This song also makes a great cabaret number for anyone looking to do a "between the wars" or "Roaring 20's" or "Paris" theme. I became familiar with it through the cabaret album "Paris in the Jazz Age," where the late Bob Moreen gave a delightful piano/vocal performance really capturing the spirit of the song.

Lyric:
You could have a great career,
And you should.
Only one thing stops you dear,
You're too good.
If you want a future, darling,
Why don't you get a past?
'Cause that fatal moment's coming,
At last.

We're all alone
No chaperon
Can get our number,
The world's in slumber,
Let's misbehave.
There's something wild
About you, child,
That's so contagious,
Let's be outrageous,
Let's misbehave.
When Adam won Eve's hand,
He wouldn't stand for teasin',
He didn't care about
Those apples out of season.
They say the Spring
Means just one thing
To little love birds,
We're not above birds,
Let's misbehave.

It's getting late,
And while I wait,
My poor heart aches on,
Why keep the brakes on?
Let's misbehave.
I feel quite sure,
Un peu d'amour
Would be attractive,
While we're still active,
Let's misbehave.
You know my heart is true,
And you say you for me care;
Somebody's sure to tell,
But what the hell do we care?
They say that bears
Have love affairs,
And even camels;
We're merely mammals,
Let's misbehave.