EADIE WAS A LADY
From the Broadway Musical "Take A Chance" (1932)
(Music; Richard Whiting & Nacio Herb Brown / Lyrics: Buddy De Sylva)
 

Ethel Merman (Broadway Production) - 1932
Paul Whiteman & His Orch. (vocal: Ramona Davies) - 1932
Cab Calloway & His Orch. - 1932
Dick Robertson & His Orch. - 1933
Casani Club Orch. (vocal: Cecile Petrie) - 1933
Willie Freeman & His Dance Orch. (vocal: Harry Bentley) - 1933
Lilian Roth (Film Soundtrack) - 1933
Sam Browne - 1933
Lew Stone & His Band (vocal: Al Bowlly) - 1933
Harry Roy & His Orch. (vocal: Harry Roy) - 1933
Joe Taub & The Melodians - 1933
Ethel Merman - 1947
Lilian Roth - 1954
Mary Martin & Ethel Merman - 1953
Gretchen Wyler - 1959
Bill Jacoby - 1961
Ethel Merman - 1972 (Re-recording)
Jack ‘Jive’ Schafer & Melody Anne - 1983





As recorded by RAMONA DAVIES with
Paul Whiteman & His Orch., 8th December 1932:


Maud and Mabel, seated at a table
Talking over bygone days
Mabel, sporty, fat and over forty
Said, "Remember Edith Hayes"
 
Eadie was a sucker for a bottle and glass
But in spite of everything that gal had class
Then one summer, she wed a corset drummer
Struck with her refined-like ways
 
But Eadie was a lady (Eadie was a lady)
Though her past was shady (Though her past was shady)
Eadie had class, with a capital K
(She was a lady, Eadie was a lady)
 
Though her life was merry (Though her life was merry)
She had savoir fairey (Lots of savoir fairey) 
And Eadie did things in the ladylike way
(She was a lady, Eadie was a lady)
 
She would have a golden toothpick handy
After meals she’d flash it about
Remember how she used to drink her brandy
With her finger sticking well out
 
Eadie was a lady (Eadie was a lady)
Ask P. I. O’Grady (Not P. I. O’Grady?)
Eadie had class, with a capital K

Eadie was a lady (Eadie was a lady)
Though her past was shady (Though her past was shady)
Eadie had class, with a capital K
(She was a lady, Eadie was a lady)
 
Though her life was merry (Though her life was merry)
She had savoir fairey (Lots of savoir fairey) 
And Eadie did things in the ladylike way
(She was a lady, Eadie was a lady)

When in her cups she’d get her local eggs crossed
She’d pick the ones that seldom paid
But you’d never catch her with her legs crossed
In the wagon after the raid

Oh, Eadie was a lady (Eadie was a lady)
Ask P. I. O’Grady (Not P. I. O’Grady?)
Eadie had class, with a capital K

(Eadie was that lady, though her past was shady)
(Ask P.I. O'Grady) Eadie was a lady!


(Transcribed by Bill Huntley & Mel Priddle - March 2007)


********************


As performed by LILLIAN ROTH 
& Chorus in the 1933 film "Take A Chance":


I've had playmates, night and day mates
Way back since the bygone days
Some were sporty, fat and over forty
But none was quite like eadie Hayes

Now, Eadie was a sucker for a bottle and a glass
But in spite of everything, the gal had class
Then one summer, she wed a corset drummer
Struck with her refined-like like ways

Oh, Eadie was a lady (Eadie was a lady)
Though her past was shady (Though her past was shady)
Eadie had class with a capital K
(She was a lady, Eadie was a lady)

Though her life was merry (Though her life was merry)
She had savoir fairey (Lots of savoir fairey) 
Eadie did things in a ladylike way
(She was a lady, Eadie was a lady)

She would have a golden toothpick handy
And after meals she'd flash it about
I remember how she used to drink her brandy
With her finger sticking well out

Oh, Eadie was a lady (Eadie was a lady)
Ask P. I. O’Grady (Not P.I. O'Grady?)
Eadie had class, with a capital K

(Eadie was the belle of the levee)
(They say she was some tasty dish)
(She handed out politeness just as heavy)
(As an Astor or a Stuyvesant fish)

(Now, without this mask of elegant refinement)
(Why, Miss Eadie would never have made the grade)
(Say, when she got crossed in one of her assignments)
(Why, she’d just call a spade a lowdown dirty spade)

(Now, Eadie could get plastered, she'd call a guy a scoundrel)
(And still be very dignified and dainty)
(She'd been living on her morals, now she's resting on her laurels)
(And her tombstone reads 'Here lies a perfect lady')

There really is no moral to my story
Poor Eadie has long since gone to her glory
She's still a lady down in purgatory now

(Eadie was a lady) Eadie was a lady
(Though her past was shady) Though her past was shady
Eadie had class, she was classy
(Eadie was a lady)
(Though her past was shady)
(Ask P.I. O'Grady)
Eadie was a lady!


(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - July 2017)


********************


ALTERNATE/EXTRA VERSES:


Friends and mourners, praisers and scorners
Bring around your funeral praise
Let’s get next to, pay our respects to
A solid sister, Eadie Hayes 

Now, Eadie was a lady who was bold as brass
But in spite of everything, the gal had class
So don’t make merry with her obituary
Just say she had refined like ways

Why Eadie could get tricky and slip a guy a mickey
And still be very dignified and dainty
Like an Oklahoma twister, she could blister any mister
And mister she was still a perfect lady

When it came to clothes, she was the worst one
Everything she wore was just right
Eadie used to always be the first one
In the bathtub Saturday night

There really is no moral to my story
Poor Eadie has long since gone to her glory
She still lays in her grave so cold and hoary


(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - July 2017)