BOB WHITE (WHATCHA GONNA SWING TONIGHT?)
(Johnny Mercer / Bernie Hanighen)
Benny Goodman & His Orch. - 1937
Dick Robertson & His Orch. - 1937
Bing Crosby & Connee Boswell - 1937
Bobby Darin & Johnny Mercer - 1961
Maxine Sullivan - 1986
John Sheridan - 1997
 

I was talkin to the whippoorwill
He says you got a corny trill
Bob White! Whatcha gonna swing tonight?
I was talkin to the mocking bird
He says you are the worst he's heard,
Bob White! Whatcha gonna swing tonight?

Even the owl-tells me you're foul
Singin those lullaby notes, 
Don't be a bring down 
If you can swing down
Gimme those high notes

There's a lotta talk about you, Bob
and they're sayin you're "off the cob"
Fake it, Mister B
Take it, follow me, Bob white
We're gonna break it up tonight 

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

BOB WHITE (Mildred Bailey)


as rec by Mildred Bailey & her Orchestra  
September 27th 1937 Los Angeles


Mister Bob, don't you know things have changed?
You're behind time with the melody you always sing!
All the birds have their songs re-arranged;
Better get smart, what you gotta do today is swing!


I was talkin' to the whippoorwill,
He says you've got a corny trill.
Bob White,
Whatcha gonna swing tonight?

I was talkin' to the mockin'bird
He says you are the worst he's heard.
Bob White,
Whatcha gonna swing tonight?

Even the owl
Tells me you're foul
Singing those lullaby notes.
Don't be a bring-down,
If you can swing down,
Gimme those high notes.

There's a lot o' talk about you, Bob
and they're sayin you're off the cob!
Fake it, Mister B,
Take it, follow me!
Bob White,
We're gonna break it up tonight!

Here's a wire from the whippoorwill,
He says you've got a mellow trill!
Bob White,
You are in the groove tonight!

Here's another from the mockin'bird,
He says you are the best he's heard!
Bob White,
I believe you saw the light!

Even the owl
Threw in the towel
When he heard your staccato!
And the flamingo
Hollered "By jingo,
What a vibrato!".

The consensus of opinion is
That you're really a solid wiz!
Sing on, Mister B,
Swing on merrily,
Bob White,
You really broke it up tonight,
Bob!



(Transcribed by Peter Akers - May 2012)