IF YOU KNEW SUSIE (LIKE I KNOW SUSIE)
From the Broadway musical "Big Boy" (1926)
(Buddy G. DeSylva / Joseph Meyer)
Al Jolson (Broadway Production) - 1925
Eddie Cantor - 1925
Cliff "Ukelele Ike" Edwards - 1925
Ernest Hare & Billy Jones - 1925
Jack Shilkret & His Orch. (vocal: Billy Murray) - 1925
The Varsity Eight - 1925
Billy Jones - 1925
Ella Shields - 1925
Buddy Doyle (feat. in the film "The Great Ziegfeld") - 1936
Frank Sinatra & Gene Kelly (feat. in the film "Anchors Aweigh") - 1944
Tiny Hill & His Orch. (vocal: Tiny Hill) - 1944
Eddie Cantor (feat. in the film "If You Knew Susie") - 1948
Dean Martin (feat. in the film "The Silencers") - 1966
Also recorded by: Tennessee Ernie Ford; Perez Prado;
Sammy Kaye & His Orch.; Lester Lanin; Johnny Maddox.
I have got a sweetie known as Susie
In the words of Shakespeare she's a "wow"
Though all of you may know her, too
I'd like to shout right now
Suzie has a perfect reputation
No one ever saw her on a spree
Nobody knows where Susie goes
Nobody knows but me
If you knew Susie, like I know Susie
Oh! Oh! Oh! What a girl
There's none so classy
As this fair lassie
Oh! Oh! Holy Moses, what a chassis
We went riding, she didn't balk
Back from Yonkers
I'm the one that had to walk
If you knew Susie, like I know Susie
Oh! Oh! What a girl!
If you knew Susie, like I know Susie
Oh! Oh! Oh! What a girl
She wears long tresses
And nice tight dresses
Oh! Oh!
What a future she possesses
Out in public
How she can yawn
In a parlour, you would think the war was on
If you knew Susie, like I know Susie
Oh! Oh! What a girl!
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TRIVIA:
Apparantly Jolson disliked this song, possibly because it had been
badly received by Broadway audiences for the show "Big Boy", and he
gave it to Eddie Cantor to record. "If You Knew Susie" became one of
Cantor's biggest hit and has ever since been associated with him.
Jolson is reported to have told Cantor later, "Eddie, if I knew it
was that good, I'd never have given it to you!"
****************************
As recorded by Gene Kelly & Frank Sinatra
for the MGM film "Anchors Aweigh":
Iif you knew Susie, as we know Susie
Oh, oh, oh what a gal
She's not so choosy, no, not our Susie
Oh, oh, Susie is a lot of balusie
When Susie kisses, it never fails
When Susie kisses, she takes the wind
Right out of your sails
In conclusion, beware of Sus-ion
Oh, oh, oh what a gal
S - is for sincerity which she's got none of.
U - is for you know what I mean.
S - is for sincerity which she's got none of.
I - is for the Irish in her smile. her Irish smile.
E - is for her eagerness to please us,
That is how she wants her Navy-eee
Put them all together, and they spell Su hu hu hu sie
The sweetheart of all the boys at sea
Oh that Susie, she's a two-sie
She's not choosy, you won't losie
Don't care who she, I mean you-sie
you'll get woosy, after just one day with Susie
When you take her home about ten
Another guy is waiting there to take out Susie out again
So when you choose she, beware of Susie
She's just much for you , and you and me, and the U.S.Navy
Su-Su-Su-Su-Su-Su-Su-Susie
***************************
as rec by Eddie Cantor 1925
I have got a sweetie known as Susie,
In the words of Shakespeare, "She's a wow!".
Though all of you
May know her too,
I'd like to shout right now;
If you knew Susie
Like I know Susie,
Oh, oh, oh what a girl!
There's none so classy
As this fair lassie,
Oh, oh, oh my goodness what a chassis!
We went riding, she didn't balk;
>From the country,
I'm the one that had to walk!
If you knew Susie
like I know Susie,
Oh, oh what a girl!
Susie has a perfect reputation,
No-one ever saw her on a spree!
Nobody knows
Where Susie goes,
Nobody knows but me!
If you knew Susie
Like I know Susie,
Oh, oh, oh what a girl!
She wears long tresses
And nice tight dresses,
Oh, oh, what a future she possesses!
Out in public, how she can yawn;
In a parlour, you would think the war was on!
If you knew Susie
Like I know Susie,
Oh, oh what a girl!
She'll spend Sunday morniong praising The Lord,
But on Monday, she's as dizzy as a Ford!
If you knew Susie
Like I know Susie,
Oh, oh what a girl!
I had a moustache, and trained it like a pup,
She's got such hot lips, she kissed it once and burned it up!
If you knew Susie
Like I know Susie,
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh , what a girl!
(Transcribed by Peter Akers - April 2011)
