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And He'd Say, "Oo-La-La! Wee-Wee!"

{{Infobox song

| name = And He'd Say, 'Oo-La-La! Wee-Wee!'

| cover = And he'd say oo la la wee wee cover 2.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Sheet music cover

| type =

| artist = Billy Murray

| album =

| released = {{Start date|1919}}

| recorded = August 12, 1919

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Jazz

| length = {{Duration|m=2|s=52}}

| label = Victor

| writer = George Jessel, Harry Ruby

| producer =

}}

File:And he'd say oo la la wee wee.jpg]]

"And He'd Say, 'Oo-La-La! Wee-Wee!'" is a World War I era song released in 1919. Lyrics and music were written by George Jessel and Harry Ruby.Vogel (1995) p. 154 World War I Songs: A History and Dictionary of Popular American Patriotic Tunes, with Over 300 Complete Lyrics (McFarland & Company, Inc.) William Baker arranged the song.{{cite web |url=http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/700008230/B-23068-And_hed_say_oo-la-la_Wee-wee |title=Victor matrix B-23068. And he'd say oo-la-la! Wee-wee / Billy Murray |author= |website=Discography of American Historical Recordings |access-date=2 March 2016}} It was published by Waterson, Berlin & Snyder, Inc. of New York, New York. The song was written for voice and piano.{{cite web |url=https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/9324 |title=And He'd Say "Oo-La-La-Wee-Wee." |author= |website=JScholarship |access-date=2 March 2016}}{{cite web |url=http://digital.gonzaga.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15486coll3/id/20157 |title=And he'd say oo la la! Wee wee |author= |website=Gonzaga University Digital Collections |publisher=Gonzaga University |access-date=2 March 2016}}

There are two versions of the sheet music cover. The first was designed by Albert Wilfred Barbelle. It features a soldier speaking to a woman with a parasol. The later edition was designed by Weatherly. This version shows a man and woman speaking under an arched doorway.{{cite book |last1=Parker |first1=Bernard S. |date=2007 |volume=1 |title=World War I Sheet Music |location=Jefferson |publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc. |page=37 |isbn=978-0-7864-2798-7}}

On August 12, 1919, Billy Murray recorded the song with conductor Rosario Bourdon. It was released under the Victor record label.{{cite web |url=https://www.loc.gov/jukebox/recordings/detail/id/7193/ |title=And he'd say oo-la-la! Wee-wee |author= |website=Library of Congress National Jukebox |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=2 March 2016}} It was in the top 20 songs from October 1919 to January 1920.{{cite book|last1=Paas|first1=John Roger|title=America Sings of War: American Sheet Music from World War I|date=2014|publisher=Harrassowitz Verlag|location=Wiesbaden|isbn=9783447102780|page=290}}

The sheet music can be found at Pritzker Military Museum & Library.{{cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/9634304 |title=And he'd say Oo-la-la! Wee-wee |author= |via=OCLC WorldCat |oclc=9634304 |access-date=2 March 2016}}

Analysis

The song is about Willie Earl who falls in love with a French girl. The humor of the song lies in the fact that Willie only knows two words in French, "oo-la-la" and "wee-wee," which he repeats throughout the song. Despite the fact that Willie cannot speak French, the girl continues to try to communicate with him. The two choruses are as follows:Vogel p. 109, 291-292 World War I Songs: A History and Dictionary of Popular American Patriotic Tunes, with Over 300 Complete Lyrics (McFarland & Company, Inc.)

{{poemquote|Chorus 1:

She'd say, "Compronay voo, papa?"

And he'd say, "Oo-la-la! wee-wee"

She'd smile and whisper, "Mercy bacoo"

He'd answer, "I don't mind if I do"

She'd say, "If you be my papa

Then I will be your ma cherie"

She'd pinch his cheek and say, "You keska say"

He'd say, "Not now, dear, but later I may"

Then she'd say, "Compronay voo, papa"

And he'd say, "Oo-la-la! wee-wee"

Chorus 2:

She'd say, "Compronay voo, papa?"

And he'd say, "Oo-la-la! wee-wee"

She'd say, "Come see" and then roll her eyes"

He'd answer, "Baby, you'd be surprised"

Each evening they would promenade

Upon ze boulevard, you see

One day at lunch, she said, "Café voo la"

He'd say, "My dear, don't forget where you are"

Then she'd say, "Compronay voo, papa?"

And he'd say, "Oo-la-la! wee-wee"}}

References

{{reflist}}

Bibliography

  • {{cite book|last1=Paas|first1=John Roger|title=America Sings of War: American Sheet Music from World War I|date=2014|publisher=Harrassowitz Verlag|location=Wiesbaden|isbn=9783447102780}}
  • {{cite book |last1=Parker |first1=Bernard S. |date=2007 |volume=1 |title=World War I Sheet Music |location=Jefferson |publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc.|isbn=978-0-7864-2798-7}}
  • Vogel, Frederick G. World War I Songs: A History and Dictionary of Popular American Patriotic Tunes, with Over 300 Complete Lyrics. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1995. {{ISBN|0-89950-952-5}}

External links

  • [http://www.idaillinois.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16614coll23/id/239 Listen to the MP3 and see the sheet music]

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Category:1919 songs

Category:Songs of World War I

Category:Songs with music by Harry Ruby

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