ANOTHER MUSICAL MUSING, 9 June 2023–The Earworm of All Earworms: “Puttin’ On the Ritz”

This musical musing of mine, gentle readers, will probably leave you with the earworm of all earworms because I’m only going to focus on ONE song. It’s that choice bit of so called “catchy music”—“Puttin’ On The Ritz.” 

This song was written by Irving Berlin in 1927 and published a couple of years later.  It was performed in the movie by the same name in 1930 . . .

. . . and is said to be the first song and dance routine in film to be performed by an interracial ensemble. Who knew?  The title is a slang expression meaning “to dress very fashionably” and the term was inspired by the opulent London hotel, The Ritz.  

The original version of Berlin’s song references the then-popular fad of fashionably dressed Black residents of New York’s Harlem parading up and down Lenox Avenue. 

Here is the original production–with the Harlem lyrics–from the movie “Puttin’ On the Ritz.”  Tap or click on the triangle in the next image to take a peek: 

Cinema and vaudeville heart throb Harry Richman sang the song in the movie and his recording became the number-one selling record in America at the time.  Alas, his career faded soon after.

Aside from the witty lyrics, the danceable melody is both complex and provocative. According to music critics of the time, the A-section of the song used a “delayed rhythmic resolution: a staggering, off-balance passage, emphasized by the unorthodox stresses in the lyric, suddenly resolved satisfyingly on a held note, followed by the forceful assertion of the title phrase.  The B-section is a contrasting march rhythm.” Whew!

The whole song is considered by many to be one of the most complex and provocative rhythmic patterns ever written and has been loved by hoofers ever since. As a surprising sample (to me, at least) of all this, the original Harlem homage lyrics were used again in the 1939 movie “Idiot’s Delight . . .

. . . featuring a song and dance routine by none other than Clark Gable, of all people!    Click or tap on the triangle in the next image for a surprisingly good performance.  Again, who knew? 

By 1945 Berlin had become increasingly aware that stereotypical portrayals of Blacks were losing favor with audiences. He then rewrote the original Lenox-based lyrics to apply to affluent Whites strutting up and down Manhattan’s famed fashion center, Park Avenue.  Musical times go on . . .

Needless to say, the quintessential song and dance performance of “Puttin’ On the Ritz” is, of course, the Fred Astaire version–with Berlin’s revised Park Avenue lyrics– in the 1946 movie “Blue Skies.” 

Click or tap on the triangle in the next image to take a look at this classic:  

And, we mustn’t  forget that great film parody of our song by Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle in the movie “Young Frankenstein.”  Click or tap on the triangle in the next image for this unforgettable bit of comedic film/music history where the young Dr. Frankenstein’s noble intentions are thwarted as he shows off his cobbled together creation:

To end our “ritzy earworm journey” with an international note, how about a Russian (of all places!) flash mob doing a take on this.  Small world!  Click or tap on the triangle in the next image for this Moscow moment from back in the days when Russia was a happier place: 

Now, there are probably well over a hundred covers and interpretations of “Puttin’ On the Ritz” out there in the internet world ranging from homages to parodies, and both the Lenox and Park Avenue versions live on today.   Needless to say, you can explore these at your leisure.  I’ve only attached a few of my favorites to this musing so, put on your “Ritz earworm” facemask . . .

. . . and explore these yourself from the safety of your own home. Good luck with that earworm, however!

So, gentle readers, stay in rhythm, stay safe, STAY TUNED,and have a crack at this bite of topical humor.

Did you get it? If not, have a nibble and try again!