He's So Unusual

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"He's So Unusual" is a song from the late 1920s performed by the iconic Helen Kane who was the inspiration for the Betty Boop character. The song was written by Al Sherman, Al Lewis and Abner Silver. Released on June 14, 1929, "He's So Unusual" was featured in the motion picture, Sweetie. Shapiro, Bernstein & Co. Inc. are the publishers of record.

Contents 1 Helen Kane 2 Homage 3 Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual 4 Literary Sources

[edit] Helen Kane

This song is one of the first Boop-styled songs which Kane sang. This is evidenced in the Betty Boop signature line featured in the lyric. This song and "I Wanna Be Loved By You" are the two most notable "Boop" songs although there were sevreral other songs which Kane sang in this persona as well.

“

Others would be tickled pink to boop-boop-a-doop-a-doop! He don't even know what boop-boop-a-doop's about! He says love is hokum, Oh, I'd like to choke, choke, choke him! He's So Unusual that he drives me boop-boop-a-doop!

”

[edit] Homage

• The song is referenced in the 1962 Academy Award nominated animated short Disney musical film, A Symposium on Popular Songs during the song, "Charleston Charlie" written by Al Sherman's songwriter sons: Robert & Richard Sherman.

[edit] Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual

"He's So Unusual" was later famously covered by Cyndi Lauper as the title song of her Grammy Award winning, signature album, She's So Unusual.

[edit] Literary Sources

• Sherman, Robert B. Walt's Time: from before to beyond, Santa Clarita: Camphor Tree Publishers, 1998.