She's Funny That Way

"She's Funny That Way"[1] or "He's Funny That Way" is a popular song, composed by Neil Moret, with lyrics by Richard Whiting.[2] It was composed for the short film Gems Of M-G-M in 1929 for Wynonie Harris, though the film was not released until 1931.[1] A torch song, according to Philip Futira and Michael Lasser, the "song begins self-deprecatingly—'I'm not much to look at, I'm nothing to see'—but "at the end of each chorus, it affirms the lover's good fortune: 'I've got a woman crazy 'bout me, she's funny that way'". They state that it is unusual as the song was written from a man's point of view, whereas most torch songs are written from the female perspective about a man who betrayed or abused the woman.[3]

The song has generally been more covered by female artists as "He's Funny That Way". Thelma Carpenter recorded it in the 1930s at the age of 19, "handling the vocal like a seasoned veteran" according to Dave Oliphant,[4] but it is most associated with Billie Holiday, who first recorded it in 1937.[5] Holiday later featured it on her 1953 album An Evening with Billie Holiday.[6] It was later covered by Mary Osborne with Mary Lou Williams,[7] Etta James for her 2001 album Blue Gardenia[8] and Liza Minnelli.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 Gracyk, Tim; Hoffmann, Frank W. (1997). The encyclopedia of popular American recording pioneers, 1895-1925. Tim Gracyk.
  2. 1 2 Hodges, Ben (1 November 2009). Theatre World 2008-2009: The Most Complete Record of the American Theatre. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-4234-7369-5.
  3. ↑ Furia, Philip; Lasser, Michael (12 May 2006). America's Songs: The Stories Behind the Songs of Broadway, Hollywood, and Tin Pan Alley. Routledge. p. 65. ISBN 978-1-135-47192-7.
  4. ↑ Oliphant, Dave (1 January 2002). The Early Swing Era, 1930 to 1941. Greenwood Press. p. 329. ISBN 978-0-313-30535-1.
  5. ↑ Yurochko, Bob (1993). A Short History of Jazz. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 90. ISBN 978-0-8304-1595-3.
  6. ↑ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 2 January 1954. p. 29. ISSN 0006-2510.
  7. ↑ Kernodle, Tammy Lynn (2004). Soul on Soul: The Life and Music of Mary Lou Williams. UPNE. p. 118. ISBN 978-1-55553-606-0.
  8. ↑ Jazz Education Journal. International Association for Jazz Education. 2001.
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