My Mind's Eye

I've been browsing YouTube for music videos this week. Doesn't matter the genre. It could be rap, R&B, soul, funk, rock, new wave, or what have you. I posted a couple of videos on the 1980s version of Puttin on the Ritz here earlier this year but both of those videos have been deleted from YouTube. This time I think that YouTube isn't likely to bother it so I post it now and delete those other posts that I already have here. I always though of this song as a nice snappy song. Especially with that nice early 1980s sound (performed by this artist named Taco ). There were two version of this video I should add. This is the controversial version where the permorers here were in blackface. In another version of this video, those sequences with the performers in black face were edited out and in some shots headshots of movie legend Gary Cooper were inserted. I decided to look up more about this song and found out that originally the lyrics were to reflect the fad of well to do New Yorkers going to black jazz clubs in Harlem. I decided to see if I can find the original lyrics of this song and excuse me if I call this Exhibit A. > Have you seen the well-to-do Up and down Park Avenue On that famous thoroughfare With their noses in the air High hats and narrow collars White spats and fifteen dollars Spending every dime For a wonderful time Now, if you're blue And you don't know where to go to Why don't you go where Harlem flits Puttin' on the Ritz Spangled Gowns upon the bevy of High browns from down the levy Always spits Puttin' on the Ritz That's where each and every lulu-belle goes Every Thursday evening with her swell beaus Rubbin' elbows Come with me and we'll attend their jubilee And see them spend Their last two bits Puttin' on the Ritz - short instrumental break - (Boys, look at that man puttin' on that Ritz) Now, if you're blue And you don't know where to go to Why don't you go where Harlem flits Puttin' on the Ritz Spangled Gowns upon the bevy of High browns from down the levy All misfits Puttin' on that certain Ritz Come with me and we'll attend their jubilee And see them spend Their last two bits Puttin' on the Ritz Come with me and we'll attend their jubilee And see them spend Their last two bits Puttin' on the Ritz The song was later rewritten to be generally applicable to going out in the town in style. “Puttin’ on the Ritz” Original Lyrics(1929) Puttin' on the Ritz (Wikipedia) Irving Berlin Lyrics and Chords Puttin on the Ritz