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| Music by | Ernie Burnett |
| Lyrics by | George A. Norton |
| Date | 1912 |
"My Melancholy Baby" is a sentimental song which was the first to be labeled a torch song (love songs, usually about a lost love). It has been recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Barbra Streisand, and many others.
"My Melancholy Baby" proved particularly popular in clubs, barrooms, and saloons, gaining a reputation both as being over requested and as the kind of song those in a state of inebriation (or recently disappointed in love, or both) were apt to request. It became a cliche rooted in fact and the song's ubiquity made its way into popular culture (usually shortened to just "Melancholy Baby"), including jokes (sometimes lewd) and a gag in the 1954 version of A Star Is Born with a drunk demanding "Sing 'Melancholy Baby!'"
A despondent Dr. Nobel Price, after his tinkly table turns out to be an already existing piano, asks the ivory tickling Kermit the Frog, "Do you know 'Melancholy Baby'?" The frog thinks he can fake it and proceeds to play the last few bars and sings the closing lyric, "Or else I will be melancholy too."
References[]
- Zoot asks Julie Andrews to sing "Melancholy Baby" at the end of the 1975 special Julie: My Favorite Things.
- The script for Sesame Street Episode 0897 calls for Grover to bring out a jukebox to cheer up Maria and suggest "Melancholy Baby" before thinking better of it. The final version substituted a radio and omitted the line.
- At the end of the Sesame Street song "I Am Not Afraid," Harvey Monster asks Grover "Do you know 'Melancholy Baby'?"
- In Sesame Street Episode 1426, Oscar requests that Sir Campbell McGrouch play "Melancholy Baby" on his bagpipes.
- In Episode 1594 of Sesame Street, David teases Poco Loco (given his penchant for voice mimicry and repeating whatever he hears) by saying "Come to me, my melancholy baby" (another lyric from the song).
- When Oscar the Grouch proudly gives his dog Peligro commands for tricks which he won't perform (Episode 1590), he gives him a real challenge, "Sing 'Melancholy Baby'!" To Oscar's delight, Peligro does nothing.
- As Gordon demonstrates his prowess at playing the flute in Episode 1666, Big Bird requests he play "Melancholy Baby."
- Gordon, trying to coax Oscar out of his shower in Episode 1648, says he can sing anything he wants, even "Melancholy Baby" (which Oscar proceeds to do as a duet with his pig Spot).
- In a Sesame Street News Flash, Telly Monster tells Kermit that he is practicing the bassoon so he can play "Melancholy Monster Baby."
- Margaret Cho, guest on "Girl Talk" in Episode 3897, asks if host Prairie Dawn can play "Melancholy Baby." (Prairie says no but plays "Feelings" instead).