Monday, July 25, 2011

“THE DANCE OF THE GRIZZLY BEAR” … IRVING BERLIN

 

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Title: The Dance of the Grizzly Bear.

Author: Irving Berlin (lyricist); George Botsford (composer)

Published by Ted Snyder Co. Copyright 1910

“The Dance Of The Grizzly Bear” started its life as “The Grizzly Bear Rag” piano solo by noted ragtime composer George Botsford, who was also a staff pianist at the publishing house of Ted Snyder Company.

Its immediate popularity prompted publisher Ted Snyder to capitalize on the success of the piano rag by having his staff lyricist Irving Berlin write words for it. While the piano rag was merely an instrumental without any descriptive intent, Berlin’s coon song lyrics logically describe the Grizzly Bear as one of the many animal dances that was sweeping the nation at this time.

The grizzly bear dance appears to have originated in San Francisco, along with the Bunny Hug. In essence, it consisted of imitations of the movements of a dancing bear. In the Ziegfeld Follies of 1911, Fanny Brice danced the grizzly bear in a special production number titled “The Barbary Coast.” The grizzly bear dance was frowned upon at society dances due to its unsophisticated gestures and low associations.

On July 22, 1913, a dance card from the Exposition Park Dancing Pavilion in Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania warned patrons that the “Bear Dance” and Turkey Trot would not be tolerated.

Deliberately rough and clumsy, the dance imitated the motions of a trained bear. Imagine taking a very heavy step to the side, like a grizzly might, while executing a decided bending of the upper part of the body from one side to the other, hilariously ungraceful and undignified.

Besides being sung by Maude Raymond, it was popularized by Sophie Tucker, Fanny Brice and Mae West.

It is of interest that many versions of the sheet music were published featuring differing singing artists in the middle frame held by The Grizzly Bears.

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LYRICS:

[1st verse:]
Out in San Francisco where the weather's fair
They have a dance out there
They call the "Grizzly Bear"
All your other lovin' dances don't compare
Not so coony
But a little more than spoony
Talk about yo' bears that Teddy Roosevelt shot
They couldn't class with what
Old San Francisco's got
Listen my honey, do
And I will show to you
The dance of the grizzly Bear

[Refrain:]
Hug up close to your baby
Throw your shoulders t'ward the ceilin'
Lawdy, lawdy, what a feelin'
Snug up close to your lady
Close your eyes and do some nappin'
Something nice is gwine to happen
Hug up close to your baby
Sway me everywhere
Show your darlin' beau just how you go to Buffalo
Doin' the grizzly bear

[2nd verse:]
Let's sit down and rest a minute honey dear
My head feels awful queer
Please call the waiter near
"Water, water quick the lady's gone I fear"
"Thank you, honey
In my purse, you'll find some money
Where's the man who showed me how to do that dance
That put me in a trance?
I'll take another chance"
Now that I've got my breath
I'm his'n until death
Come on with yo' grizzly Bear

[2nd refrain:]
Hug up close to your baby
Hypnotize me like a lizard
Shake yo' self just like a blizzard
Snug up close to your lady
If they do that dance in heaven
Shoot me hon' tonight at seven
Hug up close to your baby
Sway me everywhere
You and me is two, I'll make it one when we get thro'
Doin' the grizzly bear.

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