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According to 1986 British TV documentary "The Real Al Jolson Story," "Sonny Boy" was written in a single sitting in a hotel room in
Atlantic City as a joke. In the 1956 DeSylva, Brown, and Henderson biopic "The Best Things in Life Are Free", the songwriting trio are tired of being pestered by Al
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Jolson. They decide to write a song so unabashedly maudlin that even Jolson would hate it, and leave them alone. True to style, Jolson did not hate the overt sentimentality of the song and it became one of the biggest popular hits of the early 20th century.
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The song title is the title of a Dutch book and movie about a
Surinamese/Dutch family and their lives leading up to and in the second World War. The little boy's nickname is Sonny Boy after this song, which was popular when he was born.
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was always called "Sonny Boy" by his family because of the popularity of this song, which was recorded the same year as Fisher's birth. In his autobiography, Fisher wrote that even after he was married to
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Arild
Andresen, piano with guitar and bass recorded it in Oslo on March 11, 1955 as the first melody of the medley "Klaver-Cocktail Nr. 4" along with "
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in their song "John L" with the lyric "Three encores of 'Oh Sonny Boy' backed only by accordion". The reference is a nod to the
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performed the song as part of his ventriloquist's act with his puppet Dicky Mint during his performance on the LWT series
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performed by Jolson, as the song's protagonist is a fascistic cult leader and espoused racist.
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348:(1930). The story was dramatised as the second episode of season 1 of the British TV series
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517:"Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #18 - All Tracks UNT Digital Library"
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Various renditions of the song are used as a leitmotif in the 1990
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The song was performed by one of the entrants at Talent Trek on
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498:"Public Domain Day 2024 | Duke University School of Law"
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CD liner notes: Chart-Toppers of the
Twenties, 1998 ASV Ltd.
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The song is used as a major plot point in the short story
342:(originally published 1929), included in the collection
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When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)
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The original lyrics and music of the song entered the
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406:in 1959, earning $ 40,000 a week performing in
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428:The song "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" by
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460:The song was referenced by the British band
322:recorded a Yiddish version (translation by
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27:
627:Sister Susie's Sewing Shirts for Soldiers
537:Fisher, Eddie; Fisher, David (Sep 1999).
943:(I'll Be With You) In Apple Blossom Time
641:Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody
545:. New York: St. Martin's Press. p.
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936:I Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi (I Like You Very Much)
887:Beer Barrel Polka (Roll Out the Barrel)
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265:recorded this song on a 78 rpm record.
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1181:Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
1111:There's No Business Like Show Business
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329:
711:There's a Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder
268:The song has also been recorded by
231:In 1929, the song was performed by
210:Notable recordings and performances
142:Though you're only three, Sonny Boy
13:
1260:Songs with lyrics by Buddy DeSylva
1125:Civilization (Bongo, Bongo, Bongo)
922:Scrub Me, Mama, With a Boogie Beat
725:Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away)
613:The Spaniard That Blighted My Life
376:father Cap Cunningham in the 1977
372:performed the song at Arnold's as
270:The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra
14:
1281:
1255:Songs with music by Ray Henderson
1020:Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby
436:includes references to the song.
366:as the character Cora Bellinger.
252:. The medley was released on the
204:Took you because they were lonely
1027:A Hot Time In the Town of Berlin
894:Ciribiribin (They're So In Love)
148:What you mean to me, Sonny Boy.
915:Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar
690:I'm Sitting on Top of the World
1265:Songs with lyrics by Lew Brown
1160:Don't Rob Another Man's Castle
957:Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree
508:
490:
481:
184:You make them blue, Sonny Boy.
177:For I love you so, Sonny Boy.
155:You make them blue, Sonny Boy.
140:Climb up on my knee, Sonny Boy
132:in the United States in 2024.
112:. It was featured in the 1928
1:
1132:Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
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434:their self-titled debut album
190:I still have you, Sonny Boy.
175:Promise you won't stray, dear
161:I still have you, Sonny Boy.
1076:(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66
901:Say Si Si (Para Vigo Me Voy)
336:Jeeves and the Song of Songs
246:Top Hat, White Tie and Tails
153:I don't mind the grey skies.
7:
1069:South America, Take It Away
1006:Straighten Up and Fly Right
866:Nice Work If You Can Get It
224:Jolson singing the song in
206:I'm lonely too, Sonny Boy.
173:When I'm old and grey, dear
10:
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1153:You Call Everybody Darling
385:episode "Grandpas Visit".
202:And the angels grew lonely
180:When there are grey skies,
151:When there are grey skies,
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704:Back in Your Own Backyard
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519:. Digital.library.unt.edu
515:Gilliland, John. (197X).
146:There's no way of showing
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1223:I Love You Much Too Much
746:Alexander's Ragtime Band
648:Tell That to the Marines
188:Let them all forsake me.
182:I don't mind grey skies.
159:Let them all forsake me.
144:You've no way of knowing
1245:Songs written for films
1216:Sparrow in the Tree Top
1048:Accentuate the Positive
929:Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
753:Carolina in the Morning
683:California, Here I Come
238:Bosko, the Talk-Ink Kid
195:And I know your worth.
193:You're sent from heaven
186:Friends may forsake me.
164:You're sent from heaven
157:Friends may forsake me.
1062:Along the Navajo Trail
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199:For me here on earth.
170:For me here on earth.
166:And I know your worth.
1167:I Can Dream, Can't I?
1146:Underneath the Arches
859:Bei Mir Bist Du Schön
732:You Are Too Beautiful
541:Been There, Done That
410:, spending time with
223:
100:is a song written by
1090:House of Blue Lights
1055:The Three Caballeros
739:The Anniversary Song
620:You Made Me Love You
445:psychological horror
197:You've made a heaven
1202:A Bushel and a Peck
978:Pistol Packin' Mama
971:Mister Five By Five
908:The Woodpecker Song
821:The Andrews Sisters
393:An Audience With...
282:The Andrews Sisters
999:Down In the Valley
778:Jolson Sings Again
374:Howard Cunninghams
351:Jeeves and Wooster
330:In popular culture
257:His Master's Voice
235:in the pilot film
229:
168:You made a heaven
1232:
1231:
1188:The Wedding Samba
1104:Winter Wonderland
1097:Rumors Are Flying
1041:Rum and Coca-Cola
1034:Don't Fence Me In
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358:as the character
345:Very Good, Jeeves
250:Ain't Misbehavin'
221:
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33:Sheet music, 1928
16:Song by Al Jolson
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1195:I Wanna Be Loved
1083:I Don't Know Why
873:Shortenin' Bread
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771:The Jolson Story
763:Related articles
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502:web.law.duke.edu
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404:Elizabeth Taylor
324:L. Wolfe Gilbert
259:A.L. 3514.
226:The Singing Fool
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118:The Singing Fool
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56:The Singing Fool
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1270:Al Jolson songs
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1174:Charley, My Boy
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832:LaVerne Andrews
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450:Jacob's Ladder
423:Phoenix Nights
416:Rocky Marciano
360:Bertie Wooster
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306:Richard Tauber
302:John McCormack
298:Mandy Patinkin
272:with vocalist
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106:Buddy De Sylva
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412:Frank Sinatra
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290:Sonny Rollins
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130:public domain
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102:Ray Henderson
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86:Buddy DeSylva
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71:Ray Henderson
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985:Jingle Bells
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521:. Retrieved
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399:Eddie Fisher
396:
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383:fifth season
377:
370:Danny Thomas
368:
362:and then by
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310:Franz Völker
294:Petula Clark
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263:Paul Robeson
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1139:Sabre Dance
964:Strip Polka
356:Hugh Laurie
278:Ruth Etting
114:part-talkie
98:"Sonny Boy"
79:Lyricist(s)
65:Composer(s)
22:"Sonny Boy"
1250:1928 songs
1239:Categories
880:Oh! Ma-Ma!
523:2021-01-26
475:References
469:minstrelsy
462:Black Midi
430:The Smiths
379:Happy Days
286:Leo Watson
274:Ruth Brown
121:. Sung by
1013:Tico Tico
950:Sonny Boy
718:Sonny Boy
598:Al Jolson
466:blackface
408:Las Vegas
123:Al Jolson
110:Lew Brown
90:Lew Brown
44:Al Jolson
1118:Near You
634:My Mammy
389:Ken Dodd
50:Recorded
851:Singles
676:Juanita
397:Singer
248:" and "
662:Avalon
655:Swanee
553:
136:Lyrics
108:, and
605:Songs
447:film
432:from
233:Bosko
551:ISBN
414:and
312:and
40:Song
338:by
326:).
42:by
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
