Sunday 1 January 2012

Harry "Hipster" Gibson - Who's Going Steady With Who?





Harry "The Hipster" Gibson was a flamboyant singer-songwriter and pianist at his peak in the 1940s with his unusual and whacky songs, such as Get Your Juices at the Deuces; Handsome Harry the Hipster; Who put the Benzadrine in Mrs Murphy's Ovaltine; and our all-time favourite Who's Going Steady With Who?


So far as we know, the full lyrics of Who's Going Steady With Who? are not on the Internet. But now they are.....


     WHO'S GOING STEADY WITH WHO?


     Now there's a funny situation in our neighbourhood
     I hope I'm able to make myself understood
     It's about the boys and girls down the avenue
     The question is Who's going steady with who?


     Well right now...
     I'm going steady with Betty
     And Betty's going steady with me
     Now Betty used to run around with little Eddie
     But Eddie broke her heart, you see.
     I was very shy with Vi
     Beside Eddie he was the apple of her eye
     And Betty's big brother Freddie
     He didn't like little Eddie
     Now Eddie's going steady with Vi
     He calls her Vee
     And Betty's going steady with me.


     Now I took Betty to a party just the other night
     Everybody there got to feeling kinda bright
     I looked around to see if Freddie was watching me
     But Freddie was holding hands with my sister Dee
     Dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee...


     Now my other sister Heddy
     She had an eye on Fred
     I was eyeing Vi and Betty had eyes for Ed
     Eddie was watching Dee 
     And oh gosh oh gee
     This is how it turned out to be...


     Now Freddie's going steady Heddy
     And Heddy is my sister, you see
     (Well I know that, I know that!)
     Long as Freddie kept running around with Heddy
     Well that was great for little Betty and me
     (I was doing all right with that kid)
     But Freddie had to fall in love with Nelly
     Nelly happens to be the sister of Ed
     So now Freddie's letting Betty go steady with Eddie
     Vi's going steady with Ted
     He calls her Vee
     And I's going steady
     Just getting ready
     I's going steady with me oh my
     I don't know what it's all about
     Tell me do you
     Who's going steady with who?
     (I don't know...)


The song is available in a live performance on compilation album Ice Cream on Toast 1937-47


Harry was also an accomplished boogie woogie and rock and roll pianist (even before rock and roll!) as he demonstrates in this YouTube video from the 1940s......



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