Sung by Bob Hope to Jane Russell in the 1948 film, “Paleface”, “Buttons and Bows” won the Oscar that year for best song. It was written by composer Jay Livingston and lyricist Ray Evans, a prolific team who have written a great many hit songs including “To Each His Own”, “Golden Earrings”, “Mona Lisa”, “Silver Bells”, “Que Sera Sera”, “Dear Heart”, and “Tammy”.

LYRICS

East is east and west is west

and the wrong one I have chose

Let's go where you'll keep on wearing

those frills and flowers and buttons and bows,

Rings and things and buttons and bows.

Don't bury me on this prairie

take me where the cement grows

Let's move down to some big town

where they love a gal by the cut o' her clothes

And you'll stand out in buttons and bows.

I'll love you in buckskin

or skirts that you've home spun,

But I'll love you longer stronger

where yer friends don't tote a gun.

My bones denounce the buckboard bounce

and the cactus hurts my toes,

Let's vamoose where gals keep usin' those silks and satins and linen that shows

And I'm all yours in buttons and bows.

Harry James's wonderful recording of this song in 1942 made it a major hit of the Big Band era, but the song dates back much earlier—to 1913, the year of “When Irish Eyes are Smiling” and “Peg O’ My Heart”. It is the most famous collaboration of lyricist Joseph McCarthy (who also wrote “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows” and “Alice Blue Gown”) and composer James Monaco (who also wrote “Row, Row, Row” and “I Can't Begin to Tell You”).

LYRICS

You made me love you,

I didn't wanna do it,

I didn't wanna do it.

You made me love you,

and all the time you knew it,

I guess you always knew it,

You made me happy sometimes,

you made me glad

But there were times, dear,

you made me feel so bad.

You made me sigh for,

I didn't wanna tell you,

I didn't wanna tell you,

I want some love that's true

[yes I do, deed I do, you know I do]

Gimme, gimme [gimme, gimme] what I cry for,

You know you got the brand of kisses,

that I'd die for,

You know you made me love you.

“You Made Me Love You”

(Joe McCarthy/James V. Monaco)

1913

“Buttons and Bows”

(Ray Evans/Jay Livingston)

1948

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