[Dixielandjazz] Revelation! The true lyricist of "Ugly Chile"

[Dick Baker]

Conventional wisdom has always held that "Ugly Chile," the parody 
lyrics to "You're Some Pretty Baby" by Clarence Williams, were 
created by George Brunis in his 1943 Commodore recording of the 
song.  It was more widely popularized by Johnny Mercer's 1946 Capitol 
recording of it.

But listmate Bill Haesler, while researching my request for 
information on "Bring It On Home to Your Grandma" (Vocalion 1584, 
recorded by Jimmie Noone but evidently written by Sam Theard), came 
across Sam Theard's recording of "Ugly Child," recorded in June 1930, 
13 years before Brunis and 16 years before Mercer.  Here are Theard's lyrics:

I court' a gal for quite a while
I tried to dress up in the latest style
I wore a different suit every time I call
But she didn't like my looks so she wouldn't fall.

One day this lady spoke to...
She said 'Now boy, we shan't agree'
She said, 'You just too ugly and I just don't want you
I just can't use you somehow'

She say, 'You some ugly, 'cause you ugly
You one ugly child
She say, 'The clothes you wear
All in the latest style
But you look like a mule every time you smile'
She say, 'How I hate you, you alligator bait you,
You the ugliest thing I ever saw'
She say, 'You bow-legged, knock-kneed,
And pigeon-toed too,
Look like the curse your whole fam'ly must o' fell on you'
She say, 'Your hair is nappy,
Who in the world is your pappy,'
She say, 'You one ugly child
I mean, you one ugly child.'

[piano chorus]

She say, 'You some ugly, aren't you ugly,
You'se one ugly child.'
She say, 'The clothes you wear all in the latest style,
But you look like a baboon every time you smile.'
She say, 'How I hate you, you alligator bait, you,
You the ugliest thing I ever saw.'
She say, 'You bow-legged, knock-kneed, and cross-eyed too,
Look like the curse o' your whole family must o' fell on you.'
She say, 'Your hair is sappy, who the world is your pappy
You'se one ugly child, oh boy,
You'se one ugly child.'

This seems to be clear evidence that Sam Theard was really the author 
of the George Brunis lyrics to Pretty Child.  Contradictory opinions 
are solicited.



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      Dick Baker
  djml at dickbaker.org