Lazybones

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Lazybones (m. Hoagy Carmichael, w. Johnny Mercer) Sometimes spelled Lazy Bones. Recordings by Ted Lewis and Mildred Bailey were the most popular at the time of the introduction of this 1933 classic.  According to Carmichael, in an interview, Mercer came into Carmichael’s apartment in New York one day and saw Hoagy “snoozin’” on his couch. Mercer said, “Hoag, I’m gonna write a song called ‘Lazy Bones’.” Carmichael said, “Well, let’s get at it.” They went over to Hoagy’s piano, Johnny said the first line and Hoagy started playing a melody. The song was done in twenty minutes. Both men have agreed on the time in separate interviews.

Mercer, hailing from Savannah, Georgia, resented the Tin Pan Alley attitude of rejecting southern regional vernacular in favor of artificial southern songs written by people who had never been to the South. Alex Wilder attributes much of the popularity of this song to Mercer’s perfect regional lyric.^{[1] Alec Wilder}

He wrote the lyrics to “Lazybones” as a protest against those artificial “Dixies”, announcing the song’s authenticity at the start with “Long as there is chicken gravy on your rice”.^{[2] Philip Furia} Ted Lewis and Mildred Bailey recorded hit versions in 1933. — adapted from wikipedia

The lyrics are available here: Lazybones.

1933

Lazybones (Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer) – The title is also frequently given as Lazy Bones on recordings.

Ted Lewis and his Orchestra had a smash hit with this song in the summer of 1933, hitting the top of the chart and staying there for four weeks.

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Mildred Bailey  — 3 June 1933

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Mills Brothers — The video contains two Mills Brothers versions from different eras:

• Recording date of the first is unknown, but it appears on The Mills Brothers: Early Classics (1931-1934)
• Date for the second version is also unknown; I would guess late 1950s or after.
  

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This 1941 Soundie features Hoagy Carmichael, vocals/piano (and cigarette monitor) with (unseen) Bob Crosby and his Orchestra. Dance by Dorothy Dandridge and Peter Ray.

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Leon Redbone – Lazy Bones appeared on Redbone’s debut album On the Track in 1975

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