Old-timey novelty song about friendship?

November 8, 2020 2:30 PM

I heard this song flipping through the radio, on a "crooners and big band" hour. It had that novelty, almost children's-song type feel and was basically just a string of stock phrases and expressions like "if you ever get in a pickle", "if you find yourself in a rut", etc. The two lyrics I remember are something like "If you ever go to jail, I will pay the bail" and "If they put a bullet in your brain, I would complain" (!). I think there may have been different people singing different verses. Thanks!
posted by dusty potato to Media & Arts (7 answers total)

Cole Porter, ”Friendship”, Anything Goes.
posted by nonane at 2:34 PM on November 8, 2020 [8 favorites]

Must be "Friendship" - Lucy and Ethel did a fine version.
posted by queensissy at 2:35 PM on November 8, 2020 [4 favorites]

Response by poster: Thanks! I don't think it was any of the above versions, but that is definitely the right song and now that I know that I can probably find it! :)
posted by dusty potato at 2:40 PM on November 8, 2020

I bet you heard the Ethel Merman/Bert Lahr version.
posted by XtineHutch at 3:26 PM on November 8, 2020 [2 favorites]

Maybe not quite the exact answer, but if you're interested in vintage screwball novelty tunes, then the original Spike Jones bandleader (not to be confused with a talented experimental film director) is worth a YT search any old time...
posted by ovvl at 6:00 PM on November 8, 2020

I grew up with Homer and Jethro's version from Zany Songs of the '30s.
posted by Lirp at 8:45 PM on November 8, 2020

I grew up with the Judy Garland version
posted by CathyG at 7:19 PM on November 9, 2020