The Songs and Lyrics of Superman
One of the little-known quirks in the early Superman newspaper stories is that Superman enjoyed to sing. In combating Nazi saboturs, Japanese spies, or in just taking a shower in the morning, Superman
enjoyed being Superman. The pleasure he took in his work was represented in his large repetoire of musical selections. Often songs that Superman sang were contemporary to these strips from the 1940's, and have since become obscure. Others, such as "Singing in the Rain" that was sung by Judy Garland in the 1940 movie "Little Nellie Kelly," became quite popular years later with the 1952 movie of the same name. Besides highlighting Superman's musical side, this article also serves to help explain some of his lesser-known tunes.
Among his song choices was "On the Atcheson, Topeka and the Santa Fe"
which was written in 1946 for "The Harvey Girls," another Judy Garland film,
which may also reveal Superman's taste in movies (or actresses). The song's
lyrics went:
Do you hear that whistle down the line
I figure that it's engine number forty-nine
She's the only one that'll sound that way
On the Atcheson, Topeka, and the Santa Fe.
Click here to hear Judy Garland's redition of this song.
"River, Stay Away From My Door" was another song favored by Superman
(Zeros were the nickname of the Japanese A6M2 Zero plane of WWII). The
song was used in the 1931 play "Mum's the Word" and later was made
popular in by a number of artists including Phil Harris.
You keep goin' your way - I'll keep goin' my way
(I'll keep goin' my way, you keep rollin' your way)
River, stay 'way from the door
I just got (me) a cabin - you don't need my (you'll never need that) cabin
River, stay 'way from the door
Click Here to hear Phil Harris sing this song.
"Git Along, Little Dogies," was sung by Gene Autry and featured in the 1937
movie by the same name.
As I was walking one morning for pleasure
I spied a cowpuncher riding along
His hat was throwed back and his spurs were a-jingling
And as he approached he was singing this song
Whoopee ti yi yo, git along little dogies
It's your misfortune and none of my own
Whoopie ti yi yo, git along little dogies
You know that Wyoming will be your new home
For a more contemporary version by Nickel Creek,
click here.
"Waltz Me Around Again, Willie" was an old song from 1906. It was
popularized by Billy Murray, and it's lyrics went:
Waltz me around again, Willie, around, around, around;
The music is dreamy, it's peaches and creamy,
Oh! don't let my feet touch the ground.
I feel like a ship on an ocean of joy;
I just want to holler out loud, "Ship Ahoy!"
Oh! waltz me around again, Willie, around, around, around."
To hear him (Murray, not Superman) sing this,
click here.
"Old Black Magic" was written in 1942. Johnny Johnson made it popular in the
film from the same year, "Star Spangled Rhythm." It went:
That old black magic has me in it's spell.
That old black Magic that you weave so well.
Those icy fingers up and down my spine.
The same old witch craft when your eyes meet mine.
The same old tingle that I feel inside
and then the elevator starts its ride
and down and down I go
round and round I go
Again, this was also a popular Judy Garland song.
Here is her
1943 rendition of it from a radio show.
"Oh, For a Life on the Ocean Wave" was composed in 1838 by Henry Russell
and later used as a march for the Royal Marines.
'Oh, for a life on the ocean wave,
A home on the rolling deep!'
Let others sing, but for me, I crave
A home where the wild vines creep
Click here for a recording the march.
While some of his enemies took no pleasure in Superman's singing, his musical selections did add character to the comic strip series. However, it is up to the reader to determine how "super" his vocal abilities were.
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