Tramps and Ladies

FUSE TV - Tramps and Ladies

It's easy to see why Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's song "The Lady Is a Tramp" became a standard. Its long, flowing lyric is easy to ad-lib around, and can be sung by a woman (in the first or third person), by a man, or as a duet with very few alterations. It's packed with specific references to the New York City of the Thirties, but most of them, astonishingly, are still comprehensible in 2011. Its melody is very forgiving for limited voices, and gives suppler voices opportunities to show off.

One surprising aspect of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga's duet version of the song is that 85-year-old Bennett is the one playing straight man, and Gaga's the daredevil, showing off, interjecting jokes, switching between speaking and singing voices, and generally keeping Bennett on his toes. (Compare it with Bennett's duet with the late Amy Winehouse on "Body and Soul": Winehouse limits herself by sticking to a Billie Holiday impression, while Bennett finds poignant hints of a May-December romance in its lyrics.) Gaga and Bennett only get through the first two verses of "The Lady Is a Tramp," and tweak a lot of the lyrics, although their only major alteration is changing a bit about journalist Walter Winchell to a tribute to the song's composers: "I follow Rodgers and Hart—" "She sings every line!"

Rodgers and Hart introduced "The Lady Is a Tramp" in 1937, in their musical Babes in Arms (the same show that introduced "My Funny Valentine"). Tommy Dorsey and His Clambake Seven recorded what might be the earliest surviving version of it: it's mostly an instrumental showcase, in which Edythe Wright shows up after a minute or so to sing a couple of verses. Sophie Tucker sang a more complete version the same year. Then it disappeared from view until Lena Horne revived it in 1948, in Words and Music, a film musical about Rodgers and Hart's partnership; for perspective, that would be the equivalent of, say, "Try Again" turning up this year in an Aaliyah biopic.

What really got "The Lady Is a Tramp" into the pop canon seems to have been Ella Fitzgerald's performance on her 1956 album Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers and Hart Song Book. It was a quick follow-up to her very successful Cole Porter Song Book album from earlier that year—she ultimately recorded eight "songbook" albums devoted to American pop composers—and, as with a lot of those performances, that version of "The Lady" was more about showing off the unadorned glory of the song than imposing her own personality on it. (Later on, she'd have more fun with her interpretations.)

But it was Frank Sinatra who gave the song an even bigger boost. Apparently, he insisted in performing it in the 1957 film of another Rodgers-and-Hart musical, Pal Joey (in which he dropped the song's introduction, with its explanatory lines about "Mulligan stew"—hobo food—and "hobohemia"). It stayed in his repertoire for the rest of his life; he and Fitzgerald sang it together on a 1967 TV special. After Sinatra started giving "The Lady Is a Tramp" play, it got more currency among other performers: one particularly odd version is Jaye P. Morgan's 1958 rendition, backed up by the great vibraphonist Lionel Hampton. Shirley Bassey kept it in her repertoire for decades, too (here she is singing it in 1966). It's even turned up in a few rock singers' repertoires: see, for instance, Alice Cooper's awkwardly straight 1973 version or Nina Hagen's bug-eyed 2004 take.

The intersection of rock and Sinatra is also responsible for one of the oddest versions of the song. When the Beatles launched their label Apple Records in 1968, three of its first four public releases bore serial numbers APPLE 2, 3 and 4—but not 1. (The fourth was "Hey Jude," which was numbered as an EMI/Capitol release). That's because APPLE 1 was Sinatra's performance of a rewritten version of "The Lady Is a Tramp," retitled "Maureen Is a Champ," and privately pressed (there were only a handful of copies made, and it's never been officially issued). Ringo Starr's wife Maureen was a Sinatra fan, and as a birthday present to her, Apple commissioned songwriter Sammy Cahn to write a new set of lyrics ("She married Ringo, but she could've had Paul...") and Sinatra to sing them.

The other surprise about Bennett and Gaga's version of "The Lady Is a Tramp," though, is that it's entered Bennett's repertoire this late. He's sung it before, of course--no vocalist of his kind could get away without singing it occasionally. Bennett recorded a version on his 1992 Frank Sinatra tribute album Perfectly Frank, and the two of them sometimes performed it as a duet, as with this 1988 performance. A year after Perfectly Frank, Bennett also sang it with Natalie Cole at the Grammy Awards—they do their best to smile through it. Still, it doesn't seem to be a song that means a lot to either of them. For Gaga, it's a different story. "The Lady Is a Tramp" is a different kind of singing than she's gotten to do on record before, and she's clearly thrilled and a little nervous to have a chance to show off her chops. Having an old master singer beside her to offer his seal of approval spurs her on even more.

Lady Gaga: Encore

41m

Lady Gaga: Encore

Lady Gaga: Glory

50m

Lady Gaga: Glory

Luck Be A Lady

44m

Luck Be A Lady

The Ladies of 'Transcendent' Share Beauty Tips

2m

The Ladies of 'Transcendent' Share Beauty Tips

The 'Transcendent' Ladies Show Off Signature Cocktails

2m

The 'Transcendent' Ladies Show Off Signature Cocktails

The Ladies Play "Fill In The Blanks"

1m

The Ladies Play "Fill In The Blanks"

The 'Transcendent' Ladies Reveal Their Dating Nightmares

1m

The 'Transcendent' Ladies Reveal Their Dating Nightmares

"Fluffy Breaks Even" Hits AsiaSF With The "Transcendent" Ladies

3m

"Fluffy Breaks Even" Hits AsiaSF With The "Transcendent" Ladies

Blackbear and Krewella

20m

Blackbear and Krewella

Cuffed and Stuffed

44m

Cuffed and Stuffed

Coheed and Cambria

19m

Coheed and Cambria

Daters and Haters

22m

Daters and Haters

Wet and Wild

22m

Wet and Wild

Cheech and Chong

18m

Cheech and Chong

Levi and Troy

40m

Levi and Troy

Health and Wellness

21m

Health and Wellness

Drama and Trauma

46m

Drama and Trauma

Listen and Learn

46m

Listen and Learn

Ellie and Abbie

1h 17m

Ellie and Abbie

Sugar and Toys

Sugar and Toys

Bisexuals and Strippers

41m

Bisexuals and Strippers

Sex and Society

24m

Sex and Society

Casino and UBIQ

9m

Casino and UBIQ

Grace and Hannah

40m

Grace and Hannah

Divide and Conquer

44m

Divide and Conquer

Divide And Conquer

20m

Divide And Conquer

Mike and Gabe

40m

Mike and Gabe

Young M.A. and Ayo and Teo - Long Cut

20m

Young M.A. and Ayo and Teo - Long Cut

Gloria and Emilio Estefan

22m

Gloria and Emilio Estefan

Black, Brown and Red

24m

Black, Brown and Red

Sugar and Toys - Trailer

30s

Sugar and Toys - Trailer

King Push and FILA

10m

King Push and FILA

Ice-T and Coco

22m

Ice-T and Coco

Che and HSM3 Premieres

22m

Che and HSM3 Premieres

DaniLeigh and Saweetie

20m

DaniLeigh and Saweetie

Analise, Daley and Hunter

40m

Analise, Daley and Hunter

Mr. Throwback and Greats

9m

Mr. Throwback and Greats

Matthew, Analise and Hunter

40m

Matthew, Analise and Hunter

Flesh and the City

45m

Flesh and the City

Mike, Gabe and Troy

40m

Mike, Gabe and Troy

Beauty and the Bleach

56m

Beauty and the Bleach

Analise, Matthew and Daley

40m

Analise, Matthew and Daley

Elle and Tito Live

23m

Elle and Tito Live

Knuckles and Success: G-Thing

1m

Knuckles and Success: G-Thing

Leave the Duckies and Go

21m

Leave the Duckies and Go

And Then There Were Five

45m

And Then There Were Five

Cam'ron, Stance, and Nike

9m

Cam'ron, Stance, and Nike

Up NYC and Reebok Freebanz

11m

Up NYC and Reebok Freebanz

Wilmer Valderrama and Terry Crews

20m

Wilmer Valderrama and Terry Crews

Marlon Wayans and Bow Wow

20m

Marlon Wayans and Bow Wow

Gina Rodriguez and Steve Aoki

20m

Gina Rodriguez and Steve Aoki

Melii Make Rice and Beans

20m

Melii Make Rice and Beans

Beauty and the Bleach - Trailer

30s

Beauty and the Bleach - Trailer

Elle and Tito: Just Married

Elle and Tito: Just Married

Nick Cannon and Lilly Singh

20m

Nick Cannon and Lilly Singh

Jill Scott and Marc Anthony

22m

Jill Scott and Marc Anthony

Lil Jon and Amber Rose

20m

Lil Jon and Amber Rose

Lil Jon and Cam'ron

20m

Lil Jon and Cam'ron

LA and Xristina Talk Transitioning

1m

LA and Xristina Talk Transitioning

And Then There Were Six

46m

And Then There Were Six

Teyana Taylor and Jhené Aiko

20m

Teyana Taylor and Jhené Aiko

The River and the Wall

1h 45m

The River and the Wall

T-Pain and Jhene Aiko

20m

T-Pain and Jhene Aiko

Prince Royce and J Balvin

20m

Prince Royce and J Balvin

Nice Kicks and Jason Markk

11m

Nice Kicks and Jason Markk

Sticks, Stones and Breaking Bones

20m

Sticks, Stones and Breaking Bones

The King and Queen of  Bounce

21m

The King and Queen of Bounce

A$AP Ferg and Rick Ross

20m

A$AP Ferg and Rick Ross

SofÍa Reyes and Arianny Celeste

19m

SofÍa Reyes and Arianny Celeste

Elle and Tito: The Married Life

Elle and Tito: The Married Life

Joe Diaz, O'Brien and Valdez

45m

Joe Diaz, O'Brien and Valdez

Meagan Good and Lil Rel Howery

20m

Meagan Good and Lil Rel Howery

T-Pain and Young M.A

20m

T-Pain and Young M.A

The Fat Jewish and King Bach

20m

The Fat Jewish and King Bach

Amanda Cerny and Big Freedia Sh!tshow

20m

Amanda Cerny and Big Freedia Sh!tshow

The Cadets and Their Spankin New Toys

43s

The Cadets and Their Spankin New Toys

Do's and Don'ts of Online Dating

1m

Do's and Don'ts of Online Dating

Sam and Mattie Make a Zombie Movie

1h 42m

Sam and Mattie Make a Zombie Movie

Karrueche Tran and Joe Jonas Sh!tshow

20m

Karrueche Tran and Joe Jonas Sh!tshow

Rogelio Shows Off "Rotography" and Editing Skills

1m

Rogelio Shows Off "Rotography" and Editing Skills

Melissa and G-Fella BBQ: G-Thing

1m

Melissa and G-Fella BBQ: G-Thing

The Read With Kid Fury and Crissle

The Read With Kid Fury and Crissle

Nya and Bambiana Bond At Cat Cafe

1m

Nya and Bambiana Bond At Cat Cafe

Lil Jon and Nude DM's on Tour

3m

Lil Jon and Nude DM's on Tour

Fila Returns with 96s and Ninja Turtles

6m

Fila Returns with 96s and Ninja Turtles

Krewella Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

1m

Krewella Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

Suck It Up and Go to Mars

21m

Suck It Up and Go to Mars

Lil Rel Howey: 2 Truths and a Lie

1m

Lil Rel Howey: 2 Truths and a Lie

King Bach Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

1m

King Bach Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

Cardi B and Offset Are Now Parasite B

1m

Cardi B and Offset Are Now Parasite B

Nick Cannon Plays 2 Truths and A Lie

1m

Nick Cannon Plays 2 Truths and A Lie

Lilly Singh Plays 2 Truths and A Lie

55s

Lilly Singh Plays 2 Truths and A Lie

T-Pain Plays 2 Truths and A Lie

2m

T-Pain Plays 2 Truths and A Lie

Sofia Reyes Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

1m

Sofia Reyes Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

Teyana Taylor Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

1m

Teyana Taylor Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

Jhené Aiko Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

1m

Jhené Aiko Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

Prince Royce Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

37s

Prince Royce Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

Arianny Celeste Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

42s

Arianny Celeste Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

Nya Rehearses With Luis and Leilani: Deleted Scene

52s

Nya Rehearses With Luis and Leilani: Deleted Scene

Meagan Good Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

1m

Meagan Good Plays 2 Truths and a Lie