Puttin' on the Ritz

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Puttin' on the Ritz" is a popular song written and published in 1929 by Irving Berlin. The title derives from the slang expression "putting on the Ritz", meaning to dress very fashionably. The expression was inspired by the swanky Ritz Hotel. The song gives Gary Cooper as an example of someone who puts on the Ritz.

The original version of Berlin's song referred to the then-popular fad of well-to-do white New Yorkers visiting African American jazz music venues in Harlem. Berlin later revised the lyrics to be more generally applicable to going out on the town in style.

Hit phonograph records of the tune in its original popularity of 1929-1930 were recorded by Harry Richman and Fred Astaire.

This tune has enjoyed a number of revivals including:

A hit swing music version by Benny Goodman
A classic routine by Clark Gable in 1939's Idiot's Delight
A song and dance number performed by Fred Astaire in the 1946 film Blue Skies
A memorable and humorous version (performed by Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle) used in Mel Brooks' 1974 film Young Frankenstein
A return to the hit parade with a New Wave version by Taco Ockerse recorded in 1982, reaching #4 on the American Billboard's Pop Chart.
The theme to Steve Martin's character's transformation into a "sophisticated" con artist at the hands of Michael Caine in the movie Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
A Family Guy episode spoofed the Young Frankenstein rendition, with a duet between Stewie Griffin and his mind-controlled brother Chris.
Wooster performs Berlin's song to Jeeves, blundering over the syncopation in the chorus line, in the episode of Jeeves and Wooster titled "Bridegroom Wanted!"
The melody line is used loosely in the track "The Writz" by The Gift of Gab (of Blackalicious fame) on the 2004 album 4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up
The infamous Swedish band Onkel Kånkel recorded their version as Puttin On The Fritz.

[edit] 1930 movie

The first of many movies to feature the number was the 1930 film entitled Puttin' on the Ritz. The musical film was directed by Edward Sloman and starred Harry Richman, Joan Bennett, and James Gleason.