Bricktop's Signature Song (CpB #4)

Unless divine intervention proves otherwise, I do not think Bricktop ever set foot in a recording studio. But the speaker of the song she inspired was intended to be Miss Otis' British butler.



When two superior minds–intentionally, accidentally, or tangentially–rub together, ART can be the result.

One day, in the fall of 1932, I think it was, Cole walked in and said "Baby, I got a song for you. I said, "What!?"
Cole said "It's called 'Miss Otis Regrets She's Unable to Lunch Today.'"

"Where on earth did you get that title?" I said.
He said. "From you. Don't you remember the other day we were talking about a lynching down South, and you said 'Well, that man won't lunch tomorrow.' I just went home and wrote this tune. Now I'm going to teach it to you."

I would be remiss in my duties as a blogger if this post did not include the complete lyrics to Miss Otis Regrets ©, sung by a Fitzgerald named Ella.

Miss Otis regrets, she's unable to lunch today, madam,
Miss Otis regrets, she's unable to lunch today.
She is sorry to be delayed,
But last evening down in Lover's Lane she strayed, madam,

Miss Otis regrets, she's unable to lunch today.
When she woke up and found that her dream of love was gone, madam,
She ran to the man who had led her so far astray,
And from under her velvet gown,

She drew a gun and shot her love down, madam,
Miss Otis regrets, she's unable to lunch today.
When the mob came and got her and dragged her from the jail, madam,
They strung her upon the old willow across the way,

And the moment before she died,
She lifted up her lovely head and cried, madam......
Miss Otis regrets, she's unable to lunch today.
Miss Otis regrets, she's unable to lunch today

Blogger's Notes
Having previously posted the lyrics to Love for Sale, I envision a classroom somewhere in America, filled with students who would rather be listening to gangsta rap. But there is a teacher about to expand their horizons.
"Hey, boys and girls, you gotta listen to this Cole Porter guy. He wrote songs about murder and prostitutes long before Snoop Dogg was born!"

The superior minds quote is the copyrighted property of the Lewis Carroll School of Logic.

I would be remiss in my duties... were the exact words spoken by an agent of Los Angeles Unified School District when he handed me a teacher's contract. Moments before–in lieu of a resume–I had handed him a copy of the Los Angeles Times article about the "Godfather of Math."