Childhood and rise to success
Born to Solomon and Anna Stein Shore, Jewish immigrants from Russia, she lived in Winchester, Tennessee. When she was two years old, she was stricken with polio (infantile paralysis), a disease that was not handled well at the time. Thankfully, her parents cared enough to provide intensive care for her, and she recovered and overcame the disease. However, she suffered from having a slightly deformed foot and limp, which did not physically impede her. She performed at a night club when she was only 14 years old.
When her mother died unexpectedly of a heart attack, Dinah went to Vanderbilt University, where she participated in many events and activities. She graduated from the university in 1938. She decided to get back into pursuing her career in singing, so she went to New York to audition for orchestras and radio stations. In many of her auditions, she sang the popular song "Dinah." When disc jockey Martin Block could not remember her name, he called her the "Dinah girl," and soon after the name stuck, becoming her stage name. She eventually was hired as a vocalist at radio station WNEW, where she sang with Frank Sinatra. She also recorded and performed with the Xavier Cugat orchestra. Eventually, she got her recording contract with RCA Victor records in 1940.
Career in the 1940s and 1950s
While recording on RCA Victor's Bluebird label, she released her first recording, "Yes, My Darling Daughter" and it became a major hit for her. Dinah's singing came to the attention of Eddie Cantor, and he signed her as a regular on his popular radio show, "Time to Smile", in 1940. Dinah credits him for teaching her self-confidence, comedic timing and the ways of connecting with an audience.
She was a featured vocalist on The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street and soon became a successful radio and music star with her own radio show in 1943, "Call to Music". Also in 1943, she appeared in her first movie, "Thank Your Lucky Stars". The movie starred Eddie Cantor, and she soon went to another radio show, "Paul Whiteman Presents". During this time, America had been actively involved in World War 2 and Dinah became a popular favorite with the troops, similar to the popularity of Bing Crosby. She was having major record hits, like "I will Walk Alone" and "Blues In the Night", one of her first of many number-one hits to come. To support the troops overseas, who adored her singing, she participated in USO tours to Europe. She met a young actor ready to go into military service named George Montgomery. They married on December 3, 1943. Despite their marriage, Montgomery soon went into service. When he returned from the service, they settled in San Fernando, California. In 1948, their first child was born, a daughter named Messina, and they also adopted a son in 1954 named John David and then moved to Beverly Hills.
Dinah continued appearing in radio shows throughout the 1940s. She performed in radio shows like "Birds Eye-Open House" and "Ford Radio Show". One of her most popular recordings was "Baby It's Cold Outside" with Buddy Clark. The song was covered by many other artists, Ella Fitzgerald for example. Other hits followed this success like "Buttons and Bows" and "The Gypsy". She was a regular with Jack Smith on his radio show on CBS, which ran for 15 minutes. She went into many more movies. As an actress, Shore appeared in many musical films, such as "Belle of the Yukon" and "Up in Arms" (both in 1944), and "Till the Clouds Roll By" (1946). She was also featured in numerous TV movies and series. She lent her musical voice to two Disney films: "Make Mine Music" (1946) and "Fun and Fancy Free" (1947). In early 1946, she moved to another label, Columbia Records. In 1950 she made her television show debut on "The Ed Wynn Show" and also made a guest appearance on Bob Hope's first television show. After being on many other people's television shows, she got her own, "The Dinah Shore Show" in 1951. She did two fifteen minute shows a week for NBC. She won her first Emmy for the show in 1955. The show was sponsored by Chevrolet automobiles. The sponsor's theme song ("See the USA in your Chevrolet") became the singer's signature piece. She continued to appear in Chevrolet advertising through the 1950s.
Later career
From 1970 through 1980, Shore hosted two daytime programs, "Dinah's Place" (1970-1974) on NBC and "Dinah!" (later "Dinah and Friends") in syndication from 1974 through 1980. On her show "Dinah!", she once had the misfortune of interviewing the comedian Andy Kaufman in his Tony Clifton guise. He took deliberate offense at her questions and eventually tipped a pan of eggs over her head. This happened live on the air in front of a huge TV audience and Shore's producers cut to an impromptu commercial as Kaufman was escorted out of the studio.
TV screenshot image
Shore, with her Dixie drawl and demure manner, was always identified with the South, and guests on her shows often commented on it.
Shore won nine Emmys, a Peabody Award and a Golden Globe.
Shore guest starred on "Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special", calling Pee-wee on his picturephone and singing "The 12 Days of Christmas". Throughout the special, Pee-wee walks past the picture phone, only to hear her going past the original 12 days ("...on the 500th day of Christmas...")
Personal life
Shore was married to actor George Montgomery from 1943 to 1962 and had a daughter, Melissa Ann (known today as Melissa Montgomery-Hime, executor of the Dinah Shore Trust and the owner of the rights to most of Shore's television series). Shore later adopted a son, John David 'Jody' Montgomery. After her divorce from Montgomery, she briefly married Maurice Smith. In the early 1970s, Shore had a long and happy public romance with actor Burt Reynolds, who was 20 years her junior. The relationship gave Shore an updated, sexy image, and took some of the pressure off Reynolds in maintaining his image as a ladies' man.
Death and legacy
Dinah Shore died in Beverly Hills, California of ovarian cancer at age 77 (5 days before her 78th birthday). Her ashes were divided and she has two burial sites. Half were interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California and the other half interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery (Cathedral City) near her beloved second home in Palm Springs, California.
Shore's legacy resonates posthumously, with a 1998 album featuring the arrangement skills of Andre Previn combined with the re-releasing of some of her classic recordings like 'April in Paris', and 'My Funny Valentine', garnering moderate success.
Buttons and Bows
Dinah Shore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the wrong one I have chose
Let's go where I'll keep on wearin'
Those frills and flowers and buttons and bows
Rings and things and buttons and bows
Don't bury me in this prairie
Take me where the cement grows
Let's move down to some big town
Where they love a gal by the cut o' her clothes
And I'll stand out in buttons and bows
I'll love you in buckskin
Or skirts that I've homespun
But I'll love ya' longer, stronger where
Yer friends don't tote a gun
My bones denounce the buckboard bounce
And the cactus hurts my toes
Let's vamoose where gals keep usin'
Those silks and satins and linen that shows
And I'm all yours in buttons and bows
My bones denounce the buckboard bounce
And the cactus hurts my toes
Let's vamoose where gals keep usin'
Those silks and satins and linen that shows
And I'm all yours in buttons and bows
Those silks and satins and linen that shows
And I'm all yours in buttons and bows
Gimme eastern trimmin' where women are women
In high silk hose and peek-a-boo clothes
And French perfume that rocks the room
And I'm all yours in buttons and bows
Buttons and bows
Buttons and bows
Those frills and flowers and buttons and bows
Rings and things and buttons and bows
The lyrics of Dinah Shore's song "Buttons and Bows" describe a desire to leave the rugged wild west and head to the big city where women dress in more glamorous clothing. The singer longs for the frills, flowers, and buttons on their clothes, rather than the more practical buckskin and homespun. They suggest that in the big city, they will fit in better and feel more beautiful. The repetition of "buttons and bows" emphasizes their importance to the singer and creates a catchy, memorable chorus.
The lyrics can be read as both a celebration of femininity and as a critique of the strict gender roles of the time. The singer longs to be "a gal by the cut o' her clothes," suggesting that their wardrobe is what defines their femininity. However, they also challenge traditional ideas of masculinity by rejecting the guns and buckboard of the west for the more luxurious fabrics and perfumes of the east. This could be read as a desire for a more egalitarian society where people are not judged solely by their gender.
Overall, "Buttons and Bows" is a catchy and fun song with an interesting exploration of gender and societal expectations. The desire for glamour and beauty is balanced with a rejection of traditional western masculinity, creating a unique and nuanced perspective.
Line by Line Meaning
East is east and west is west
I have made a mistake and gone the wrong way.
And the wrong one I have chose
I have made the wrong choice.
Let's go where I'll keep on wearin'
Let's go to a place where I can wear what I want.
Those frills and flowers and buttons and bows
A place where I can wear pretty, feminine things like frills, flowers, buttons, and bows.
Rings and things and buttons and bows
Other accessories like rings and things to go along with the pretty clothes and buttons and bows.
Don't bury me in this prairie
I don't want to be stuck in this boring place forever.
Take me where the cement grows
Take me to a thriving, bustling city.
Let's move down to some big town
Let's go to a major city filled with excitement.
Where they love a gal by the cut o' her clothes
Where a woman's wardrobe is highly valued and appreciated.
And I'll stand out in buttons and bows
And I will thrive, standing out in my pretty clothes and accessories.
I'll love you in buckskin
I will love you even if you wear simple clothes.
Or skirts that I've homespun
Even if I make your clothes myself.
But I'll love ya' longer, stronger where
But my love for you will be even stronger.
Yer friends don't tote a gun
In a place where your friends are not violent and dangerous with firearms.
My bones denounce the buckboard bounce
I can't stand the bumpy ride of a buckboard wagon.
And the cactus hurts my toes
I don't want to be around prickly cactuses that hurt my feet.
Let's vamoose where gals keep usin'
Let's go where women wear luxurious fabrics.
Those silks and satins and linen that shows
Fine fabrics like silk, satin, and linen that show off a woman's beauty.
And I'm all yours in buttons and bows
And I will be yours, happy and content, wearing my pretty clothes.
Gimme eastern trimmin' where women are women
Give me new, modern clothes that highlight a woman's femininity.
In high silk hose and peek-a-boo clothes
Like high silk stockings and other alluring clothing.
And French perfume that rocks the room
And perfumes that smell divine and fill the room.
And I'm all yours in buttons and bows
And I will be yours, happy and content, wearing my pretty clothes.
Buttons and bows
Accessories like buttons and bows.
Buttons and bows
Accessories like buttons and bows.
Those frills and flowers and buttons and bows
Pretty and feminine accessories like frills, flowers, buttons, and bows.
Rings and things and buttons and bows
Other accessories that go along with the pretty clothes and buttons and bows.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind