The Lady Is A Tramp
Bing Crosby Lyrics


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She gets too hungry for dinner at eight
She likes the theater and never comes late
She never bothers with people she'd hate
That's why the lady is a tramp

Doesn't like crap games with barons or earls
Won't go to Harlem in ermine and pearls
Won't dish the dirt with the rest of the girls
That's why the lady is a tramp

She likes the free, fresh wind in her hair
Life without care
She's broke, and it's "OK"

Hates California, it's cold and it's damp
That's why the lady is a tramp

She gets too hungry to wait for dinner at eight
She loves the theater but never comes late
She'd never bother with people she'd hate
That's why the lady is a tramp

She'll have no crap games with sharpies and frauds
And she won't go to Harlem in Lincolns or Fords
And she won't dish the dirt with the rest of the broads
That's why the lady is a tramp

She'd love the free, fresh wind in her hair
Life without care
She's broke, but it's "OK"

Hates California, it's so cold and so damp
That's why the lady




That's why the lady
That's why the lady is a tramp

Overall Meaning

Bing Crosby's "The Lady Is A Tramp" is a classic, upbeat song that celebrates a woman who knows her own mind and refuses to conform to societal expectations. The song's lyrics describe a woman who is independent, irreverent, and unapologetic about her unconventional ways. The repeated refrain, "That's why the lady is a tramp," suggests that the woman's nonconformity is precisely what makes her admirable and interesting.


The song's first verse describes the woman's dislike of convention and her love of the theater. She refuses to abide by the rules of polite society and is uninterested in befriending people she dislikes. In the second verse, the song highlights the woman's refusal to participate in the types of games and social events that require one to conform to particular standards. The woman will not "dish the dirt" with other women and will not be seen in the types of cars or clothes that are expected of women of her social class. The final verse repeats the chorus and reinforces the idea that the woman's nonconformity is what makes her special.


Line by Line Meaning

She gets too hungry for dinner at eight
She has a big appetite and cannot wait until late to eat dinner.


She likes the theater and never comes late
She enjoys watching performances and always arrives punctually.


She never bothers with people she'd hate
She avoids interacting with people she dislikes.


That's why the lady is a tramp
This is the reason why she is considered an unconventional woman.


Doesn't like crap games with barons or earls
She dislikes playing cheating card games with noblemen.


Won't go to Harlem in ermine and pearls
She will not visit Harlem wearing expensive fur coats and jewelry.


Won't dish the dirt with the rest of the girls
She refuses to gossip with other women about private matters.


That's why the lady is a tramp
This is the reason why she is labeled as an outcast woman.


She likes the free, fresh wind in her hair
She enjoys the feeling of wind blowing through her hair.


Life without care
She lives life carefree with no worries or stress.


She's broke, and it's "OK"
She does not have much money but is content with her situation.


Hates California, it's cold and it's damp
She dislikes the weather in California because it is chilly and moist.


That's why the lady is a tramp
This is the reason why she is labeled as a nonconforming woman.


She gets too hungry to wait for dinner at eight
She has a big appetite and cannot wait until late to eat dinner.


She loves the theater but never comes late
She enjoys watching performances and always arrives punctually.


She'd never bother with people she'd hate
She avoids interacting with people she dislikes.


That's why the lady is a tramp
This is the reason why she is considered an unconventional woman.


She'll have no crap games with sharpies and frauds
She refuses to play cheating card games with crooks.


And she won't go to Harlem in Lincolns or Fords
She will not visit Harlem in a luxurious car.


And she won't dish the dirt with the rest of the broads
She refuses to gossip with other women about private matters.


That's why the lady is a tramp
This is the reason why she is labeled as an outcast woman.


She'd love the free, fresh wind in her hair
She enjoys the feeling of wind blowing through her hair.


Life without care
She lives life carefree with no worries or stress.


She's broke, but it's "OK"
She does not have much money but is content with her situation.


Hates California, it's so cold and so damp
She dislikes the weather in California because it is chilly and moist.


That's why the lady
This is why she is an unconventional woman.


That's why the lady
This is why she is an outcast woman.


That's why the lady is a tramp
This is the reason why she is labeled as a nonconforming woman.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

John NotGalt

Thanks for uploading! Not as good, of course, as the version by Sinatra. But damn good and swingin'! Do you know whether this came out before or after SInatra's version?

John NotGalt

Thanks so much!!

Armando Garrido

Sure! it's inside "Bing Sings The Sinatra Songbook" Album in YT

John NotGalt

Thanks for the info! Is Bing's original version on YouTube?

Armando Garrido

John NotGalt This version was released for radio listeners the 20th of June in 1955 with Buddy Cole and his trio with an overdub with Peter Moore's orchestra in 1979 the original version without overdub was indeed released before Sinatra's.

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