He also championed African-American composers of the same period such as Eubie Blake, James P. Johnson, Andy Razaf, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, presenting their work not in a polemical way, but as simply the obvious equal of that of their white contemporaries.
His dedication to his great love – what he called the "Great American Song" – left him equally adept at performing the witty lyrics of Bessie Smith's "Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer)" or Gershwin and Duke's "I Can't Get Started." Short stated his favorite songwriters were Ellington, Arlen and Kern, and he was instrumental in spearheading the construction of the Ellington Memorial in New York City.
He was born in Danville, Illinois, United States, where one of his school classmates was Dick Van Dyke. He began performing as a busker after leaving home at the age of eleven for Chicago, with his mother's permission.
He started working in clubs in the 1940s. In 1968 he was offered a two-week stint at the Café Carlyle in New York City, to fill in for George Feyer. Short (accompanied by Beverly Peer on bass and Dick Sheridan on drums) became an institution at the Carlyle, as Feyer had been before him, and remained there as a featured performer for over 35 years. There, a combination of traits – his seemingly effortless elegance; his vocal phrasing (perfected, as was that of Frank Sinatra, at the feet of Miss Mabel Mercer, with perhaps also some help from Ethel Waters); his talent for presenting unknown songs worth knowing while keeping well known songs fresh; his infectious good cheer; and his resolute, self-disciplined professionalism – earned him great respect and made him tremendously popular. Bobby Short was generous with his impromptu all-night performances at his various favorite cafes and restaurants. He was a regular patron at Ted Hook's Backstage, located at Eighth Avenue and Forty-Fifth Street.
1972: Short sings theme song in James Ivory's film Savages.
1976: Short sings and appears in a commercial for Revlon's perfume "Charlie."
1985: Short sings and appears in the beginning portion of the Misfits of Science theme song.
1986: Short appears in the Woody Allen film Hannah and Her Sisters. Then Allen used his recording "I Happen To Like New York" for opening title of Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993).
1991: Short stars as blues musician Ches Collins on the TV series In the Heat of the Night in which he sings the title track, Sweet, Sweet Blues.
1994: Short reprises his role as blues musician Ches Collins on the TV series In the Heat of the Night.
1999: Short appears in the Movie "Man of the Century"
2000: The Library of Congress designates Short a Living Legend, a recognition established as part of its bicentennial celebration.
2003: Short sings and plays piano in at least one episode of 7th Heaven on TV.
2004: Short announces he will end his regular appearances at the Café Carlyle by the end of the year, in favor of touring, traveling and spending time with friends.
2005: Short dies of leukemia at New York Presbyterian Hospital on March 21, 2005, aged 80 and is buried in Atherton Cemetery in Danville, Illinois, the city of his birth.
Bewitched
Bobby Short Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like a daisy I'm awake.
With no Bromo Seltzer handy,
I don't even shake.
Men are not a new sensation,
I've done pretty well I think,
But this half pint imitation
I'm wild again, beguiled again
A whimpering, simpering child again
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
Couldn't sleep, wouldn't sleep
When love came and told me, I shouldn't sleep.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
I lost my heart, but what of it, he is cold I agree
He might laugh, but I love it, although the laugh's on me.
I'll sing to him, bring spring to him
And long, for the day when I'll cling to him.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
He's a fool and don't I know it,
But a fool can have his charms,
I'm in love and don't I know it,
Like a babe in arms.
Love's the same old sad sensation,
Lately I've not slept a wink,
Since this half pint imitation,
Put me on the blink.
I've sinned a lot, I mean a lot,
But I'm like sweet seventeen a lot,
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
I'll sing to him, each spring to him,
And worship the trousers that cling to him.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
When he talks, he is seeking,
Words to get,.off his chest.
Horizontally speaking
He's at his very best.
Vexed again, perplexed again,
Thank god I can be oversexed again.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
Wise at last, my eyes at last,
Are cutting you down to your size at last,
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - no more.
Burned a lot but learned a lot,
And now you are broke so you earned a lot,
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - no more.
Couldn't eat, was dyspeptic,
Life was so hard to bear,
Now my heart's antiseptic,
Since you moved out of there.
Romance finis.
Your chance finis.
Those ants that invaded my pants finis.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - no more.
The song "Bewitched" by Bobby Short is a classic ballad about a woman who has fallen madly in love with a man who is not reciprocating her feelings. The lyrics begin with the woman admitting to drinking an entire quart of brandy and feeling refreshed despite having no hangover. Then, she goes on to talk about her experiences with men in the past, saying that while she has done well, this new man has left her feeling "bewitched, bothered and bewildered." She admits that she hasn't been able to sleep since falling in love with him, and she sings about how she'll sing and cling to him.
As the song progresses, the woman becomes more and more disillusioned with the man. She admits that he is a fool, but she's still in love with him. However, the song ends with her gaining clarity and realizing that she's better off without him. She talks about how her heart is now "antiseptic" since he's moved out of her life.
Overall, "Bewitched" is a timeless tale of unrequited love, with beautiful lyrics and a haunting melody that will stick with listeners for a long time.
Line by Line Meaning
After one whole quart of brandy,
After drinking a whole quart of brandy,
Like a daisy I'm awake.
I am wide awake, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
With no Bromo Seltzer handy,
Without any pain relief medicine available,
I don't even shake.
I do not experience any side effects like tremors or nausea.
Men are not a new sensation,
Men are not a new experience for me,
I've done pretty well I think,
I have had some success with dating,
But this half pint imitation
However, this current lover of mine is a cheap copy,
Put me on the blink.
Has made me feel confused and disoriented.
I'm wild again, beguiled again
I feel passionate and entranced once again,
A whimpering, simpering child again
I feel weak and vulnerable like a young child,
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
I am under the spell of love and feel troubled and confused.
Couldn't sleep, wouldn't sleep
I could not fall asleep, I did not want to fall asleep,
When love came and told me, I shouldn't sleep.
Love came to me and told me I should stay awake and savour the moment.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
I am still under the spell of love and feel troubled and confused.
I lost my heart, but what of it, he is cold I agree
I fell in love with him, but he is emotionally unavailable,
He might laugh, but I love it, although the laugh's on me.
He may mock me, but I still find his actions endearing and charming.
I'll sing to him, bring spring to him
I will delight and entertain him, bringing happiness to his life,
And long, for the day when I'll cling to him.
I yearn for the day when I can be physically close to him.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
I am still under the spell of love and feel troubled and confused.
He's a fool and don't I know it,
He is foolish, and I am well aware of it,
But a fool can have his charms,
However, even a foolish person can be charming.
I'm in love and don't I know it,
I am in love with him, and I am fully aware of how it affects me.
Like a babe in arms.
I feel vulnerable and innocent in his presence.
Love's the same old sad sensation,
Being in love feels familiar, yet melancholic.
Lately I've not slept a wink,
Recently, I have been unable to sleep at all due to my love.
Since this half pint imitation,
Since I found myself in this relationship with an inferior man,
Put me on the blink.
It has made me feel disturbed and confused.
I've sinned a lot, I mean a lot,
I have made many mistakes, many sins,
But I'm like sweet seventeen a lot,
I feel youthful and naive like a teenager.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
I am still under the spell of love and feel troubled and confused.
I'll sing to him, each spring to him,
I will serenade him, bringing joy and life to his day,
And worship the trousers that cling to him.
I adore his clothing, and how they cling to his body.
When he talks, he is seeking,
When he speaks, he is searching for something,
Words to get, off his chest.
He wants to share his thoughts and feelings with someone.
Horizontally speaking
Physically, when we lie down together,
He's at his very best.
He is most satisfied and successful in bed.
Vexed again, perplexed again,
I am once again bothered and confused,
Thank god I can be oversexed again.
Thankfully, I can find comfort in being sexually active.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
I am still under the spell of love and feel troubled and confused.
Wise at last, my eyes at last,
I am no longer naive, I see things differently now,
Are cutting you down to your size at last,
I see you as you truly are, no longer as an idealized fantasy.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - no more.
I am no longer under the spell of love and feel calm and strong now.
Burned a lot but learned a lot,
I have suffered a lot in love, but I have also gained a lot of experience,
And now you are broke so you earned a lot,
You may have suffered a loss, but it has taught you invaluable lessons.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - no more.
I am no longer under the spell of love and feel calm and strong now.
Couldn't eat, was dyspeptic,
I was unable to eat due to the stress of being in love,
Life was so hard to bear,
I felt like life was unbearable due to my emotional struggles.
Now my heart's antiseptic,
Now, my heart is healed and free from disease,
Since you moved out of there.
Since you are no longer in my life.
Romance finis.
The romantic relationship is over.
Your chance finis.
Your chance to be with me is over.
Those ants that invaded my pants finis.
Those uncomfortable and intrusive feelings are now gone.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - no more.
I am no longer under the spell of love and feel calm and strong now.
Lyrics © IMAGEM U.S. LLC , Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LEIF EDLING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind