Born to Jewish immigrants in Brooklyn, red-haired Kaye became one of the world's best-known comedians. He learned his trade in his teen years as a tummler in the Catskills. In 1941 he appeared in the Broadway show, Lady in the Dark and performed the famous number "Tchaikovsky," by Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin, in which he sang the names of a whole string of Russian composers at breakneck speed, seemingly without taking a breath.
According to The New York Times, when he appeared at the London Palladium music hall In 1948, he "roused the Royal family to shrieks of laughter and was the first of many performers who have turned English variety into an American preserve." Life magazine described his reception as "worshipful hysteria" and noted that the royal family, for the first time in history, left the royal box to see the show from the front row of the orchestra.
Kaye made his film debut in a 1935 comedy short subject, entitled Moon Over Manhattan. His feature film debut was Up in Arms (1944). He starred in several movies with actress Virginia Mayo in the 1940's, and is well known for his roles in films such as The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947), The Inspector General (1949), White Christmas (1954), Knock on Wood (1954), The Court Jester (1956), and Merry Andrew (1958). Kaye starred in two pictures based on biographies, Hans Christian Andersen (1952) about the Danish story-teller, and The Five Pennies (1959) about jazz pioneer Red Nichols. His wife, Sylvia Fine, wrote many of the songs Danny Kaye became famous for. Some of Kaye's films included the theme of doubles, two people who look identical (both played by Danny Kaye) being mistaken for each other, to comic effect.
Kaye starred in a radio program of his own, The Danny Kaye Show, on CBS in 1945-1946. Despite its clever writing (radio legend Goodman Ace, Sylvia Fine, and respected playwright-director Abe Burrows were the writers for the show) and performing cast (including Eve Arden, Lionel Stander, and big bandleader Harry James), the show lasted only a year.
He hosted his own variety hour on CBS, The Danny Kaye Show, from 1963 to 1967. Kaye also did a stint as one of the What's My Line? Mystery Guests on the popular Sunday Night CBS-TV program. Later, Kaye also served as a guest panelist on that quiz show. Years later, Kaye also guest-starred in episodes of The Cosby Show and of the 1980's remake of The Twilight Zone (see The New Twilight Zone).
Kaye's influence was felt beyond the entertainment world in the world of professional sports as well. Kaye was the original owner of the Seattle Mariners along with his partner Lester Smith, from 1977-81.
During the 1950s, Kaye also acted in a pantomime production of Cinderella, in Sydney, Australia, where he played the role of "Buttons", Cinderella's stepfather's servant, and also Cinderella's friend.
In many of his movies, as well as on stage, Kaye proved to be an able actor, singer, dancer and comedian, often having his comedic talents showcased by special material written by his wife, Sylvia Fine. He showed quite a different and serious side as Ambassador for UNICEF, and in one of his few dramatic roles in the memorable TV-movie Skokie, in which he played a Holocaust survivor. Before he died in 1987, Kaye also demonstrated his ability to conduct an orchestra during a comical, but technically sound, series of concerts organised for UNICEF fundraising. Kaye received two Academy Awards, an honorary award in 1955 and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1982. In his later years he took to entertaining at home as chef—he had a special stove installed in his patio—and host. He specialized in Chinese cooking.
Kaye died in 1987 from a heart attack, following a bout of hepatitis. He left a widow Sylvia Fine and a daughter Dena. He is interred in the Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York. His grave is adorned with a bench that contains friezes of a baseball and bat, an aircraft, a piano, a flower pot, musical notes, and a glove.
Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home
Danny Kaye Lyrics
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I've moaned the whole night long
I'll do the cookin', honey, I'll pay the rent
I know I done you wrong
You remember that rainy evenin'
I threw you out with nothin' but a fine-tooth comb
Ya, I know I'm to blame; now, ain't it a shame?
Won't you come home, Bill Bailey, won't you come on home?
I've moaned that whole day long
I'll do all the cookin', honey, I'll even pay the rent
I know that I have done you oh-so wrong
You remember that rainy evenin'
I throwed you out with nothin' but a fine-tooth comb
I know I'm to blame; now, ain't it a shame?
So, baby, won't you, please, come
I said now, won't you, please, come
Bill Bailey, won't you, please, come on home?
The song "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey" is essentially a plea from the singer to her absent partner Bill Bailey to come back home. Throughout the song, the singer expresses regret for past mistakes that led to Bill leaving and offers to do whatever it takes to make him come back - from cooking his meals to paying the rent. The song reminisces about a "rainy evening" when the singer threw Bill out with just a "fine-tooth comb", admitting she was to blame for the fight that led to his departure.
The song captures the emotional struggle of a person faced with the consequences of their actions, and the difficulty of accepting full responsibility for the harm they have caused someone they love. The repeated plea to "come home" underscores the hopelessness the singer feels without their partner, and the strength of their desire to make amends.
Line by Line Meaning
Won't you come home, Bill Bailey, won't you come home?
Please, Bill Bailey, I am begging you to come back home.
I've moaned the whole night long
I'm feeling very sad and lonely since you left.
I'll do the cookin', honey, I'll pay the rent
I'm willing to do everything to make it up to you and make you happy.
I know I done you wrong
I understand that I have hurt you and I feel remorseful.
You remember that rainy evenin'
Do you recall that night when we had a fight and you left?
I threw you out with nothin' but a fine-tooth comb
I admit that I was so angry that I kicked you out with just a comb.
Ya, I know I'm to blame; now, ain't it a shame?
I realize that I am responsible for what happened and I feel regretful.
Bill Bailey, won't you, please, come home?
Please, please come back to me, Bill Bailey.
I've moaned that whole day long
I've been crying and feeling sad since you left that morning.
I'll do all the cookin', honey, I'll even pay the rent
I am willing to take on all of our responsibilities and make things right.
I know that I have done you oh-so wrong
My actions were unforgivable and I understand that I have hurt you deeply.
So, baby, won't you, please, come
My love for you is so strong, please return to me.
I said now, won't you, please, come
I'm pleading with you to come back to me.
Bill Bailey, won't you, please, come on home?
Please come back to our home and be with me again, Bill Bailey.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: HUGHIE CANNON, KIRBY SHAW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind