Dick Haymes (September 13, 19… Read Full Bio ↴Powerful, milky smooth, rich baritone.
Dick Haymes (September 13, 1918 – March 28, 1980) was one of the most popular American male vocalists of the 1940s and early 1950s.
He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His Irish-born mother, Marguerite Haymes (1894-1987), was a well-known vocal coach and instructor. He became the vocalist in a number of big bands, worked in Hollywood on radio and in many films throughout the forties and fifties.
He never became a United States citizen and avoided military service during World War II by asserting his non-belligerent status as a citizen of Argentina, which was neutral. Years later (1955), this act of his nearly caused his deportation to Argentina on an unrelated technicality in immigration law. During World War II, he was briefly detained at Ellis Island.
Haymes was married six times and had six children. His most famous marriages were to film actresses Joanne Dru (1941-1949) and Rita Hayworth (1953-1955). His daughter Stephanie Haymes was married to Sir Elton John's lyricist Bernie Taupin
He died in Los Angeles from lung cancer, at the age of 61.
You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby
Dick Haymes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You must have been a wonderful child
When you were only startin'
To go to kindergarten
I bet you drove the little boys wild!
An' when it came to winning blue ribbons,
You must have shown the other kids how
As they handed you the prize
I bet you made the cutest bow!
Oh! You must have been a beautiful baby,
'cause baby look at you now
Does your dad appreciate
That you are merely great?
Does your mother realize
You're such a treat for the eyes?
You must have been a beautiful baby,
You must have been a wonderful child
When you were only startin'
To go to kindergarten
I bet you drove the little boys wild!
An' when it came to winning blue ribbons,
You must have shown the other kids how
I can see the judge's eyes
As they handed you the prize
I bet you made the cutest bow!
Oh!, You must have been a beautiful baby,
'cause baby look at you now (she's a cutie!)
Baby look at you now
The first few lines of Dick Haymes's song "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby" reminisce about the beauty and charm of the subject of the song. The lyrics paint a picture of a time when the person was just starting to go to kindergarten, and even then, it was evident that they must have been a beautiful and wonderful child. It's suggested that this person must have had a profound effect on the people around them from a young age, driving "the little boys wild" with their beauty and charisma. The following lines of the song describe an event where the subject of the song likely won a blue ribbon or prize, and how it's likely that they made the "cutest bow." The song then shifts focus to the present, observing how this person is still a "cutie" now and how their beauty and charm is appreciated by their parents and admired by others.
Line by Line Meaning
You must have been a beautiful baby,
You were most likely an attractive infant,
You must have been a wonderful child
You were probably a delightful youngster
When you were only startin'
At the inception of your school career
To go to kindergarten
When you began attending kindergarten
I bet you drove the little boys wild!
I am certain that boys were smitten with you!
An' when it came to winning blue ribbons,
And whenever there was a contest to be had,
You must have shown the other kids how
You demonstrated prowess beyond that of your peers
I can see the judge's eyes
In my mind's eye, I see the expression of the adjudicator
As they handed you the prize
At the moment you were conferred with the award
I bet you made the cutest bow!
I surmise that you made the most charming gesture of appreciation!
Oh!, You must have been a beautiful baby,
Oh! You definitely were an attractive infant!
'cause baby look at you now
As evidenced by your current appearance, this must be true!
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: THOMAS WILLIAM DUNN, JOHN H. MERCER, HARRY WARREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind