Day's film career began during the latter part of the Classical Hollywood Film era with the 1948 film Romance on the High Seas, and its success sparked her twenty-year career as a motion picture actress. She starred in a series of successful films, including musicals, comedies, and dramas. She played the title role in Calamity Jane (1953), and starred in Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) with James Stewart. Her most successful films were the bedroom comedies she made co-starring Rock Hudson and James Garner, such as Pillow Talk (1959) and Move Over, Darling (1963), respectively. She also co-starred in films with such leading men as Clark Gable, Cary Grant, David Niven, and Rod Taylor. After her final film in 1968, she went on to star in the CBS sitcom The Doris Day Show (1968–1973).
Day was usually one of the top ten singers between 1951 and 1966. As an actress, she became the biggest female film star in the early 1960s, and ranked sixth among the box office performers by 2012. In 2011, she released her 29th studio album, My Heart, which became a UK Top 10 album featuring new material. Among her awards, Day has received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a Legend Award from the Society of Singers. In 1960, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, and in 1989 was given the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in motion pictures. In 2004, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush followed in 2011 by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association's Career Achievement Award. She was one of the last surviving stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Her death was announced by her charity, the Doris Day Animal Foundation, on Monday 13th May 2019.
Discography
chart hits
Year Title Chart Positions
US CB UK
1945 "Sentimental Journey" (w/ Les Brown) 1 — —
"My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time" (w/ Les Brown) 1 — —
"'Tain't Me" (w/ Les Brown) 10 — —
"Till the End of Time" (w/ Les Brown) 3 — —
"Aren't You Glad You're You?" (w/ Les Brown) 11 — —
"Come to Baby Do" (w/ Les Brown) / 13 — —
1946 "You Won't Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart)" (w/ Les Brown) 4 — —
"Day by Day" (w/ Les Brown) 15 — —
"I Got the Sun in the Mornin' (and the Moon at Night)" (w/ Les Brown) 10 — —
"The Whole World Is Singing My Song" (w/ Les Brown) 6 — —
1947 "The Christmas Song" (w/ Les Brown) 12 — —
"Sooner or Later" (w/ Les Brown) 13 — —
"Papa, Won't You Dance With Me" 21 — —
1948 "Thoughtless" (w/ Modernaires) 24 — —
"Love Somebody" (w/ Buddy Clark) / 1 — —
"Confess" (w/ Buddy Clark) 16 — —
"Put 'em in a Box, Tie 'em with a Ribbon, and Throw 'em in the Deep Blue Sea" / 27 — —
"It's Magic" 2 — —
"My Darling, My Darling" (w/ Buddy Clark) 7 — —
1949 "Powder Your Face with Sunshine" (w/ Buddy Clark) 16 — —
"Again" 2 — —
"Everywhere You Go" 22 — —
"Let's Take an Old-Fashioned Walk" (w/ Frank Sinatra) 17 — —
"Now That I Need You" 20 — —
"Canadian Capers" 15 — —
"Bluebird on Your Windowsill" 19 — —
1950 "Quicksilver" 20 — —
"I Said My Pajamas (and Put on My Prayers)" 21 — —
"Enjoy Yourself (It's Later than You Think)" 24 — —
"Hoop-Dee-Doo" 17 — —
"Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" 9 — —
"I Didn't Slip, I Wasn't Pushed, I Fell" 19 — —
"A Bushel and a Peck" 16 — —
1951 "It's a Lovely Day Today" 30 — —
"Would I Love You (Love You, Love You)" 10 — —
"Shanghai" 7 — —
"Domino" 21 — —
1952 "A Guy Is a Guy" 1 — —
"Sugarbush" (w/ Frankie Laine) 7 12 8
"When I Fall in Love" 20 — —
"No Two People" (w/ Donald O'Connor) 25 — —
"My Love and Devotion" — 31 10
"The Cherries" — 39 —
"A Full Time Job" (w/ Johnnie Ray) / 20 21 11
"Ma Says, Pa Says" (w/ Johnnie Ray) 23 28 12
1953 "Mister Tap Toe" 10 11 —
"When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)" 29 — —
"Candy Lips" (w/ Johnnie Ray) / 17 18 —
"Let's Walk That-a-Way" (w/ Johnnie Ray) — 31 4
"Kiss Me Again, Stranger" / 30 — —
"A Purple Cow" 25 — —
"Choo Choo Train (Ch-Ch-Foo) 20 — —
1954 "Secret Love" 1 1 1
"The Black Hills of Dakota" — — 7
"Lost in Loveliness" — 25 —
"I Speak to the Stars" 16 17 —
"Someone Else's Roses" — 32 —
"If I Give My Heart to You" / 3 2 4
"Anyone Can Fall in Love" 27 41 —
"Ready, Willing, and Able" / — 31 7
"Hold Me in Your Arms" — 39 —
1955 "Foolishly Yours" — 25 —
"Love Me Or Leave Me" — — 20
"I'll Never Stop Loving You" 13 14 17
"Ooh Bang Jiggily Jang" 83 — —
1956 "Let It Ring" 51 — —
"Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" 2 3 1
"Julie" / 64 40 —
"Love in a Home" 79 — —
"The Party's Over" 63 47 —
1957 "Twelve O'Clock Tonight" 68 — —
1958 "Teacher's Pet" 56 36 —
"A Very Precious Love" — — 16
"Everybody Loves a Lover" 6 6 25
"Tunnel of Love" 43 53 —
1959 "Love Me in the Daytime" 100 51 —
1960 "Any Way the Wind Blows" 50 109 —
"Please Don't Eat the Daisies" 102 102 —
"A Perfect Understanding" 111 — —
1962 "Lover Come Back" 98 — —
1964 "Move Over Darling" — — 8
"Send Me No Flowers" 135 — —
1967 "Sorry" * — — —
* "Sorry" made the US AC charts at #19.
Albums
10" LP
You're My Thrill (1949)
Young Man with a Horn (1950, soundtrack with Harry James)
Tea for Two (1950, soundtrack)
Lullaby of Broadway (1951, soundtrack)
On Moonlight Bay (1951, soundtrack)
I'll See You in My Dreams (1951, soundtrack)
By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953, soundtrack)
Calamity Jane (1953, soundtrack)
Young at Heart (1954, soundtrack with Frank Sinatra)
12" LPs
Love Me or Leave Me (1955, soundtrack)
Day Dreams (1955, expanded re-issue of You're My Thrill)
Day By Day (1956)
The Pajama Game (1957, soundtrack)
Day by Night (1957)
Hooray for Hollywood (2 volumes, 1958)
Cuttin' Capers (1959)
What Every Girl Should Know (1960)
Show Time (1960)
Listen to Day (1960)
Bright and Shiny (1961)
I Have Dreamed (1961)
Duet (with André Previn, 1962)
You'll Never Walk Alone (1962)
Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962, soundtrack with film cast)
Annie Get Your Gun (1963, with Robert Goulet)
Love Him (1963)
The Doris Day Christmas Album (1964)
With a Smile and a Song (1964)
Latin for Lovers (1965)
Doris Day's Sentimental Journey (1965)
The Love Album (recorded in 1967, released in 1994)
My Heart (2011)
Singles
Hit records:
(with Les Brown's Band of Renown)
"Sentimental Journey"
5,000,000+ sales
"My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time"
1,000,000+ sales
(As a solo performer)
"It's Magic"
1,000,000+ sales
"Again"
"Love Somebody" (duet with Buddy Clark)
1,000,000+ sales
"Confess" (duet with Buddy Clark) (also done by Patti Page)
"Bewitched"
1,000,000+ sales
"Shanghai"
"Sugarbush" (duet with Frankie Laine)
1,000,000+ sales
"Mister Tap Toe"
"Secret Love"
1,000,000+ sales
"If I Give My Heart to You" (also done by Denise Lor)
"I'll Never Stop Loving You"
1,000,000+ sales
"Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)" ("Que Sera, Sera")
1,000,000+ sales
"Everybody Loves a Lover"
"Move Over Darling"
I Can Do Without You
Doris Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the Summer you're the Winter
In the finger you're the splinter
In the banquet you're the stew
Say, I could do without you
HOWARD:
In the garden you're the gopher
Like an overturned canoe
Well, I could do without you
DORIS:
You can go to Philadelphia
Take a hack to Hackensack
Hey, I'll never ring a bell fer yer
Or yell fer yer to come back
HOWARD:
In the question you're the why
In the ointment you're the fly
DORIS:
Though I know some things are indefensible
Like a buck or two
If there's one thing I can do without
I can do without you
HOWARD:
In the barrel you're a pickle
In the goldmine you're a nickel
You're the tack inside my shoe
Yes, I can do without you
DORIS:
In my bosom you're a dagger
You're a mangy carpetbagger
In the theatre you're the 'boo'
I can do without you
HOWARD:
You got charms, they ain't bewitchin' me
You've a face no one would paint
DORIS:
I got the darndest itch in me
To be wherever you ain't
HOWARD:
In the bullfrog you're the croak
DORIS:
In the forest, poison oak
HOWARD:
Though I know somethings are necessary
My half-pint buckaroo
If there's one thing I can do without
I can do without.....
DORIS:
You're a knothead!
HOWARD:
You're a faker!
DORIS:
You're a bonehead!
HOWARD:
Troublemaker!
BOTH:
I can do without you!
The lyrics of the song “I Can Do Without You” by Doris Day is a playful exchange of insults between two lovers, Doris and Howard. They both express their belief that they can live without each other as they list various situations where they would not need their partner. The lyrics use a lot of metaphors where they compare their partner to unpleasant things. For instance, Doris compares Howard to a splinter in her finger, a gopher in her garden, and a dagger in her bosom. In response, Howard compares Doris to an overturned canoe, a loafer in his Levi's, and a tack inside his shoe.
Both Doris and Howard acknowledge that some things are necessary, but they can do without each other. This banter between lovers expressing humorous insults was popular in many old-time radio programs and films. It is a lighthearted way of showing affection and is reminiscent of the type of playful argument that many couples have.
Overall, the lyrics of the song are a fun, humorous interaction of a couple going back and forth, expressing how they feel about each other. It is not meant to be taken seriously, and it evokes nostalgia for the era of playful teasing in romance.
Line by Line Meaning
In the Summer you're the Winter
You're the opposite of what I want and need in life.
In the finger you're the splinter
You're a small but irritating problem in my life.
In the banquet you're the stew
You're the least appealing option in a situation.
Say, I could do without you
I don't need you in my life.
In the garden you're the gopher
You're always in the way and causing trouble.
In the Levi's you're the loafer
You're lazy and unhelpful in every situation.
Like an overturned canoe
You're a disaster waiting to happen.
Well, I could do without you
I don't want or need you in my life.
You can go to Philadelphia
You can go anywhere, but I won't follow you.
Take a hack to Hackensack
I don't care where you go or what you do.
Hey, I'll never ring a bell fer yer
I won't call you or ask you to come back to me.
Or yell fer yer to come back
I won't chase after you or try to get you back.
In the question you're the why
You create confusion and uncertainty.
In the ointment you're the fly
You're a nuisance and an irritation.
Though I know some things are indefensible
I know that some things can't be justified or explained.
Like a buck or two
Like some small and insignificant thing.
If there's one thing I can do without
I don't need this one thing in my life.
I can do without you
I don't want or need you in my life.
In the barrel you're a pickle
You're a problem that just won't go away.
In the goldmine you're a nickel
You're a worthless and useless thing.
You're the tack inside my shoe
You're a constant source of discomfort and pain.
Yes, I can do without you
I don't want or need you in my life.
In my bosom you're a dagger
You're a painful and hurtful presence in my life.
You're a mangy carpetbagger
You're a deceitful and untrustworthy person.
In the theatre you're the 'boo'
You're the thing that ruins my enjoyment or happiness.
You got charms, they ain't bewitchin' me
Your charms don't work on me anymore.
You've a face no one would paint
You're not attractive or desirable in any way.
I got the darndest itch in me
I have a strong desire or urge to be away from you.
To be wherever you ain't
I want to be as far away from you as possible.
In the bullfrog you're the croak
You're the unpleasant and irritating part of every situation.
In the forest, poison oak
You're the dangerous and harmful part of every situation.
Though I know somethings are necessary
I know that some things are important and needed.
My half-pint buckaroo
My little, insignificant problem.
You're a knothead!
You're stubborn and difficult to deal with.
You're a faker!
You're not genuine or honest.
You're a bonehead!
You're unintelligent and foolish.
Troublemaker!
You cause problems and conflicts wherever you go.
I can do without you!
I don't want or need you in my life.
Contributed by Isabella V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Brianna Leatherberry
My favorite movie as a kid. My mom had to rewind it so many times for me as a kid. I can sing every song by heart:)
Ellen Sheppard
Same here! I grew up on this movie and I can sing all the songs! ❤
Deanna Breezy
Mine too the good ole days
Leah McCarthy
I love their facial expressions haha. Calamity's facial expression at 1:43 and how Bill reacts to her jumping up at 1:53. It makes me laugh when I see Calamity looking at Bill at 2:17. Their facial expressions really make the scene seem like they are true reactions.
deici7
you can here that they are really singing, there is no play back, thats talent
Melissa Bee Ann.
Of all the ladies playing opposite of Howard Keel, Doris Day holds her own and matches his energy. Perfect couple.
sirilucksana
One of my favourite films and the best thing about this song is that it's a single shot and not dubbed post-filming so it's like watching them perform live! and performed perfectly at that.
EditorOfSL
“Sure, why don’t I send for the Queen of Sheba?”
“No good, they want Adelaide!”
Lol! I love Doris Day so much; she was one of the few actresses I know of who could do comedy and serious stuff, glamorous and dressed down, and could sing brilliantly into the bargain!
John Bockelie
" My half pint buckaroo", a cute Nick name for Calamity Jane.
Wild Heart
"In my bosom, you're a dagger.
You're a mangy carpet bagger!" Ah, they don't write them like that anymore.
Pure gold!