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"
Roly Poly
Doris Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm tellin' you a fact
He measures five feet up and down
And five feet front and back
He's a Roly Poly Baby
Pleasin' as they come
He's a Roly Poly Baby
A Ton of Fun
They call him
Ya Ya Roly Poly
Ya Ya Roly Poly
Ya Ya Roly Poly
Ya Ya Roly Poly
Ya Ya Roly
Ya Ya Poly
Ya Ya Roly Poly
When I first laid eyes on him
I laughed just like the rest
The more I saw the more of him
The more I liked him best
Got a Roly Poly Baby
Point to him with pride
He's my Roly Poly Baby
I'm satisfied
I call him
Ya Ya Roly Poly
Ya Ya Roly Poly
Ya Ya Roly Poly
Ya Ya Roly Poly
Ya Ya Roly
Ya Ya Poly
Ya Ya Roly Poly
Just to put my arms around him
Takes about a week
But when I get my arms around
We cuddle cheek to cheek
Got a Roly Poly Baby
Sweet as Apple Pie
He is just a Roly Poly
But so am I
I call him
Ya Ya Roly Poly
Ya Ya Roly Poly
Ya Ya Roly Poly
Ya Ya Roly Poly
Ya Ya Roly
Ya Ya Poly
Ya Ya Roly Poly
Ya Ya Roly Poly
The song "Roly Poly" by Doris Day is about a man in town who is a bit overweight and physically round in shape, but is a very attractive and charming individual. The singer expresses her fondness and admiration for the man, also pointing out that she too is a "Roly Poly" like him. She and her Roly Poly Baby may take a week to fit into each other's arms, but when they do, they cuddle cheek to cheek. The chorus "Ya Ya Roly Poly" is a playful repetition of the man's nickname.
The song is a celebration of self-love and acceptance and the idea that physical appearance doesn't define a person's worth. It also shows that being different can be attractive and unique. Through lively music and charming lyrics, Doris Day delivers a message of love and acceptance for everyone, regardless of their size or shape.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a Guy in this old town
There's an individual in this town
I'm tellin' you a fact
What I'm saying is true
He measures five feet up and down
His height is five feet from top to bottom
And five feet front and back
Width wise, he is five feet from front to back
He's a Roly Poly Baby
He's a chubby, jolly person
Pleasin' as they come
Very pleasant to be around
A Ton of Fun
He is lots of fun to spend time with
They call him
His name is
Ya Ya Roly Poly
People refer to him as Ya Ya Roly Poly
When I first laid eyes on him
When I first met him
I laughed just like the rest
I found him funny, like everyone else
The more I saw the more of him
The more I got to know him
The more I liked him best
The more I liked him the most
Point to him with pride
I'm proud to be with him
He's my Roly Poly Baby
He's my chubby, jolly partner
I'm satisfied
I'm content with our relationship
Just to put my arms around him
Just to hug him
Takes about a week
It feels like I'm hugging him for a long time
But when I get my arms around
When I finally hug him
We cuddle cheek to cheek
We hug each other tightly
Sweet as Apple Pie
He is very sweet
He is just a Roly Poly
He's just a chubby, jolly person
But so am I
But I'm also a chubby person
I call him
I refer to him as
Ya Ya Roly Poly
I call him Ya Ya Roly Poly
Ya Ya Roly
A nickname I have for him
Ya Ya Poly
Another nickname I have for him
Ya Ya Roly Poly
Overall, I refer to him affectionately as Ya Ya Roly Poly
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELSA DORAN, SOL LAKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@benorn100
THERE WAS NEVER A PERSONALITY ON SCREEN LIKE DORIS DAY SHE JUST LIGHTS UP REMARKABLE REST WELL DEAR LADY
@malafakka8530
Rock Hudson looked as if he really enjoyed doing this scene. The smiles and laughs seem genuine, not acted. Makes this even better.
@jeannemabrey9111
One of my favorite movies!
@MaeAhmedRoushdyElSallab
Me too ..
@victoriaowens6529
Love this song!!
@andricorayford
I love this song. Perry Blackwell 😍😍😍
@budgerdrury6329
Such a talented actress and beautiful lady
RIP
@dolcevitausa
the jewelry in this movie...stunning
@1forawl552
Great movie. RIP Doris Day.
@marknorthwest93
It's a total shame that Perry (Perri Lee) Blackwell's music is not more readily accessible in CD format!