Born Marjorie Chandler in Windsor, Ontario, Collins shot to fame as the lead vocalist on the long-running television series Your Hit Parade, on which she sang (and often acted out in costume) the popular songs of the day. Additional TV credits include The Steve Allen Show, the Bell Telephone Hour, The Hollywood Palace, and Candid Camera, as both a participant in the stunts and co-host with Allen Funt.
Collins was married to Raymond Scott from 1952 until their divorce in 1965. They had two daughters, Deborah and Elizabeth. With Scott she recorded many advertizing jingles and the 1957 album "At Home with Dorothy and Raymond". In 1966, she married actor/singer Ron Holgate, with whom she had a daughter, Melissa. The two eventually divorced.
In 1971, Collins made her Broadway debut in Stephen Sondheim's Follies, portraying a one-time Ziegfeld-style showgirl trapped in a disappointing marriage. Her dramatic rendition of "Losing My Mind" routinely stopped the show and was one of the production's highlights. Her performance won her a Tony Award nomination as Best Actress in a Musical, but she lost to co-star, fellow Canadian-born actress Alexis Smith; the two actresses died within a year of each other.
She died from respiratory distress as a result of a long-standing pulmonary disease (asthma) at her home in upstate Watervliet, New York ), survived by her three daughters.
Mairzy Doats
Dorothy Collins Lyrics
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A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?
Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?
If the words sound queer
And funny to your ear
A little bit jumbled and jivey
Doves eat oats
Little lambs eat ivy"
Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?
Oh, a kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?
The lyrics to Dorothy Collins's song "Mairzy Doats" may seem strange and nonsensical at first, but upon closer interpretation, they reveal a playful and imaginative message. The repetition of phrases like "Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey" and "A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?" creates a whimsical and catchy rhythm. These phrases are meant to mimic the sounds of a child's babble or a nonsense language, adding to the charm of the song.
The following lines, "If the words sound queer, And funny to your ear, A little bit jumbled and jivey," acknowledge the unconventional and nonsensical nature of the lyrics. The intention is not to convey a specific meaning but rather to evoke a sense of joy and playfulness. The subsequent lines, "Sing 'Mares eat oats, Doves eat oats, Little lambs eat ivy'," clarify the sounds heard earlier by presenting them in a more recognizable form. It's as if the song is inviting the listener to join in the fun and make sense of the seemingly random words.
Line by Line Meaning
Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
A whimsical combination of nonsensical words and sounds
A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?
An invitation to join in the playful, imaginative world being described
If the words sound queer
If the words seem strange or unusual
And funny to your ear
And if they make you laugh or find them amusing
A little bit jumbled and jivey
All mixed up and full of lively rhythm
Sing 'Mares eat oats
Sing about how horses eat grains
Doves eat oats
And about how doves also eat grains
Little lambs eat ivy'
And how baby sheep eat leaves from the ivy plant
Oh, a kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?
Oh, wouldn't you also like to join in the fun and playfulness?
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Al Hoffman, Jerry Livingston, Milton Drake
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind