Ella Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as "Lady Ella"… Read Full Bio ↴Ella Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as "Lady Ella", and the "First Lady of Song", was an American jazz vocalist.

Louis Armstrong (1901 - 1971) was a trumpet player, singer, and bandleader, and is widely regarded as one of the most influential artists in the history of jazz.

Dummy Song
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong Lyrics

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I'll take the legs from some old table

I'll take the arms from some old chair

I'll take the neck from some old bottle

And from a horse I'll take the hair

I'll take the hands and face from some old clock

And baby, when I'm through

I'll get more loving from the dum, dum, dummy

Than I ever got from you

Get me some legs, get me a chair

And a bottle, too

Give me a horse, give me some time

And baby, when I'm through

I'll take the legs from some old table

I'll take the arms from some old chair

I'll take the neck from some old bottle

And from a horse I'll take the hair

I'll take the hands and face from some old clock

And baby, when I'm through

I'll get more loving from the dum, dum, dummy

Than I ever got from you

I get more loving

From that dum, dum, dummy

Than I've ever gotten from you

Yeah, mama, get more loving

From a dummy than I get from you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Dummy Song" describe the singer's intention to create a makeshift lover out of random household items to replace their underwhelming real-life lover. The singer sings about how they will take the legs from an old table, arms from an old chair, neck from an old bottle, and hair from a horse to assemble their "dummy." They will then take the hands and face from an old clock to complete their creation. The singer suggests that they will receive more love from their dummy than they ever did from their significant other.

At first glance, the lyrics may appear to be nonsensical, but upon closer inspection, they reveal a deeper meaning. The song could be interpreted as a condemnation of relationships devoid of true love and passion. The singer sees their real-life partner as lifeless and soulless, so they resort to creating a physical representation of love that they do not receive from their partner.

Line by Line Meaning

I'll take the legs from some old table
I'll create a new body for myself from old furniture pieces

I'll take the arms from some old chair
I'll craft my new body using parts that are no longer useful to others

I'll take the neck from some old bottle
I'll use discarded materials to craft a body that's entirely new

And from a horse I'll take the hair
I'll use materials from a variety of sources to create my new body

I'll take the hands and face from some old clock
I'll incorporate pieces from timepieces into my new body

And baby, when I'm through
When I finish making myself a new body

I'll get more loving from the dum, dum, dummy
I'll receive more love and affection from my inanimate creation than I have ever received from you

Than I ever got from you
I have never experienced the same amount of love and connection from a person as I feel towards my new creation

Get me some legs, get me a chair
Find me the parts that I need to create my new body

And a bottle, too
And make sure to include a discarded bottle in the materials you bring me

Give me a horse, give me some time
Provide me with a variety of scrap materials and give me the space and time to complete my project

I get more loving
I experience greater love and affection

From that dum, dum, dummy
From my inanimate creation

Than I've ever gotten from you
Than I have ever received from a person

Yeah, mama, get more loving
Yes, I feel more loved

From a dummy than I get from you
From my new creation than I receive from any human being

Lyrics © SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: BILLY ROSE, LEW BROWN, RAY HENDERSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@elisinoia

2y↑12

Lyrics:
I'll take the legs from some old table
I'll take the arms from some old chair
I'll take the neck from some old bottle
And from a horse I'll take the hair
I'll take the hands and face from some old clock
And baby when I'm through
I'll get more loving from the dumb-dumb-dummy
Than I ever got from you

Get me some legs get me a chair
And a bottle, too
Give a horse give me some time
And baby when I'm through
I'll take the legs from some old table
I'll take the arms from some old chair
I'll take the neck from some old bottle
And from a horse I'll take the hair
I'll take the hands and face from some old clock
And baby when I'm through
I'll get more loving from the dumb-dumb-dummy
Than I ever got from you
I get more loving from the dumb-dumb-dummy
Than I ever got from you

Yeah Mama get more loving
From a dummy than I get from you