Helen O'Connell joined the Jimmy Dorsey band in 1939 and achieved her best selling records in the early forties with "Green Eyes", "Amapola", and "Tangerine". In each of these Latin-influenced numbers, Bob Eberly crooned the song which Helen then reprised in an up-tempo arrangement. Helen won the 1940 Metronome magazine poll for best female vocalist. She was one of the first "girls" on NBC's The Today Show, and at one point had her own television show.
Helen retired from show business upon her first marriage in 1943. Helen had four daughters and eight grandchildren. When the first marriage failed, she embarked on a solo career in 1951, achieving some chart success and becoming a regular television performer. Helen has married a total of four times.
She co-hosted the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants with Bob Barker from 1972 to 1980.
In her last marriage, she was married to arranger/conductor/composer Frank De Vol when she died in San Diego, California from a battle with hepatitis C resulting in primary liver cancer (hepatoma).
Hey Good Lookin'
Helen O'connell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whatcha got cookin'?
How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?
Hey, sweet baby
Don't you think maybe
We could find us a brand new recipe?
I got a hot-rod Ford and a two-dollar bill
There's soda pop and the dancin's free
So if you wanna have fun come along with me
Say, hey, good lookin'
Whatcha got cookin'?
How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?
I'm free and ready
So we can go steady
How's about savin' all your time for me?
No more lookin'
I know I've been tooken
How's about keepin' steady company?
I'm gonna throw my date-book over the fence
And find me one for five or ten cents
I'll keep it 'til it's covered with age
'Cause I'm writin' your name down on every page
Say, hey, good lookin'
Whatcha got cookin'?
How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?
Helen O'Connell's Hey Good Lookin' is a classic love song in which the singer invites their crush to whip up something new and savoury. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer addresses their beloved and inquires about what's on the menu. The suggestion that they should collaborate on cooking something up together adds a flirty undertone to the conversation. The next few lines focus on the singer's desire to spend time with their significant other, with whom they want to cultivate a brand new recipe.
The second verse shifts to the singer's mode of transportation and financial status, emphasizing that, despite limited resources, they know of a great spot nearby. The spot promises free dancing and soda pop, and the singer invites their love interest to let loose and enjoy some fun with them. In the next verse, the singer reinforces their single status, indicating their availability by suggesting they go steady together. They express their unwavering devotion, vowing to make time solely for their beloved.
The song's final verse features an amusing and romantic gesture: the singer tosses their date book, a symbol of their old relationships, over a fence with the intention of discovering a new one. They pledge to keep their new date book devoted to their commitment to their crush, writing their beloved's name on every page. The song ends on a buoyant note, with the singer making a final, flirtatious invitation to their crush.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, hey, good lookin'
Greeting the person and complimenting their appearance
Whatcha got cookin'?
Inquiring about what activities they have planned
How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?
Suggesting a joint activity or adventure
Hey, sweet baby
Complimenting the person again
Don't you think maybe
Posing a question or suggestion
We could find us a brand new recipe?
Suggesting trying something new together
I got a hot-rod Ford and a two-dollar bill
Boasting about his possessions and wealth
And I know a spot right over the hill
Offering to show the person a fun destination
There's soda pop and the dancin's free
Describing the appeal of the proposed location
So if you wanna have fun come along with me
Inviting the person to join him
I'm free and ready
Declaring his availability
So we can go steady
Proposing a romantic relationship
How's about savin' all your time for me?
Asking the person to commit to spending all their time with him
No more lookin'
Asserting that he no longer needs to search for companionship
I know I've been tooken
Acknowledging that he has been affected by the person's charm
How's about keepin' steady company?
Reiterating his proposal for a committed relationship
I'm gonna throw my date-book over the fence
Symbolizing a decision to let go of past romantic prospects
And find me one for five or ten cents
Expressing a desire for a cheap and simple romance
I'll keep it 'til it's covered with age
Promising to cherish and maintain the relationship for a long time
'Cause I'm writin' your name down on every page
Proclaiming his commitment and affection for the person
Say, hey, good lookin'
Repeating the initial greeting and compliment
Whatcha got cookin'?
Asking again about the person's activities and interests
How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?
Re-emphasizing his suggestion for a joint activity or adventure
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hank Sr. Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind