He was one of the most… Read Full Bio ↴Move over,the "Ol' Professor", Kay Kyser is BACK!
He was one of the most outrageous, over the top performers of the whole swing era. From the late 30s to the late 40s he was the physical embodiment of the word success, with eleven #1 records and thirty-five top tens! He starred in seven feature films with such co-stars as Lucille Ball, John Barrymore, Karloff, Lugosi, Lorre. Kyser kept his radio show, Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge in the top ten for eleven years on NBC, yet if you ask the average swing fan about him today, they'll likely reply, "Kay Kyser. Who's she?"
You see, Kay Kyser disappeared from the general public in 1950. Quit. Went home. Never came back. Made his million, then left without even making an announcement. In contrast to his zany character onstage, he was equally as serious off. "As exuberant as he was while performing, at a party you couldn't get him aroused..." said KK orchestra singer, "Handsome" Harry Babbitt to this writer in a 1995 interview for the upcoming 1 hour TV retrospective on Kay & the band, KAY KYSER- the OL' PROFESSOR of SWING!
"But those were magic days..." says Babbitt who, along with Sully Mason, Ginny Simms, Ish Kabibble (real name Merwyn Bogue) helped make the Kyser band a solid, first-rate performing unit. The duets Babbitt performed w/ Simms were "like buttah", whether they were beautiful ballads like YOU & I or spoofing Romeo & Juliet in WAY BACK IN 1939 A.D. THIS band was secure enough to be downright silly, something the Millers and Goodmans would never have done. But for any detractors, let it be known that the silliness was ONE side of this incrediby gifted bunch of people whom KK guitarist/composer Roc Hillman called a "functional family.""Everyone got along, and it was happy times all the time," says Roc. "Kay believed if HE didn't have fun- no one had fun." One can't forget the enormous contributions of arranger/ composer George Duning, who gave the band its sound, and eventually went on to score many well known films.
MA
Kay Kyser & His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And all the fellows knew,
She wouldn't bill and coo:
Ev'ry single night some smart fellow would try
o cuddle up to her, but she would cry:
"Ma, he's making eyes at me!
Ma he's awful nice to me!
I'm beside him, Mercy!
Let his conscience guide him!
Ma, he wants to marry me,
Be my honey bee.
Ev'ry minute he gets bolder,
Now he's leaning on my shoulder,
Ma, he's kissing me!"
Lilly was so good, ev'ry body could tell.
You'd never see her roam,
She'd always stay at home;
All the neighbors knew little Lilly too well.
For when the boys would call, They'd hear her yell:
Ma, he's making eyes at me!
Ma he's awful nice to me!
Ma he's almost breaking my heart,
If you peek in, Can't you see I'm goin' to weaken?
Ma, he wants to marry me,
Be my honey bee.
Ma, I'm meeting with resistance,
I shall holler for assistance,
Ma, he's kissing me!"
The song "Ma" by Kay Kyser & His Orchestra tells the story of Little Lilly, a shy and innocent girl who attracts the attention of several boys. However, Lilly is not interested in any of them and instead cries out for her "Ma" for help whenever a boy tries to make a move on her. Lilly is portrayed as an obedient and cautious daughter who seeks the guidance and protection of her mother.
The lyrics of the song showcase the societal values of the time, where a young girl's virtue and purity were highly regarded, and any form of physical intimacy before marriage was frowned upon. The repetitive use of "Ma" reflects the dependence of young girls on their mothers for advice and protection.
Overall, the song "Ma" is a lighthearted and humorous take on the innocence and naivety of young love, where the girl seeks the approval of her mother before making any significant decisions.
Line by Line Meaning
Little Lilly was oh! So silly and shy
Little Lilly was a shy person and she was not someone who would easily engage with others.
And all the fellows knew,
Lilly had the attention of all the guys around.
She wouldn't bill and coo:
She was not someone who would go all out to please the guys or impress them.
Ev'ry single night some smart fellow would try
Every night, one of the guys would make a move on her.
o cuddle up to her, but she would cry:
However, Lilly would not accept their advances, and instead, she would cry, refusing to entertain their proposals.
Ma, he's making eyes at me!
Mom, he's giving me all these flirtatious signals, and I'm not sure what to do about it.
Ma he's awful nice to me!
Mom, he's too sweet, and it's confusing me.
Ma he's almost breaking my heart,
Mom, his sweetness is breaking my resistance, and I'm afraid I'm going to give in to him.
I'm beside him, Mercy!
I'm always by his side, and I'm struggling to control my emotions.
Let his conscience guide him!
I hope he makes the right decisions, and does not lead me down the wrong path.
Ma, he wants to marry me,
Mom, he is serious about taking our relationship to the next level; he wants to marry me.
Be my honey bee.
He is asking me to be his partner, his 'honey bee.'
Ev'ry minute he gets bolder,
His boldness is growing by the minute, and I don't know how much longer I can resist him.
Now he's leaning on my shoulder,
He's grown comfortable around me and, he now leans on me, provoking my emotions.
Ma, he's kissing me!
Mom, I can't resist any longer; he's kissing me, and I'm giving in to him.
Lilly was so good, ev'ry body could tell.
Lilly was an exceptional person, and her qualities shone through for everyone to see.
You'd never see her roam,
She hardly left home, always staying within her comfort zone.
She'd always stay at home;
She preferred to stay within the confines of her home, away from the world.
All the neighbors knew little Lilly too well.
She was well-known in her neighborhood; everyone who lived there knew who she was.
For when the boys would call, They'd hear her yell:
Whenever the boys came to see her, they would hear her shout, signaling to them that she was not interested.
If you peek in, Can't you see I'm goin' to weaken?
If you look in to see how I'm doing, you will see that I'm on the verge of giving in to his advances.
Ma, I'm meeting with resistance,
Mom, I'm trying my best to resist him, but it's challenging.
I shall holler for assistance,
If things get too much for me, I will call for your help, mom.
Ma, he's kissing me!
Mom, it's too late now; he's kissing me, and it's beyond my control.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Con Conrad, Sidney Clare
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rich Brockmeier
I'm 68. I used to listen to this song on the 78rpm record 50+ years ago.. Still pops into my head occasionally.