“Patty Andrews, the lead singer of the Andrews sisters group was born in Mound, Minnesota on February 16, 1918 in a house that occupied the property where The Gillespie Center stands today.
During the 1920’s Laverne, Maxene and Patty Andrews spent their summers in Mound, living with their parents in a house across the street from the grocery store that was owned by Pete and Ed Sollie, bachelor uncles of the three girls. (Today, Green T Accounting occupies the Sollie grocery store building and The Gillespie Center is on the land where the Andrews Sisters’ house once stood.)” - From a commentary by Tom Rockvam that appeared in The Laker Newspaper during 2005.
They started their career as imitators of an earlier successful singing group, the Boswell Sisters. After singing with various dance bands and touring on Vaudeville, they first came to national attention with their recordings and radio broadcasts in 1937. Their music entertained Allied troops worldwide during World War II, sold war bonds, appeared in several films (including a few Abbott and Costello features), and performed for soldiers serving overseas. Their first film with Abbott and Costello, the pre-war comedy Buck Privates, introduced their best-known recording, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" which would win Best Song at the Academy Awards.
They also recorded many songs with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and other popular artists of the era. Their popularity was such that after the war they discovered that some of their records had actually been smuggled into Germany after the labels had been changed to read "Hitler's Marching Songs."
After a brief hiatus after the war, the sisters regrouped, performing in clubs throughout the United States and Europe. They broke up in 1953, with Patty's choice to go solo. Their last appearance together was in 1962 on The Dean Martin Show. Laverne, who had cancer, retired soon after; she died five years later, in 1967 at the age of 55.
After a long silence, the two surviving sisters had something of a comeback when Bette Midler recorded a cover of their song "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Maxene and Patty appeared both together and separately throughout the 1970s, with Maxene releasing a solo album in 1986. Their most notable comeback; however, was in the Sherman Brothers' nostalgic World War II musical: "Over Here!" which premiered on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in 1974. The musical featured the two then living sisters (Maxene and Patty) and was written with them in mind for the leads. It launched the careers of many, now notable theater and film icons (John Travolta, Marilu Henner, Ann Reinking, et al). Ironically it was the last major hurrah of the sisters and was cut short due to a frivolous lawsuit initiated by Patty's husband to the show's producers.
Throughout their long career, the sisters had sold over 60 million records. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.
The last of the three sisters Patty Andrews died of natural causes at her home in Northridge, California on January 30, 2013, just 17 days before her 95th birthday. The sisters were interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California, close to their parents.
Down By the Ohio
The Andrews Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've got the cutest, sweetest, oh my oh
He's just a country boy who works around farms
But he has his charms
And jumpin' jeepin' creepers when I'm in his arms
I get the oh my oh
He is the only one who ever thrilled me so
But where the dickens did he learn to-o-o
He's got that oh my oh
Just wait til I get back to Ohio
You may think you've seen
Lovers on the screen
They're just very ordinary
By that I mean
Those heart breakers
Haven't a chance
With my new romance
Down by the old Ohio
That's where I found him
I got the cutest oh my oh
He's the sweetest country boy who works around farms
Yes but he has his charm
For jumpin' jeepin' creepers when I'm in his arms
I get so oh my oh, oh my, oh mi, oh my
He is the only that ever, ever thrilled me so
He knows his chickens & his cabbages too
But where the dickens did he learn to-o-o
He's got that oh my oh
Just wait til I get back to Ohio
I get so oh my oh
He is the only who ever thrilled me so
He knows his chickens & his cabbages too
But where the dickens did he learn to-o-o
He's got that oh my oh, oh my, oh my
Just wait til I get back to Ohio
The Andrews Sisters’s song "Down By the Ohio" is a classic love song about a country boy who has stolen the heart of the singer. The opening line, "I’ve got the cutest, sweetest, oh my oh," describes the singer’s love interest in a very endearing way. He is a simple country boy who works around farms, but his charm and affection have won over the singer. The phrase "jumpin' jeepin' creepers" express the passion that the singer feels when she is in his arms.
Line by Line Meaning
Down by the Ohio
I found my love by the Ohio River
I've got the cutest, sweetest, oh my oh
My love is adorable and charming
He's just a country boy who works around farms
My love is a simple farmer
But he has his charms
But he has a special appeal
And jumpin' jeepin' creepers when I'm in his arms
I feel ecstatic when I'm in his embrace
He is the only one who ever thrilled me so
He is the only one who has ever made me feel this way
He knows his chickens and his cabbages too
He is knowledgeable about farming
But where the dickens did he learn to-o-o
But I wonder where he gained such expertise
Just wait til I get back to Ohio
I can't wait to be with him again
You may think you've seen
You may have seen
Lovers on the screen
Romantic couples in movies or TV shows
They're just very ordinary
But they are not special
By that I mean
What I am saying is
Those heart breakers
Those who break hearts
Haven't a chance
Do not stand a chance
With my new romance
Compared to my new love
I get so oh my oh, oh my, oh mi, oh my
I feel extremely happy and excited
He is the only who ever thrilled me so
He is the only one who has ever made me feel this way
Just wait til I get back to Ohio
I can't wait to be with him again
Contributed by Austin I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@scotnick59
Very cute.
@bicali_pierfishing1567
this is music 🎤🎼🎹🎶 not like the music of today in 2017 2017 music sucks it's all about the oldies music like this from back in the day let's keep this music 🎤🎼🎹🎶. alive for ever and ever for future generations to come
@FakeSugarVillain
I love old songs about having sex in the farm
@neollenify
QqeQ3qa31
@MrMfloor
1941!!!
@TheRealLegoDocOck
Only in Ohio ☠️
@gavin8164
I’m inside your home