“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.
Is You Is
The Andrews Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Any time we have a date
But I love her
Yes, I love her
He's gonna walk up to my gate
And see if he can get it straight
'Cause he wants her
Is you is or is you ain't my baby?
The way you're acting lately makes me doubt
Youse is still my baby, baby
Seems my flame in your heart's done gone out
A woman is a creature that has always been strange
Just when you're sure of what you'll find
She's gone and made a change
Is you is or is you ain't my baby?
Maybe baby's found somebody new
Or is my baby still my baby true?
Is you is or is you ain't my baby, baby, baby?
The way you're acting lately makes me doubt
Say, yeah, who's been cutting me?
Youse is still my baby, baby, baby, baby boy
Seems my flame in your heart's done gone out
Oh, black out
A woman is a creature that has always been strange
Just when you're sure of what you'll find
She's gone and made a change and took my chain
Is you is or is you ain't my baby?
Maybe baby's found somebody new
Maybe baby's found somebody new
Is my baby, still my baby true?
The Andrews Sisters's song Is You Is is a playful song about love in the face of uncertainty. The singer sings about their girlfriend who is always late, but they still love her. The song is about the insecurity that can come with love, as the singer wonders whether their girlfriend is still committed to the relationship. The line "Is you is or is you ain't my baby?" is a question that expresses this insecurity. The song suggests that even when we are unsure about the future of a relationship, love can still be a powerful force.
The song describes the confusion and doubt that can come with love. The singer is unsure whether their girlfriend still loves them and worries that they have found someone new. These fears are common in any relationship, and the song captures this sense of vulnerability. However, even in the face of this uncertainty, the singer still feels that they love their girlfriend. This suggests that love can be a powerful force even when we are not sure what the future holds.
Line by Line Meaning
I got a gal who's always late
I have a girlfriend who is never on time for dates.
Any time we have a date
Regardless of whatever time we set for our date.
But I love her
Despite her tardiness, I am still in love with her.
Yes, I love her
Just to reinforce the fact that I am in love with her.
He's gonna walk up to my gate
He will approach my home’s entrance.
And see if he can get it straight
He will try to make sense of the situation he is in.
'Cause he wants her
Because he desires to be with her.
He's gonna ask her
He will inquire from her directly.
Is you is or is you ain't my baby?
Are you still the person I thought you were to me?
The way you're acting lately makes me doubt
Your recent behavior has made me lose faith in your faithfulness.
Youse is still my baby, baby
I hope and believe you are still my partner.
Seems my flame in your heart's done gone out
It appears the passion you had for me has burned away.
A woman is a creature that has always been strange
Women have always had a mystifying nature.
Just when you're sure of what you'll find
At the point where you believe you have everything figured out.
She's gone and made a change
She changes her ways or decisions.
Is you is or is you ain't my baby?
Are you the same person who claimed they loved me?
Maybe baby's found somebody new
Maybe you have found a new partner.
Or is my baby still my baby true?
Are you committed to our relationship or not?
Say, yeah, who's been cutting me?
Who has been playing tricks or interfering with my affairs?
Oh, black out
At this point, a blackout occurs during the musical transition.
Is you is or is you ain't my baby?
Are you still the person I thought you were?
Maybe baby's found somebody new
Perhaps you have found a new partner.
Maybe baby's found somebody new
It's possible that you're with someone else now.
Is my baby, still my baby true?
I still want to know if you’re loyal to me or not.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BILLY AUSTIN, LOUIS JORDAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ew1usnr
Bing has a great voice and I LOVE the Andrews Sisters. They go really well together.
@gcharal6021
Bing Crosby was such a genius,there is nothing more to say and even after so many years after his death,he still is.
@sharonkerman9127
People seem to be missing Bing's exquisite performance here.
@imanim4844
Almost all of his performances were! He just has such amazing vocal control and I love the baritone 😍🎼
@southerncatholicgal5548
Bing’s sweet voice🤩🤩
@monicarwells2
I like this version . It’s really nice
@waynebrasler
A big hit record. Most recording artists recorded at night when they could but Bing liked to record at 8 a.m. because he felt his voice was huskier then. The Sisters almost always picked the songs and worked out the routine before the session then Bing came in to do his part, sometime only vaguely familiar with the song. But these four were professionals. They almost always did two takes--the first for release, the second a safety.
@ILoveAndy29
I love, love, LOVE this song! Great voices all the way around. Thanks for posting!
@SassafrasLass
I love Bing and the Andrews Sisters but Louis Jordan did the BEST version of this song. And it's much closer to how Tom sang it. :)
@GeWa
me too!! Tom & Jerry pulled me in here!! - THANKS