“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.
Only for Americans
The Andrews Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What?
Yeah, first to Montmartre!
Then the Moulin Rouge!
The Folies Bergere!
Not at all
Not Montmartre?
No.
No.
Not the Folies Bergere?!
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. They are
Only for Americans
The midnight life in gay Paree
The Frenchman he would never see
It's only for Americans
The prices in the smart cafe
The Frenchman he would never pay
The price that's more is only for
Americans from the U.S.A.
A Montmartre lady drops her hanky
And slyly winks her eye
That's only for the Yankee
The Frenchman wouldn't buy
Only for Americans
The Frenchmen on the boulevards
Don't buy those dirty postal cards
They're only for Americans
The little holes for peeping through
To see what naughty people do
The French would bore, they're only for
Americans from the U.S.A.
Only for Americans
The shops with many real antiques
Antiques as old as seven weeks
They're only for Americans
The bed on which a king made love
Which there are sev'ral dozen of
The French pooh pooh, we sell them to
Americans from the U.S.A.
Those old Napoleon brandy labels
That recently were made
They're not for Frenchmen's tables
They're for the Yankee trade
Only for Americans
The Frenchman gets his kisses free
But those for which there is a fee
Are only for Americans
You'll find two prices on a dress
One that is extremely less
The price that's more is only for
Americans from the U.S.A.
Only for Americans
A Frenchman's food is very plain
Those fancy sauces with ptomaine
Are only for Americans
A Frenchman seldom eats the snails
With little ulcers on their tails
And all that cheese was made to please
Americans from the U.S.A.
While the American carouses
Where crimson shadows creep
The French avoid those houses
They go to bed to sleep
Only for Americans
A Frenchman wouldn't be impressed
To see a show with girls undressed
That's only for Americans
The French don't go to naked shows
They've seen what's underneath the clothes
And each encore is only for
Americans from the U.S.A.
Only for Americans
The Frenchmen don't keep company
With south of France society
That's only for Americans
The Frenchman hasn't large amounts
To pay for Barons, Dukes and Counts
That you adore, they're only for
Americans from the U.S.A.
We like to keep the good relations
That nothing must upset
We give you decorations
That Frenchmen seldom get
Only for Americans
Our finest art is in the Louvre
The ones the experts don't approve
Are only for Americans
We keep an artist by the gate
To sign the paintings while you wait
Before they're dry, they're purchased by
Americans from the U.S.A.
The lyrics of the Andrews Sisters’ song "Only for Americans" describe how Parisian life and its luxuries are only available for Americans. The song enumerates the many things that a Frenchman wouldn't do, buy, or enjoy which are, according to the lyrics, reserved only for Americans. The first paragraph describes a night out in Paris, and the singer mentions the various famous locations they could visit, but then contradicts herself when she reveals that they are actually only for Americans. Throughout the song, the Andrews Sisters draw a sharp contrast between the French and Americans, portraying Americans as extravagant, seeing and enjoying everything to the fullest, and the French as frugal, reserved, and uninterested in enjoying life.
The song conjures images of the American cultural dominance, as the French are depicted as lacking the wealth to pay for the luxurious products and experiences they see on display. The chorus highlights this a number of times by repeating, "Only for Americans." The narrative reinforces the idea that Paris is exciting and enjoyable, but only if you are from the U.S.A. In a broader context, the song reveals the cultural differences between these two nations in the mid-twentieth century and their attitudes towards life, pleasure, and luxury.
Line by Line Meaning
Countess, you're my pal. Hey, we gotta celebrate!
Hello Countess, my friend. We need to rejoice!
What?
What did you say?
Yeah, first to Montmartre!
Let's start by going to Montmartre!
Then the Moulin Rouge!
Then let's go to the Moulin Rouge!
The Folies Bergere!
And finally, the Folies Bergere!
Not at all
Actually, no.
Not Montmartre?
You don't want to go to Montmartre?
No.
No, I don't.
Not the Moulin Rouge?
You don't want to go to the Moulin Rouge?
No.
No, I don't.
Not the Folies Bergere?!
You don't want to go to the Folies Bergere?!
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. They are
No, those places are
Only for Americans
Exclusively for Americans
The midnight life in gay Paree
The vibrant nightlife of Paris
The Frenchman he would never see
That the French man would never witness
It's only for Americans
It's solely for Americans
The prices in the smart cafe
The expensive prices at fancy cafes
The Frenchman he would never pay
That French people would never pay
The price that's more is only for
The higher price is exclusive to
Americans from the U.S.A.
Americans specifically
A Montmartre lady drops her hanky
A woman in Montmartre drops her handkerchief
And slyly winks her eye
And subtly flirts by winking her eye
That's only for the Yankee
That is only directed towards Americans
The Frenchman wouldn't buy
The French wouldn't purchase
The Frenchmen on the boulevards
The French people on the streets
Don't buy those dirty postal cards
Don't purchase those inappropriate postcards
They're only for Americans
Those are exclusively for Americans
The little holes for peeping through
The small holes for peeping
To see what naughty people do
To see indecent behavior
The French would bore, they're only for
The French would find it dull, it's exclusive to
Americans from the U.S.A.
Americans specifically
The shops with many real antiques
The stores with numerous genuine antiques
Antiques as old as seven weeks
Antiques that are only seven weeks old
They're only for Americans
Those are solely for Americans
The bed on which a king made love
The bed on which a king had sexual relations
Which there are sev'ral dozen of
There are several dozen of those beds
The French pooh pooh, we sell them to
The French people despise them, but they are sold to
Americans from the U.S.A.
Americans specifically
Those old Napoleon brandy labels
Those vintage Napoleon brandy labels
That recently were made
That were made recently
They're not for Frenchmen's tables
They are not meant for French people's tables
They're for the Yankee trade
They are intended for the American market
A Frenchman's food is very plain
French people's food is very simple
Those fancy sauces with ptomaine
Those fancy sauces with food poisoning
Are only for Americans
Those are exclusively for Americans
A Frenchman seldom eats the snails
French people rarely eat snails
With little ulcers on their tails
With little ulcers on the snails' tails
And all that cheese was made to please
All that cheese was created to satisfy
Americans from the U.S.A.
Americans specifically
While the American carouses
While the American is reveling
Where crimson shadows creep
Where obscure red areas creep
The French avoid those houses
The French avoid those types of establishments
They go to bed to sleep
They go to bed to sleep
A Frenchman wouldn't be impressed
A French person wouldn't be impressed
To see a show with girls undressed
To see a show with naked women
That's only for Americans
That's exclusively for Americans
The French don't go to naked shows
The French don't attend nude shows
They've seen what's underneath the clothes
They've seen what is concealed under the clothing
And each encore is only for
And every repetition is solely for
Americans from the U.S.A.
Americans specifically
The Frenchmen don't keep company
French people don't associate with
With south of France society
People from the southern region of France
That's only for Americans
That is exclusively for Americans
The Frenchman hasn't large amounts
French people don't have large amounts
To pay for Barons, Dukes and Counts
To pay for nobility and aristocracy
That you adore, they're only for
That you admire, but they're solely for
Americans from the U.S.A.
Americans specifically
We like to keep the good relations
We want to maintain good relations
That nothing must upset
That nothing can disrupt
We give you decorations
We offer you decorations
That Frenchmen seldom get
That French people rarely receive
Our finest art is in the Louvre
Our most exquisite art is in the Louvre
The ones the experts don't approve
The ones experts don't endorse
Are only for Americans
Those are exclusively for Americans
We keep an artist by the gate
We have an artist by the door
To sign the paintings while you wait
To sign the paintings while you wait
Before they're dry, they're purchased by
Before they're dry, they're already bought by
Americans from the U.S.A.
Americans specifically
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
NXZW
This sounds wonderful right here man I love it.😃👍
Jean-François CATTEAU
Yes ! It's a Good Good Swing ! Thanks ;+)