Let’s do it was composed by Cole Porter (9 June 1891 – 15 October 1964) and was included in his first Broadway musical Paris, in 1928.  It was sung by Irène Bordoni.

Let’s do it had a long career.  In 1960, “it was included in the film version of Cole Porter’s Can-Can” and, in 2011, it was sung in Woody Allen’s film Midnight in Paris.  The film won several Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Art Direction. (Wikipedia)

If the “it” of Let’s do it is an invitation to make love, as was suggested by a commentator, “Let’s do it” was “a pioneer pop song to declare openly ‘sex is fun’.” (Wiki2.org.)

About Cole Porter

Cole Porter was born to a wealthy family in Indiana.  He studied at Yale University and, as a student at Yale, Porter wrote 300 songs.  He then attended the Harvard Law School, and “at the suggestion of the dean of the law school,” he switched to the study of harmony and counterpoint. (Let’s Fall in Love, Wiki2.org.)

In 1937, he was injured, a leg injury, as a result of a horseback riding accident.   Several years later, in 1958, he grew ulcers on the injured leg, which had to be amputated.  Cole Porter died of kidney failure on 15 October 1964.  He was 73 and living in Santa Monica, California.

The News

English

The Montreal Gazette: http://www.montrealgazette.com/index.html

The National Post: http://www.nationalpost.com/index.html

The Globe and Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/

The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/

Le Monde diplomatique: http://mondediplo.com/ EN

 

CBC News: http://www.cbc.ca/news/

CTV News: http://www.ctvnews.ca/

 

French

Le Monde: http://www.lemonde.fr/

Le Devoir: http://www.ledevoir.com/

Le Monde diplomatique: http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/

La Presse: http://www.lapresse.ca/

 

German

Die Welt: http://www.welt.de/

____________________

 

Ella Fitzgerald

LET′S DO IT

 

Birds do it, bees do it
Even educated fleas do it
Let’s do it, let’s fall in love

 

In Spain, the best upper sets do it

 

Lithuanians and Letts do it
Let’s do it, let’s fall in love

 

The Dutch in old Amsterdam do it
Not to mention the Fins
Folks in Siam do it – think of Siamese twins

 

Some Argentines, without means, do it
People say in Boston even beans do it
Let’s do it, let’s fall in love

 

Romantic sponges, they say, do it
Oysters down in oyster bay do it
Let’s do it, let’s fall in love

 

Cold Cape Cod clams, ‘gainst their wish, do it
Even lazy jellyfish, do it
Let’s do it, let’s fall in love

 

Electric eels I might add do it
Though it shocks em I know
Why ask if shad do it – Waiter bring me
“shad roe”

 

In shallow shoals English soles do it
Goldfish in the privacy of bowls do it
Let’s do it, let’s fall in love
 

Source for lyrics: http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/lwordthe/letsdoitletsfallinlove.htm

 

© Micheline Walker

18 August 2012

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