Talk:You're the Top

PROD
While I agree that Wikipedia is not a place to host lyrics, I want to point out that I Get a Kick Out Of You, another Cole Porter song, also includes lyrics, other than notable lyric alterations over time. I am in favor of editing this to talk more about the structure, history, etc. of the song, and removing the lyrics. Comments, anyone? Abhorsen327 23:01, 28 March 2006 (UTC)


 * I wrote this in the article in what is probably a vain attempt to stave off wikinazis

'The lyrics are particularly significant as they offer a snapshot as to what was highly prized in the mid-1930's, as well as demonstrating Porter's rhyming ability'.

I think this enscapulates the problem, this is one of the supreme songs from the Great American Songbook, and the references therefore an important part of America's cultural consciousness from this period. Gareth E Kegg 23:52, 28 March 2006 (UTC)


 * I agree with your assessment of the importance of the lyrics, and I personally love them. I am unsure whether I agree with the prod suggestion or not. While I agree with you that the lyrics and their references have cultural significance, I still do not feel that Wiki is a proper place for song lyrics to be transcribed (although there are lyrics included in other similar articles.) I would suggest that you summarize the most important cultural references made in the song, rather than including the complete lyrics. Abhorsen327 02:36, 29 March 2006 (UTC)
 * I think consensus has changed for certain songs, such as the Major-General's Song, but I don't think this song is in the public domain yet. Viriditas (talk) 22:18, 25 June 2024 (UTC)

Lyrics Removed
That's a blatant copyright violation, look at what it says at the bottom of the edit window "content must not violate any copyright", plain and simple. Want to use the content (on I thought a very well written section with nice links to phrases in the lyrics) how about asking permission from the Porter Trust? I would start there instead of just blatantly violating the copyright by throwing the entire song lyric up there.

--Wgfinley 19:39, 1 July 2006 (UTC)

Here, I'll even show you how to contact them:


 * The Cole Porter Trusts
 * 1285 Avenue of the Americas
 * Room 13130
 * New York, New York 10019
 * Phone: (212) 373-2325, Fax: (212) 373-2831

--Wgfinley 19:47, 1 July 2006 (UTC)


 * Well just google "you're the top" :)

- I removed the reference to the GOP, simply because the Party is actually mentioned as one of the 'bottoms' of the song! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.181.182.54 (talk) 15:37, 9 July 2008 (UTC)

Strauss
I always assumed the Strauss referred to was Richard Strauss. I would say Porter was too witty to have been referring to a waltzing Strauss in what someone editing this page assumes was a facetious way. What does everyone else think? Brequinda (talk) 23:06, 7 February 2010 (UTC)


 * I won't comment on Porter, but the note about witticism is misleading and confusing. I'll take it out, until a decision can be taken on how to present this information. Jake the Editor Man  ( talk  ) 19:30, 3 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Firstly, Johann didn't write symphonies, but Richard sure did. Secondly, almost all the references to people refer to indivisuals in the news at the time (the exceptions are Keats and Shelley), which was true of Richard but not of Johann, who was dead. Also, the passage follows the pattern up building up to a high-serious "art" reference and then puncturing it (Strauss/Mickey Mouse), which works with Richard but not so well with Johann. I don't see how this can be anyone but Richard. Paul B (talk) 13:47, 13 February 2012 (UTC)

1936 movie version lyrics
I found a video of the song from the 1936 movie version (sung by Ethel Merman and Bing Crosby), and tried looking for the lyrics because I found them a bit hard to decipher... the first couple of verses were transcribed from aGreat American Songbook episode, and it seems that there was a New Yorker article which mentioned at least some of them (but I can't see the full article, so don't know how much of the song was in it), but that's it. And it seems quite drastically different from the version that is quoted elsewhere, and discussed in this article. Is there any chance to add some of the items from the 1936 song to your list here? As far as I managed to figure out, as far as items that can be added, there are: Swanee River; V8 flivver (=car); Wall of China; Carolina; Santa Claus; A night in the streets of Cairo; A flight in an autogyro; A lucky seven; Dizzy Dean; Niagara's waters; (Dionne's daughters? That one was hard to figure out, and I found nothing to help me recognise it); Boston beans; The great Mr. Einstein's noodles (=brain, see #3 here); Apple strudel; The King Tut mummy; Paul Whiteman's tummy; Listerine; A Bengal lancer; A burlesque dancer; A Gershwin ditty; Dynamite; (Also appearing later, although in a different context: Romania and Pomeranian (dog). I think that's all, although I might have missed something.) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 46.116.153.117 (talk) 15:35, 20 August 2011 (UTC)

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Mrs. Astor
Although it's sourced, I doubt that Porter's "Mrs. Astor" was Lady Astor (as she was known). Other candidates include The Mrs. Astor (died 1908), Madeleine Astor (widow of John Jacob Astor IV), Ellen Tuck French (married John Jacob Astor VI in 1934), and Porter's friend Mrs. Vincent Astor. The Playbill article says "Mrs. John Jacob Astor, leading New York socialite."&mdash;dah31 (talk) 22:33, 9 September 2020 (UTC)

Gay version
I can't recall the artist, but I know I have heard a version sung by one man to another, by virtue of which the top and bottom referenced in the song become Gay sex roles. Nuttyskin (talk) 18:09, 13 December 2023 (UTC)

Re: Unsourced

 * The lyrics are particularly notable because they offer a snapshot as to what was highly prized in the mid-1930s and demonstrate Porter's rhyming ability.

Unsourced since 2020. I think it's obviously true, but we need sources. Looking at McBrien 1998 now. Viriditas (talk) 22:15, 25 June 2024 (UTC)


 * The performance of the song in the American Cabaret Theatre biographical musical Cole & Noel (2001) had the line "I'm talkin' King Kong's penis".

Likely true, but again no sources. Viriditas (talk) 23:07, 25 June 2024 (UTC)