Topic: She looks like red and money?

[JugStruggler]

I'm working on a fingerstyle arrangment of "Guess Who's In Town" which is an old tune (1928?), but I'm working from a recording by Tim O'Brien.

In the one of the verses I swear he says his gal "looks like red and money", and I was wondering if anyone had run across that phrase or if I'm miss hearing it.

I listend for "just like bread and honey", but I'm fairly certain that isn't what he says.

[banjochris]

I don't know the song or the recording, but is it possible he's singing "looks like ready money"?
Chris

[JugStruggler]

The song isn't really country blues, it has more of a Tin Pan Alley feel to it.  I was just hoping with the collective pre-war knowledge some one might know a phrase that would fit phonetically, and make sense.

"Ready money" definitely fits phoneticaly, and makes a more sense the looking like red and money.  But ready money isn't a phrase I'd use to describe a gal, but maybe the song was originaly about a that man of mine.

Guess Who's in town, and looks like ready money
Nobody but that man of mine

Thanks for your help

[Janmarie]

Could you possibly post the mp3 for this song (I personally don't know how to do this but know it can be done if it's in your ITunes library  ) 'cause I sure would like to give it a listen.  Otherwise it's hard to give an opinion on the lyrics.

[dj]

The song is "Guess Who's In Town (Nobody But That Gal Of Mine)", music by James P. Johnson, lyrics by Andy Razaf.  It was recorded in 1928 by Harry Reser and his Orchestra, recording as the Clevelanders.  Unfortunately, the Red Hot Jazz Archive doesn't have a copy.  It was undoubtedly recorded by others. 

But "Guess who's in town, and looks like ready money" is definitely a phrase I'd connect with a "(gal or man) of mine".  In fact, it fits the very definition of a "monkey man" - someone you may care a bit for, but whose money is the real reason for the relationship.
   

[banjochris]

There are about 10 versions of it on iTunes, notably by Bobby Short, but unfortunately none of the free 30-second previews included the lyric in question.
Chris

[Janmarie]

I just downloaded the Bobby Short and Helen Humes versions of this song (received a gift certificate to the ITunes store and my curiosity was totally piqued) but neither uses a phrases similar to "looks like ready money" although it makes more sense with the Helen Humes version of singing to a man in which she's hot to get him to take her out.  This is a fun song though and thanks for introducing me to it.

Jan

[JugStruggler]

I also found a recording by Ethel Waters, but she didn't sing anything like "ready money" either, so who knows where the line came from, but I'm pretty sure it is ready money.

I attached an mp3 of the the Tim O'Brien version, I had to really degrade the quality to get it small enough to post.

Thanks agian

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[Pan]

Hi JugStruggler

Could he be singing "and looks like bread and money"? The meaning maybe being, that both of those things would be considered as "desirable".    I think the next line ends in "honey", so it would be logical that this one ends in something that rhymes to it.

Just my 0.02 euros from overseas  The natives can take it from here...

Pan