Heat Wave

By Irving Berlin
1933

A popular Depression-era standard from Berlin, originating from his Broadway revue As Thousands Cheer, which also gave us "Easter Parade". Ethel Waters had the honor of introducing it, and Ethel Merman later brought it to the movies in 1938's Alexander's Ragtime Band. But Marilyn Monroe's torrid 1954 performance in There's No Business Like Show Business might be the most memorable.

Lyrics:

We're having a heat wave,
A tropical heat wave.
The temperature's rising,
It isn't surprising,
She certainly can can-can.

She started a heat wave
By letting her seat wave
In such a way that
The customers say that
She certainly can can-can.

Gee, her anatomy
Makes the mercury
Jump to ninety-three.

We're having a heat wave,
A tropical heat wave.
The way that she moves
That thermometer proves
That she certainly can can-can.

Recorded By:

Ella Fitzgerald
Linda Ronstadt
Bing Crosby
Art Tatum
Eddie Lang