Hooray for Hollywood

By Richard A. Whiting and Johnny Mercer
1937

The unofficial theme song of the entire film industry, much of the song's enduring popularity can be attributed to Mercer's clever lyric lampooning the notion of celebrity. Since being introduced by Johnnie Davis and Frances Langford (with the Benny Goodman Orchestra) in the musical comedy Hollywood Hotel, it has gone on to become the regular soundtrack for the Academy Awards and other movie award shows. It was also notably the closing theme of Jack Benny's enormously popular radio show.

Lyrics:

Hooray for Hollywood
That screwy ballyhooey Hollywood
Where any office boy or young mechanic can be a panic
With just a good looking pan
And any barmaid can be a star maid
If she dances with or without a fan

Hooray for Hollywood,
Where you're terrific if you're even good
Where anyone at all from Shirley Temple to Aimee Semple
Is equally understood
Go out and try your luck, you might be Donald Duck
Hooray for Hollywood

Hooray for Hollywood
That phoney super-Coney Hollywood
They come from Chillicothes and Paducas with their bazookas
To get their names up in lights
All armed with photos from local rotos
With their hair in ribbon and legs in tights

Hooray for Hollywood
You may be homely in your neighbourhood
But if you think that you can be an actor, see Mr. Factor
He'll make a monkey look good
Within a half an hour you'll look like Tyrone Power
Hooray for Hollywood!

Recorded By:

Doris Day
Anita O'Day
Rosemary Clooney
Nancy Sinatra
Don Swan