How About You? 1941
“How About You?” is a popular song composed by Burton Lane, with lyrics by Ralph Freed. It was introduced in the 1941 film Babes on Broadway by Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney and has also featured in The Fisher King with Robin Williams. Richard Dreyfuss hums and sings part of the song in The Goodbye Girl. Anne Bancroft sings it in Don’t Bother to Knock (1952). The music of the song appears in the films All About Eve (1950) and in Bachelor in Paradise (1961).
The lyrics of the song are often changed depending on the recording artist. In its original form it is a humorous romantic duet, though rarely has it been recorded that way. Certain lyrics, especially those with topical references, are often changed based on the time of the performance’s release. For example, the line “Franklin Roosevelt’s looks give me a thrill” was changed to “James Durante’s looks” in a fifties recording by Sinatra, though he did sing it in its original form with Dorsey back in the forties.
Bob Crosby, Mary Livingstone and Jack Benny sang the song as a novelty trio on a 1955 episode of Benny’s TV show.
Lucille Ball and Van Johnson sang and danced to this song on an episode of I Love Lucy.
Notable recordings
Shirley Bassey – Bewitching Miss Bassey (1959)
Harry Nilsson – The Fisher King Soundtrack (1991)
Rosemary Clooney – At Long Last (1998) with the Count Basie Orchestra
Frank Sinatra – Songs for Swingin’ Lovers (1956); The Legendary Sides (1997) with Tommy Dorsey
Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney – Fancy Meeting You Here (1958) with Billy May