1938 song
"Thanks for the Memory" (1938) is a popular song composed by Ralph Rainger with lyrics by Leo Robin. It was introduced in the 1938 film "The Big Broadcast of 1938" by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross, and recorded by Shep Fields and His Orchestra featuring John Serry Sr. on accordion in the film and vocals by Bob Goday on Bluebird Records (B-7318, 1937). Dorothy Lamour's solo recording of the song was also popular, and has led to many mistakenly believing over the years that it was she who sang the tune with Hope in the film (in which Lamour also appeared).
In the film, Ross and Hope's characters are a divorced couple who encounter each other aboard a ship. Near the film's end, they poignantly sing one of the many versions of this song, recalling the ups and downs of their relationship - then they decide to get back together.
In the fifth verse, Robin recalled the couple’s romantic weekend in Niagara. His original lyrics were: "That weekend at Niagara when we never saw the falls." However, the line was rejected by producers who feared it was too suggestive. Robin was furious, and a bitter row ensued with neither side giving way. Finally, a compromise was reached that had Bob Hope singing, "That weekend at Niagara when we "hardly" saw the falls." Robin never forgave this censorship; he considered it ridiculously prissy and thought it ruined the song. However, the way Shirley Ross responds with, "How lovely "that" was!" indicates that "never" was indeed the better choice.
The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and became Hope's signature tune, with many different lyrics adapted to any situation. In 2004, it finished No. 63 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema.
The success of the song resulted in another film starring the same couple. This follow-up film to "The Big Broadcast of 1938" is somewhat confusing because it was given the title "Thanks for the Memory" but the song of that name does not feature. The main song from this latter film was "Two Sleepy People" and this is often bracketed with its forerunner as the best romantic duet of Bob Hope's career. It was written in September 1938 by Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics by Frank Loesser, and was once again performed by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross. The film "Thanks for the Memory" was released in 1938.
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