The Hostess With The Mostes' On The Ball

Album: Call Me Madam (1950)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The second number from the 1950 Broadway production Call Me Madam, like the rest of the songs in the show it was written by Irving Berlin. The hostess with the mostess was actually a real person: Perle Mesta (1889-1975). She earned that soubriquet due to her lavish parties; as well as a society hostess she was US Ambassador to Luxembourg (1949–1953), making this show and the accompanying book both contemporary and potentially controversial.

    In both the Broadway production and the 1953 film, the hostess with the mostes' - Sally Adams - was played by Ethel Merman, who sings this autobiographical and slightly risqué song. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Corey Hart

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater RevivalFact or Fiction

Is "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" about Vietnam? Was John Fogerty really born on a Bayou? It's the CCR edition of Fact or Fiction.

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"They're Playing My Song

The Prince-penned "Manic Monday" was the first song The Bangles heard coming from a car radio, but "Eternal Flame" is closest to Susanna's heart, perhaps because she sang it in "various states of undress."

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Joe Jackson

Joe JacksonSongwriter Interviews

Joe talks about the challenges of of making a Duke Ellington tribute album, and tells the stories behind some of his hits.

George Clinton

George ClintonSongwriter Interviews

When you free your mind, your ass may follow, but you have to make sure someone else doesn't program it while it's wide open.