1932. Ethel Merman sings "Eadie Was A Lady." Brunswick record 6456

1932. Ethel Merman sings "Eadie Was A Lady" from the Musical "Take a Chance" about a "lady of the evening" in New York City. Accompanied by the Victor Young Orchestra. Lyrics by Buddy deSylva, and RichardWhiting. Music by Nacio Herb Brown. Brunswick recording 6456.

Fun lyrics!:

Maude and Mabel, seated at a table
Talking over bygone days
Mabel’s sporty, fat and over forty
Said, "Remember Eadie Hayes"

Now, Eadie was a sucker for a bottle and a glass
But in spite of everything that gal had class
Then one summer, she wed a coarsèd drummer
Struck with her refined like ways

Eadie was a lady
(Eadie was a lady)
Though her past was shady
(Though her past was shady)
Eadie had class, with a capital K

Though her life was merry
(Though her life was merry)
She had savoir fairey
(Lots of savoir fairey)
Eadie did things in a ladylike way
(Eadie was a lady, Eadie was a lady)

She would have a golden toothpick handy
After meals she'd flash it about
I remember how she used to drink her brandy
With her fingers sticking well out.
Eadie was a lady (Eadie was a lady)
Ask P. I. O'Grady (not P.I. O’Grady!)
Eadie had class with a capital K.

Now Eadie was the belle of the levee
They say she was some tasty dish
She handed out politeness just as heavy
As an Astor or a Stuyvesant Fitch.
But without that mask of elegance and refinement
Eadie would never have made the grade
Why, when she got crossed in one of her assignments
Say, she’d just call a spade a lowdown dirty spade!

Why Eadie could get plastered, call a guy a…scoundrel
And still be very dignified and dainty
She could take her talk and cram it with a hell, with a dammit
And dammit, she was still a perfect lady!

There really is no moral to my story
Poor Eadie has long since gone to her glory

She still lays in her grave so cold and hoary there...

[Refrain]:
Eadie was a lady
Though her past was shady
Eadie had class with a capital K
Eadie was lady
Eadie was lady
Eadie was lady
Etc.
etc.

When it came to clothes she was the worst one
Everything she wore was just right
Eadie always used to be the first one
In the bathtub Saturday night!
[refrain]:
Etc.
Etc!
Etc!

Fun fact.
The song's lyrics include references to a wealthy New York City philanthropist of the day, Styvasent Fitch (you can still find his name on buildings in the NYC)who was also a member of the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and was involved in community organizations and education.
The name "O’Grady," figures prominently in the lyrics, and "P.I.” is short for “Private Investigator”, ("Eadie was a lady, though her past was shady, ask P.I. O'Grady"). O’Grady is a also a generic Irish name for the "police!"
(It could have another meaning too, as there was ALso a well known National Secretary of Catholic Charities in NYC (a profession that may want to steer prostitutes away from their profession:) named John O'Grady, during the same year that this musical was written. hmmmmm. Fun!