The Songs of RICH, YOUNG AND PRETTY Ranked by Zaniness

I'm such a fan of Jane Powell's musicals. They're always fun and stylish and feature some of the kookiest music in film. 

gif by me

Today, let's examine the songs of Rich, Young and Pretty from 1951. This musical features Jane as Elizabeth Rogers, a young American woman who's in Paris with her father, Jim. What she doesn't know is that her long estranged mother, Marie, lives in Paris and that she wants to meet her daughter. 

Add in some romance in the form of Vic Damone (who plays a Parisian named Andre), the voice of reason in the form of Fernando Lamas (who plays Marie's current husband, Paul), and dry comedy from Una Merkel (who plays governess Glynnie) and you've got a zany musical. 

Here are, in order, the songs of Rich, Young and Pretty ranked by zaniness!

1. How D'Ya Like Your Eggs in the Morning?

Come on, how could this not be the zaniest song in Rich, Young and Pretty? It's a whole song about eggs! The repeating line is "How do you like your eggs in the morning..." and "Boiled or fried, I'm satisfied as long as I get my kiss."

The setting also adds to the zaniness of this song: after spending the whole night together at clubs, Elizabeth and Andre wind up in a hole-in-the-wall called Harry's Little America, where you make your own breakfast. They sing with a quartet played by the Four Freshmen Quartet. 

It's goofy, you'll love it!

2. Old Piano Blues

Late in the movie, Elizabeth, Andre and Paul decide to serenade Marie and they do it in the style of a ragtime tune, 'Old Piano Blues'. Jane and Vic put on accents for this song, which features lyrics like "We're sittin' at an upright, my sweetie and me/ Pushin' on the pedals makin' sweet harmony./ When we hear rinkety-tink, and we hear Plinkety-plink/ We cuddle closer it seems..."

3. Deep in the Heart of Texas/Mademoiselle from Armentières

If this were just a straight-up cover of the catchy tune then it'd probably be last on the list but Elizabeth and her father, Jim, convince the Parisian musicians to play it and by the end, they're singing about things being "sous les yeux bleus de Paris."

Also gets a zany point when it switches to 'Mademoiselle from Armentières' and Elizabeth sing this line: "Dad we better pay our checks before these people break our necks, Hinky Dinky Parlez-Vous."

4. We Never Talk Much

This is sung by Marie Devarone, Elizabeth's estranged mother (played by Danielle Darrieux), and Paul Sarnac (played by Fernando Lamas) at the club when she first meets Elizabeth. It's hard to take them seriously when the song has lyrics all about how instead of doing things they just...sit around. There's even a line about getting a canary just so they can hear it sing rather than do it themselves. 

Bonus points for Marie's stunning evening gown, designed by Helen Rose, and the complementary emerald green opera gloves.

Later, Elizabeth and Andre sing a reprise just before Jim walks in and interrupts them. He's got a chip on his shoulder from once being married to Marie and thinks that if Elizabeth falls in love with a Frenchman she'll get her heart broken like he did. 

5. Paris

I prefer Elizabeth's version. It sets the tone for the whole movie and it has a great message behind it: "Paris is charming/ and Paris is lighthearted..." 

Paul sings it later at the club... 

 and at the end, the entire table—Elizabeth, Marie, Jim, Andre, Paul, painter Claude Duval, and Glynnie—sing it over the end credits as the ballroom disappears and a Parisian landscape blooms up in its place. 

6. I Can See You 

A romantic duet between Elizabeth and Andre after they've known each other all of 12 hours. This is why we love musicals: people fall in love in nanoseconds amidst gorgeous backdrops and in stunning costumes. 

This duet gets zany points because it's sung so earnestly as Elizabeth is tying a doily around her head and putting what looks like decorative curtains over her pretty evening gown. Helen Rose strikes again!

7. Dark is the Night

Not zany but imagine you're going to one of the ritziest clubs in Paris to see one of the city's most celebrated singers and she shows up in funereal black singing a song about her lost love.

8. L'Amour Toujours

Not exactly zany, but that costume! 

9. There's Danger in Your Eyes, Cherie

Not zany, romantic. 

10. Wonder Why

Not zany, but nominated for an Oscar (lost to 'In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening' from Here Comes the Groom). It sounds like just about every other crooner tune that came out during this time period, and features lyrics like: "Wonder why/ I'm not myself of late/ I'm feeling strangely great/ I wonder why..."

If you've heard one, you've heard 'em all, basically. 

Later, Andre and Elizabeth sing a reprise as they're dancing at the nightclub. 

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What do you think of Rich, Young and Pretty? It's one of my favourites. Let me know in the comments!