Elsie Carlisle - "I'm a Little Prairie Flower" (1937)

[@robhoile7488]

I really thought my Dad and Grandad made it up ! Thoughts are shattered lol

[@thomase13]

Wow! Great song, fine orchestra, and one of the greatest vocalists I’ve ever heard! Much greater in technical and musical ability than a mere singer”! Very impressive and amazed I’ve never heard of her before this moment. Very interesting who is more remembered - it seems like the great British popular musicians are much lesser-known today than the Americans, despite being at least as good, and probably better overall! I certainly admire the Website and channel to ensure she and her great performances live on!

[@twogsds]

This song was my lovely mum's theme tune, she felt it described her, it never occurred to me that I could find it on you tube but my husband found it and played it for mum as she slipped from this life, she must have been so happy to hear it again; now I listen to it and recall her mischievous sense of humour.

[@zaax4532]

Why was I born so beautiful Why was I born so small Why was I born so beautiful Why was I born at all I’m a little prairie flower Growing wilder every hour Nobody cares to cultivate me So I’m as wild as wild can be (She’s as wild as she can be) My wildness is a thing to which There seems to be no stop Last night I smacked a jelly just to hear the thing go flop So the boys give me bananas And they say I’m rather cute But I’m a little devil When I’m full of passion fruit I’m a little prairie flower Growing wilder every hour Nobody cares to cultivate me So I’m as wild as wild can be (She’s as wild as she can be) A lot of cows stood in a field And slowly chewed the cud One old cow caught me unawares And nipped me in the bud Oh two cats stood on our garden wall The moon was bright and clear The tabby cat said, “nark it, Tom, You can’t do that there ‘ere.” I’m a little prairie flower Growing wilder every hour Nobody cares to cultivate me So I’m as wild as wild can be (She’s as wild as she can be) Now Jack and Jill went up the hill And Jill came down quite dizzy But next day Jack went up again And took her sister Lizzie I’m a little prairie flower Growing wilder every hour Nobody cares to cultivate me So I’m as wild as wild can be (She’s as wild as she can be) My bloom has gone, I’ve run to seed For others I’ll make way So like the good old soldier I must gently fade away I’m a little prairie flower Growing wilder every hour Nobody cares to cultivate me So I’m as wild as wild can be (She’s as wild as she can be)

[@pronkerpronker6708]

Just loved it! Here from a December 7. 1941 OTR of the Captain Flagg and Sergeant Quirt radio show - with bits of breaking news re the Pearl Harbor attack - and Flagg was hypnotized into saying "I'm just a little wildflower growing milder by the hour." I'm assuming this very song is referenced. What fun.

[@agkozak]

Thanks. The refrain of this song appears to greatly predate its inclusion in the Holmes-Sarony composition: mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=17347#167147

[@pronkerpronker6708]

How interesting! Originally, the radio show dealt somewhat with poems as a plot point, so it seemed the 'flower' was from a poem. I did enjoy Carlisle's voice, too, because it's so clean and crisp in her enunciation.

[@GeorgeFormbyJr]

Great song

[@somyod2u]

I notice that Elsie Carlisle is described on the label as a ' vocalist ' - at that time they did have the grace not to call themselves ' singers ' as is done at present.

[@jourwalis-8875]

"Comedy Fox-Trot" !

[@octoberrosesaxon8818]

Yeehaww!