Fred Astaire: One for My Baby (dance & song)

[nobuddyrich]

Class, talent, style, creative perfectionist and a great human being. They shot this in ONE TAKE!

We will never see his likes again.

[snowgirl1052]

The most elegant drunk ever. Fred Astaire is the GOD of elegance and the God of dance.

[CarolynJonesForever]

Damn! He's an amazing dancer! if i could dance like him i'd be happy!

[TheClassics4me]

Why is it someone else could try and dance this to perfection but never come close to Mr. Fred Astaire? There's just something special about him I guess.

[Rtmax45]

The ending is cut short on this video. After he says goodbye baby, she says goodbye darling. Fred boards the plane, and says, Oh I almost forgot, I love you. She says now is a fine time to tell me. In so many words. The movie ends with Joan watching the bombers flying over head with a little tear coming from her eye, and says something that is inaudible(placed in on purpose). The movie ends. Fred is a fighter pilot not a bomber pilot. He is just along for the ride with his two friends.

[MarcBrewer]

Fred introduced more great songs than anybody - and he is, as always, great here. But I'd like to point out that Robert Benchley (the Fat Man with the Broken Heart) is also always great in these thankless 2nd Banana roles.

[Rtmax45]

I have this movie and I had it made into a DVD. Throughout this movie, Joan is trying to get Fred to work, but every interview she sets up for him he won't accept the job. She can't understand why. She finally walks out on him, and it hurts him. He sings this song. Her boss knows why he won't work. The end of this clip Joan finds out why he didn't want to work. She learns the secret he has been holding back on her.

[raychapa01]

This song will live forever, raychapa01.

[SukieTawdry1000]

Sinatra comes close, but this is the best. Fred not only sings it, he dances it!

[M1sT3rM4nJr]

What happened to the audio?

[MakingSenseOfPsych]

Fred Astaire's dancing, IMHO, is a major contribution to the body of evidence suggesting that God exists.

[TahiPaenga]

sammy does an amazing impersonation version of this.. he uses fred, nat, dean, jerry, louis.. to name a few...

[cidspimms]

I adore Fred; but Sinatra knew of what he sang, he lived it.

[partytimex42]

oh my god fred in uniform, my heart just stopped.

[ellechick13]

Wish more men were like this when they got drunk - maybe without the smashing of things :P

[saintcruzin]

Just can't beat Astaires dancing but Sinatras version just breaks your heart!!

[LonerKid6981]

That little "SPIN STOMP" that he does at 3:32 is very cool to look at. I can truly see how this man influenced Michael Jackson. Both of them were clearly ahead of their times.

[mrsrose0]

I agree wholeheartedly - it's ALWAYS been my fave interpretation of this great song!

[DavidCEdwards]

I like Cab Calloway's version best. If Frank does it slow and bluesy, he got it from Cab.

[BethElaineSmith]

Looks to me like Frank could have based his persona on this one song!

[thecalenderhangs]

What a gent

[tmax45R]

Fred introduced this song in THE SKYS THE LIMIT. Later, Sinatra recorded it and it became associated with him. In this movie Fred is hiding something that he does, because Joan is trying to get him to work. Because he doesn' want to work. She doesn't know he has a job. So she walks out on him, this is Fred taking out his frustration about losing Joan.

[tmax45R]

Fred introduced this song in THE SKYS THE LIMIT. Later, Sinatra recorded it and it became associated with him.

[TonusAMaximus]

Ok there are two dislikes on this video. I would like to express how much it would please me to beat the hell out of these two morons.

However I will just say. If either of you two EVER in your stupid lives manage to master just one talent to 1/500 of what Fred showed, you might be in half a position to comment.

Until then, sit down and shut up with your dislikes.

This man is a legen and deserves respect.

[Superphilipp]

@TonusAMaximus Well, I was just the third one to not like it. And I can tell you why:

I think the song is too bombastically arranged. The tempo is a bit too hectic, and the tone just doesn't fit. It seems too happy. I know the song from the 1954 Sinatra arrangement, which is the way it is always played nowadays, and I can see why. The bluesy, slow piano accompaniment fits the mood of the lyrics a lot better.

I adore Arlen as a songwriter, but here he arranged his own tune inappropriately.

[80scouplerules]

@Superphilipp within the context of the movie the dance is supposed to be angry and frenetic. The arrangement fits the purpose of the dance imo.

[Superphilipp]

@80scouplerules Maybe Fred Astaire just isn't for me.

[kimjam100]

CLASS and TALENT!!

[spokeshole]

Reeking with CLASS

[Goedhartbros]

Bing Crosby: "There never was a greater perfectionist, there never was, and never will be, a better dancer, and I never knew anybody more kind, more considerate, or more completely a gentleman...I love Fred, John, and I admire and respect him. I guess it's because he's so many things I'd like to be and I'm not. "

[katandbaby]

fred said this was the best song written specially for him, i'm aware sinatra's version is the better known but fred sang it better

[Klinossophistis]

Τὸ διάλεξα γιὰ τὴν ἀγαπητὴ poeta. Ἐλπίζω νὰ ἐνθουσιαστεῖ.

[cupcake101]

The great Mr. Astaire!!! He is so awesome!

[thejanestdoe]

astaire really can't do actually bluesy... it's kinda a bummer.

[Goedhartbros]

Sammy Davis Jr. LOVED this song!!!

Paul McCartney LOVED Fred Astaire!!!

[peacemonger1967]

I would imagine Paul McCartney still loves Fred Astaire!@Goedhartbros

[Goedhartbros]

Wow, great song!!!

Can someone send me the lyrics?

[Choefoe]

@Goedhartbros You can sure google that. One for my baby-Johnny Mercer or Astaire.Robby Williams sang it too as many others but Mercer wrote it and Astaire was the firt to perform and made it his, tried ceveral tone keys on the piano by himself to record this version;-)

[Choefoe]

@Goedhartbros just google" lyrics -one for my baby Johnny Mercer";-)

[AstaireFans]

I love this song and dance, Fred was so amazing ♥

[GiggleBlizzard]

Fantastic film, watched it a few days a go for the first time and I truly enjoyed it! Good music too!

[daeelly]

I don't understand all this ppl that are criticizing MJ. Fred himself said: “I didn’t want to leave this world without knowing who my descendant was. Thank you Michael!”. What do you want more?! He even moonwalked with MJ.

[u2uf]

I found this movie on Amazon, $145 for the VHS tape? wow something is wrong with that.

[Jamieee982]

i really do love this song :)

[edwardhannaby]

i haven't seen this film, but i must look for it, ive seen some of freds others, and what a song . . . . . . ive known it for some years . . johnny mercer. . timeless musical genious, his songs with fred astaire, frank sinatra, tony bennet , michael buble or anyone.. even myself, sound great. may johnny's songs never die.

[Gydinglight12]

Frank must have borrowed his Capitol era hat from the one Fred was wearing in this clip. Actually my favorite rendition on One for My Baby is the one done by Jane Russell. A shame Fred, Frank, and Jane never did a trio.

[netowner666]

Fred Astaire is the ultimate dancer, fuck MJ

[tsoe2001]

Jackie Chan once said his movie fighting style was greatly influenced by the smoothness of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly.

[daeelly]

MJ could have been a great tap dancer. Just see the videos he has done in the 70's. And look at the video where he danced with The Nicholas Brothers (who thaught him a thing or two about dance). When you criticise someone be sure that you are better then they are. You have to dance to understand a dance or a dancer. If you can't dance then just shut up.

[Choefoe]

@fredo..still Astaire called him in person to concrulate him on the billy jean toutine, said he found his succeder;-)

[irox965]

wow i love his dancing .......looks like mj copied him a bit in the kick and all.

is he a tap dancer

[trevskiman]

@irox965

Fared was the greatest dancer EVER! MJ is not fit to shine Fred's shoes!

[irox965]

and ur supposed to be fit to shine the guys shoes????? oh pls dont say i am not either bah thats a lame reply.

ha

[Choefoe]

@irox, MJ was inspired my Astaire alot;-) he said so himseld and you can see that in his smooth crim video. There,s an awsome one on tube,Astaire,s dancing and MJ,s music, it,s called Michael Jacjson+ Fred Astaire-smooth criminal enjoy ;-)

[DetTigerFan]

Yes, that is Robert Benchley. This is a fantastic Fred Astaire movie. I can't believe it is taking so long to put this movie on DVD. I have it on VHS, but can't wait for the transfer to DVD.

[followthefleet1]

Is that Robert Benchley in the first seconds?

What a great song by Arlen, and lyrics by Mercer !!. Sinatra did the definitive version, I think, but he acknowledged Fred's influence. Fred's version is more rhythmical...and Frank's is more dramatic. I like them both...and of course, Fred could dance a little better than Frank....just a little !!!

What a great era of music...timeless music in the midst of a world war.

[lollioe100]

This is one of Fred Astaire's most fascinating and unique numbers; I finally found the DVD on Ebay (comes from Spain - is in English and Spanish), for $25.00 !  You can also put a request for it in DVD form on your Amazon wishlist if you use Amazon. I want to have this movie very much.

[ikevyoiPhone3G1996]

Where did you get this from this movie isn't on DVD sadly.

[isisn979]

yeah, I can watch it any time thanks to TCM and DVR...but would love to have the hard copy

[broadwayapple]

A remarkable and performance from a forgotten and very atypical WWII movie. Someone at Warner Archive (George Feltenstein, are you listening?) should issue "Sky's the Limit" as one of their burn-to-order DVDs.

It's also terrific how world-class artists like Fred Astaire and Frank Sinatra can take completely different approaches to the same material - and come up with equally emotional, equally definitive performances.

[Tsitsihon]

What is this film like? I'm intrigued by it...

[Drblooter99]

In the 2nd half of this post, Fred was 44, Joan Leslie was 18. Nowadays, the case would be referred to social services, and the troubled couple would appear on the Jeremy Kyle Show.

[isisn979]

one of my fave Fred solo scenes...he's acting had improved by this movie and his dancing is wonderful as usual. Love his voice - so many songs written for him alone that are now classics.

[jackette55]

Why aren't there women like that anymore... oh yeah, bra burning that's why.

[jackette55]

Fred has pretty good balance for a drunk guy.

[ChrisStockslager]

I wish I had Fred's drunk balance!

[bradleasays]

@jackette55 come on, it's fred astaire. i'm perfectly willing to believe that he could do this number drunk.

[mortygwhiz]

Is the old story true about the Hollywood studio agent who scouted Fred Astaire for one of the studios and telegraphed, and I'm kind of paraphrasing here, "Fred Astaire, can't sing, can't act, thinning hair, can dance a little". I hope they fired that guy or assigned him other duties.

[loves131010]

singing+acting+dancing..

wow! gotta love thsi guy.. haha

[kronoscorvinus]

Known as one of the best "movers" in film, along w/ Chaplin and Bruce Lee, but's it's usually overlooked that he could sing. too. Composers loved him.

[CMARTELL101]

Fred,

Best dancer ever! Terrific Actor, Singer. He makes drunen swaying look graceful! An American Original, the like which we will never see again!

[proudfleshusa]

Too cool  when he spun the coin on the counter & just lets it spin 1.43

[IrishDaz07]

Will someone give the man a drink before he wrecks the place!

[insiderseo]

OMG!!! definetly the best video of? all the times! :D

[flemwad]

Always have loved fred Ataire.. At 2.45 I thought..'he's away to kick off!' At 4.34 I though.."KNEW IT!!!' lol,, great routine I saw it many years ago and thought I would look it up it as it was on the BBC recently. Thx for posting this clip of Fred - he is the mutts nuts (excuse the expression)

[rosesfororion]

One thing I noticed was the subtle difference between the Sinatra lyrics and these lyrics.

[trinacrys134]

So great, Fred is awesome as always!

[bartlettbooks1]

Astaire is great, but I like Sinatra's better. His has that laid back, sleepy late night. smokey bar feel.

[blockra55]

Sinatra sings like a dancer and Astaire dances like a singer...

[Ladybug1923]

The incomparable Mr. Astaire!!

[trubblemuffin]

I love the angst dancing. It precludes any rock n roll instrument smashing to the same effect. Wonderful. i also love how pliable and 2 dimensional the jilted love is "Well I'll be the fat man with the broken heart" Smile.... !

[bawdybill]

Incomparable dancing! Good singing, too; though I still like Sinatra on this song.

[Harlequin1998]

I love Sinatra, but I'm with Fred on this. Sinatra's version is so slow

[Choefoe]

Astaire tried differtent keys on piano himself before they recorded the final version to get the right mood for the song, he was that perfectionist, it all had to add up in the end ;-)

[MOXWELLDIAMOND]

MJ got a lot of influence of Fred Astaire. Fred Astaire thught Michael Jackson was the greatest entertainer and kept in good contact with him.

[bronandme]

He made everything look so gracefully effortless that one does not automatically equate his moves with athleticism. Just look at the way he vaults over the railing in "Slap That Bass," or how he leaps up the counter in "Drum Crazy." It looks as if he's almost flying. Only when you try and do it yourself do you realize-- Goodness, what an athlete he was!

[fairyfay80]

I love Fred Astaire, one of my favorite actors, and those feet could move!!

[AAMLfan]

This is hot. Fred is toe-tappingly and glash-smashingly amazing.

[elvisnutkid]

Happy 110th birthday Fred

u rock

[senoj517]

@elvisnutkid he's dead jim

[UTubeManiakk]

I love drunk Fred:) he's soooo charming!:) and i love his tousled hair:)

[umass1971]

This song was written for this movie and for Fred. No one does it better, the absolute best interpretation.

[cookieinabucket]

Fred ole boy did it best!!

[youngdirector2000]

I had only heard the Sinatra version and Sammy Davis doing his impersonations. I feel Astaire hit the right style in his dance as a drunk in smashing all of the prop breakaway glass on the set.

[cherryberry360]

Fred does it best!! <333

[fyncara]

Could you please post more of this movie? Thanks very much for this post. It's wonderful, naturally.

[MilkaGee]

i wish i was born in the 20's or 40's this where the best times for film and dance! :)

[YNGR]

Me too. Gene's a wonder. I'm always particularly amazed at that sequence in ANCHORS AWEIGH in which he swashbuckles his way up to Kathryn Grayson!

[JillLovesJer]

There's always been a big debate about who's a better dancer - Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire. In my opinion it's a silly debate because they have such different styles. Gene is all about a mix of a ballet dancer & an athlete; Fred is a mix of class and elegance. Both are wonderful, but Fred will always be my fav. I'll take a classy man over an athlete any day.

[YNGR]

If you don't think Astaire was an athlete, watch what he does at 3:54 - 3:57 again!  ; )

[JillLovesJer]

I think Fred was very athletic (I know I get tired just watching him!) I was just pointing out what, in my opinion, was pushed forward more between him and Gene. They were both classy and athletic, but I think Fred was more about class and Gene focused more on athletics. Love them both!

[animeeclipse]

Actually, I found out, when Fred was younger, he did a cart-wheel trick and sprained his arm...thats the reason he's not a big fan of gymnastics...you can imagine...the poor boy with bad memories haunting him...Fred Astaire is FOREVER though!!!

[interestinglsav]

I love both Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire...they were both geniuses. I always described the difference between them as Fred was the guy you wanted to be seen out and about with-so classy, so charming, so smooth, while Gene, well, you just wanted to stay home with him-if you know what I mean-sexy, sexy. sexy!

If you don't know what I mean, see him dancing with Cyd Charisse in 'Singing in the Rain"! Smokin'!!

[HeartBeatOfYourLife]

Agreed! I love both Fred and Gene so much. They showed us what true talent looks like. Have you watched the scene in "Ziegfeld Follies" where the two of them are dancing together? Unbeatable combination!... Yes, Gene was smokin' hot and Fred invented the word classy.. If I were given the chance to put together the ultimate musical cast I would choose Gene, Fred and Sinatra as my leading men.. Better than that, it doesn't get..

[kenziee66]

My best friend is fred astairs great grandaughter.

[hatgirl09]

wow. give her my best and tell her, her great grandfather was the first man i fell in love with. at the age of four or so. :-D

[elvisnutkid]

omg reallllyyyy thatss soooo awesome lol

[Thebumguy]

Now that's some classy destruction...Good old Fred.

[argentiniximo]

class dancer not even a little more movement than it needs he just flowed natural class

[nyssatrakken]

I really, really love his singing voice. Such a clear voice, brilliant phrasing, and his tone is so lovely on the ears! Sigh. I can't believe this man didn't think much of himself as a singer! He was absolutely wonderful. And of course I don't have to say anything about his sublime, peerless dancing!

He was simply the most talented performer to ever grace the screen.

[Hevynly1]

He's just SO great. I never tire of watching him. Complete brilliance!

[tuxguys]

Actually, he was, indeed... for awhile... I teach p/t at the World's Most Famous Music School, in Boston, and I can attest to the fact that all of my aspiring performers, if they know his name at all, think he was just a tap dancer... One of the things I try to impress on them is that, no matter how famous one is, and for how long, it never lasts, so that alone is not a reason to seek out such a career... Case in point: Most of them don't know who Johnny Carson is, or rather, was, either...

[tuxguys]

Damn you, sir, for posting this... now I'll have to seek out the entire movie. Astaire is a seriously underrated singer, and a SERIOUSLY underrated actor, and I will never, ever, hear this song again without thinking of it as a "Fred Astaire" tune. Every time one sees a drunk in the future, trying to maintain his dignity, one should remember this dance number. Astonishing.

(Robert Benchley, too? How cool is that!)

[Superphilipp]

Fred Astaire is an underrated Singer and Actor? The guy was bigger than Jesus!

[fredginger2009]

If you like this move then tell WB to put it out in DVD form. They will if it gets enough votes. It's a really terrific movie, for many reasons. One of them is that the acting is superb-one of the best Astaire performances. There are other clips on YouTube. Look for 2 other dances, but this is the best song and dance in the movie.

[officialnut]

Ah, Fred pwns. All the best, Mr. Song and Dance Man; the world lost a genius when you died.

[loupsyche]

IT IS FREDS SONG! Sinatra can lick my arse.!! it's freds song and he does it the best ! this song is m fav fred astaire number ever and im so glad someone put it on... i love it..thank you... fred sings it better than sinatra ..miles more feeling of drunkeness i think ..eratic kinda mood swings etc etc

[dk215]

agreed on sinatra. he sings everything the same. fred is much more believable. he's great!

[flandesss]

Lo que me gusta!!!

(L)

[SisuMarius]

zece! that means ten "de la mine" that means "from me"!

[derryducky]

Astaire does wonderful here, tapping drunk and angry yet still a masterful performance that brings joy to my soul!!!!

[JahalomSjachor]

i wanna do that too!

[JamesDavidRudden1983]

This song was actually wrote for Mr Fred Astaire...but yeah Sinatra's is my fave

[egallity]

One of the good things about Astaire's rendition is that he uses some lyrics that were later changed for most pop recordings -- "Thanks for the beer" is so much better than "thanks for the cheer," and "But that's not in a gentleman's code" is a better line than "but you've got to be true to your code."

[mig25pd]

Agree with you completely.

"But that's not in a gentleman's code" has style. It reminds me of something my old grandfather (bless him) would say.

[emster93]

That line impressed me, too. Love Fred Astaire!

[fredginger2009]

That phrase pretty well describes Astaire. He was always the gentleman and never spoke a bad word about any woman in public. Gallantry has died.

[MissingDuke]

Mr Astaire, es usted mi alegría.

[AshLuvsJonnyStew]

I read on IMDb that when he kicks all the glasses he cut his ankles and shins.

[jbdanfan]

I am a Gene loyalist, but I gotta admit, my boy would have been beat on the bar tapping. Fred seemed to have a little more humor in his work, which I like. And I enjoy his rendition of the song too.

[mig25pd]

Agree that Sinatra owns the song but the dance routine is Astaire at his very very best - simply superb.

[beriflor]

there will only be one fred astaire...but when francis put his dna on a tune, well, forget it daddy, with due respect fred, mr sinatra owns this song, till the day the earth stops spinning

[chosenone321]

Frank Sintra simply had a better voice. Just cause it's the orginal. Doesn't mean that it is any better at all.

[Choefoe]

That,t not what I was saying,I just found out that some people where wondering who wrote is and wht was the original,well it,s this and the lyrics are from Johhny Mercer

[banner74]

No,THIS version here is the original and Sinatra covered it later.

[Choefoe]

That,s what I said ;)

[Choefoe]

Love the tap section in this, what a firework

[Choefoe]

original version of this song ! Not Frank Sinatra, He covered it, this song was written for Fred Astaire

[BlazzingSaber]

Nice...

[astaire8]

I love Fred singing this - and the dancing

is fantastic!!

[lautanner]

I love you I love you I love you! I have been waiting for this clip for years! Please don't ever ever take it down.

I feel like such a snob saying this, but I've always preferred this version over Sinatra.

[bbukid]

you preferre this(Astaire's version)to Sinatra's maybe because, primarily, this song was made for him, Fred Astaire. Both, versions are, in my book, gems of the highest quality.

[balboabill]

Excellent!