Don't Take That Black Bottom Away
written by sam coslow, andy britt & harry link
DON'T TAKE THAT BLACK BOTTOM AWAY  -  ANNETTE HANSHAW
Don't Take That Black Bottom Away was written by Sam Coslow in 1926. The song helped to inspire Betty Boop's signature song Don't Take My Boop-Oop-a-Doop Away. The later was written for Betty Boop by Fleischer's long-time in-house composer Sammy Timberg - it was the first song he contributed for the Fleischer catalog. The song voiced Betty's response to her real-life legal troubles - actress/singer Helen Kane had filed a lawsuit against her (and her producers) for allegedly stealing her Boop-Oop-a-Doop and her image in general. Don't Take My Boop-Oop-a-Doop Away was introduced by Mae Questel as Betty Boop in Fleischer's 1931 live-action short Musical Justice. In 1932 the song appeared again in the Talkartoons short Boop-Oop-a-Doop.

Don't Take My That Black Bottom Away was a spin-off song from the national dance craze at the time. The Black Bottom was popularized by Ann Pennington, who performed the dance in the 1926 popular comedy revue George White's Scandals. The dance dates back long before the 1919 song that gave it it's name - Original Black Bottom Dance. Its New Orleans origins are thought to go back as far as 1905, and it has at times been called the Swanee Bottom dance. It's popularity gradually spread across the south, and the dance was finally presented to the general public in the 1924 play Dinah. The Black Bottom was a hit sensation, and it immediately became as popular as the Charleston. In 1926 and 1927 the dance was performed by Ann Pennington at Harlem's Apollo Theatre in George White's Scandal, the Black Bottom immediately replaced the Charleston as the most popular dance. The craze was accompanied by a bevy of popular Black Bottom-related songs - such as Don't Take My Black Bottom Away. At the same time, the Lindy Hop was gaining popularity, and on its way to soon becoming the next national dance craze of the 1920's.
more 1920's dances > HERE
more on Betty Boop vs Helen Kane > HERE
DON'T TAKE THAT BLACK BOTTOM AWAY
- ANNETTE HANSHAW & THE REDHEADS  (recorded October, 1926)
DON'T TAKE THAT BLACK BOTTOM AWAY
- ORIOLE SERENADERS  (recorded 1926)
DON'T TAKE THAT BLACK BOTTOM AWAY
- THE GOLDEN GATE ORCHESTRA  (recorded October 14th 1926)
DON'T TAKE THAT BLACK BOTTOM AWAY
- SEVEN ACES  (recorded November 1st 1926)
DON'T TAKE THAT BLACK BOTTOM AWAY
- PLANTATION PLAYERS  (recorded November 1926)
DON'T TAKE THAT BLACK BOTTOM AWAY
- HOOSIER RADIO BOYS  (recorded November 1926)
DON'T TAKE THAT BLACK BOTTOM AWAY (INSTR)
- BROADWAY BELL HOPS
DON'T TAKE THAT BLACK BOTTOM AWAY (INSTR)
- WARNER'S 7 ACES
DON'T TAKE THAT BLACK BOTTOM AWAY
- JANET KLEIN AND HER PARLOR BOYS   (2004)
DON'T TAKE THAT BLACK BOTTOM AWAY (INSTR)
- BARBARA ROSENE   (2013)
DON'T TAKE THAT BLACK BOTTOM AWAY
- VANESSA TAGLIABUE YORKE  (2015)
The national dance craze hysteria captured the real spirit of the Roaring 20's. The two most popular dances were The Black Bottom and The Charleston, other popular dances included The Fox Trot, The Shimmy and The Texan Tommy.
BLACK BOTTOM
JOHNNY HAMP'S KENTUCKY SERENADERS
1926
ORIGINAL BLACK BOTTOM DANCE
THE GEORGIA STRUTTERS
​1926
BLACK BOTTOM
HOWARD LANIN ORCHESTRA
1926
IRISH BLACK BOTTOM
LOUIS ARMSTRONG & HIS HOT FIVE
1926
BLACK BOTTOM STOMP
JELLYROLL MORTON
1926
BLACK BOTTOM
​SPIKE JONES & HIS CITY SLICKERS
Max Fleischer Victory Reel  -  Max with the five women that gave Betty Boop her voice
DON'T TAKE MY BOOP OOP A DOOP AWAY

You know i was born with a certian habit thats part of me
It gives me happiness somehow

And now this habit is right at home in the heart of me
Without it im no good no how!

You can feed me bread and water or a great big bail of hay!
But dont take my Boop Oop a Doop Away!
You can say my voice is awful
or my songs are too risqué

But dont take my Boop Oop a Doop Away!
I feel like a lonesome barrel without a hoop
If you should deprive me of my Boop Oopy Doop!
(sigh)
Poop Oopy Doo!

It's the only thing i'll live for till the time im old and grey
​So dont take my Boop Oop a Doop Away! ha!
DON'T TAKE THAT BLACK BOTTOM AWAY

No one ever gave me a tumble
At a party or ball
Till I learned a certain step
That gave me quite a rep

I became the life of the party
One who goes every day
That hot rhythm kept me with 'em
Now they wanna take it away, I'm cryin'

You can take my coat and hat
Take away my dog and my cat
But don't take away that Black Bottom
Black Bottom

You can take the sun away
Leave me with those clouds of grey
But don't take that Black Bottom away
Hey-Hey!

Every time I do that dance
I lose my self control
It has taken full possession
Of my very soul

So, just take everything you can
You can even take my man
But don't take that Black Bottom away

Take all poison alcohol
I won't miss that stuff at all
But don't take away that Black Bottom
Black Bottom

Take away those sexy plays
Where they scream the woman pays
But don't take that Black Bottom away
Hey-Hey!

When they took that Shimmy dance
I really didn't mind
When the Charleston ??? ???
I never wept ???? ???

But at the close of every day
On my knees you'll hear me prayin'
Don't take that Black Bottom away

Just take everything you can
You can even take my man
But don't take that Black Bottom
​Don't take the sunshine out of my life
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