Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

When I went to Greece with my father, right after graduating from law school, before moving to New Orleans to work at the Louisiana Crisis Assistance Center, I brought a single book, The Library of America's American Poetry: The Twentieth Century, Volume 2.

One of the things that I liked about the book was that it included songs, American standards and old blues songs.

One night, drunk on white wine and vinsanto, my father and I sang the old Lorenz Hart song, Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, from the pages of the book. I couldn't remember how the melody of the first bit - "After one whole quart of brandy" - went but my dad pulled it back from times long past. When the familiar melody started at "I'm wild again, Beguiled again," I was on steady ground. I didn't really sing, but read, the parts between the refrains and my father, a man not afraid to sing, play the trumpet, whistle, or express his musical nature at any place or time, would then belt out, "Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I."

Lorenz Hart, Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

After one whole quart of brandy,
Like a daisy I awake
With no Bromo Seltzer handy,
I don't even shake.
Men are not a new sensation;
I've done pretty well, I think.
But this half-pint imitation
Put me on the blink.

I'm wild again, Beguiled again,
A simpering, whimpering child again-
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I.
Couldn't sleep
And wouldn't sleep
Until I could sleep where I shouldn't sleep
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I.
Lost my heart but what of it?
My mistake I agree.
He's a laugh, but I love it
Because the laugh's on me.
A pill he is,
But still he is,
All mine and I'll keep him until he is
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered
Like me.

Seen a lot-
I mean a lot-
But now I'm like sweet seventeen a lot-
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I.
I'll sing to him,
Each spring to him,
And worship the trousers that cling to him
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I.
When he talks, he is seeking
Words to get off his chest.
Horizontally speaking,
He's at his very best.
Vexed again,
Perplexed again,
Thank God I can be over-sexed again
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I.

Sweet again,
Petite again,
And on my proverbial seat again-
Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered am I.
What am I?
Half shot am I.
To think that he loves me
So hot am I-
Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered am I.
Though at first we said, "No, sir."
Now we're two little dears.
You might say we are closer
Than Roebuck is to Sears.
I'm dumb again
And numb again,
A rich, ready, ripe little plum again-
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I.