Mae West: Cave Man Lyrics

Though most vaudevillians honed an act and toured with it for years, MAE WEST was always seeking new material. Moreover, she liked singing about rough and tumble types such as a grizzly bear and a cave man. Kendis and Brockman wrote a novelty number that Mae really grooved to.
• • In 1919, James Kendis [1883 — 1946] and James Brockman [1878 — 1967] were located at 145 West 45th Street in New York when they released their song "I Want a Cave Man . .." 
• • It’s interesting that the full title of the song Mae chose was "I Want a Cave Man Like William Hart — — The Movie Star" [words and music by James Kendis and James Brockman; arrangement by Freda Applebaum; published and copyrighted in June 1919]. Though "I Want a Cave Man" is a number ostensibly about Bill Hart, a Western film star, the lyrics reveal very little association with Hart except the fact that it would capitalize on his famous name.

• • Struggling in vaudeville after splitting with Guido Deiro, an accordionist who was a bonafide headliner, Mae revealed her restlessness by frequently changing her act, her costumes, and her accompanist. Nevertheless, there was something about this “Cave Man” song that made her stick with it.
• • In August 1920, Mae West opened at the Colonial with a new eighteen-minute vaudeville act titled “Songalog,” in which she performed this song and others.
• • In 1922, she was rehearsing the same number for the ill-fated “Ginger Box Review.”
• • In 1923, she formed a trio called “Mae West and Company” and selected it (again) for their repertoire. 
• • In his biography "Double Entendre: The Parallel Lives of Mae West and Rae Bourbon," Patrick C. Byrne described this song as "highly suggestive."
• • Here’s an excerpt from the lyrics.  See what you think as you imagine Mae performing it.
• • "I Want a Cave Man Like William Hart — — The Movie Star" [1919] • •
• • • • When Kitty was a little girl, one of her greatest joys
• • • • was not to play with dolls or toys but run around with all the boys.
• • • • And as Kitty grew older, Kitty grew bolder,
• • • • she told her Pa and Ma, “The fellow I marry must be
• • • • someone who'll make a big fuss over me.”
• • • • Chorus • • • •
• • • • I want a cave man, I want a brave man
• • • • who will love me thro' and thro'
• • • • I want a rough man, but not a tough man,
• • • • who'll fight for and protect me and fondle me too.
• • • • Don't like a small man, I like a tall man
• • • • To him I'd be some loving wife.
• • • • Oh, gee, I hate those guys who waste my time and "mush" me,
• • • • I'd love somebody big and strong enough to crush me
• • • • Take it from me, I want a cave man
• • • • Then I'd be satisfied with life. I want a Star.  . . . et cetera.
• • On Thursday, 25 November 1943 in NYC • •
• • Bouquets of praise did not shower Mae West after her film "The Heat Is On" was released right before Christmas in December 1943. Trading on The Big Apple's fondness for the Brooklyn bombshell, this ill-fated project had a special New York City premiere on Thursday, 25 November 1943.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Australia's Savoy Theatre announced "Maurice Chevalier, Mae West now showing together on the same programme!!”
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: “The dumbest woman in the world can outsmart a man when she has to.”
• • Mae West said: “Since man started giving woman any sort of an even break, the female of our species has gotten ahead swiftly.”
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The B.B.C. mentioned Mae West.
• • Why do we say ‘it’s all gone pear-shaped’?
• • BBC History Magazine wrote: But the phrase pear-shaped really took off in popularity in the 1940s – in the 1940 film My Little Chickadee starring WC Fields and Mae West, the line, “I have some very definite pear-shaped ideas” appears – which gives a clue as to where it came from.  ...
• • Source: BBC History Magazine; published on Wednesday, 23 October 2019
• • The evolution of 2 Mae West plays that keep her memory alive • • 
• • A discussion with Mae West playwright LindaAnn LoSchiavo — — 
• • http://lideamagazine.com/renaissance-woman-new-york-city-interview-lindaann-loschiavo/

• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 15th anniversary • •  

• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past fifteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 4,300 blog posts. Wow!  

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started fifteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4,352nd blog post. Unlike many blogs, which draw upon reprinted content from a newspaper or a magazine and/ or summaries, links, or photos, the mainstay of this blog is its fresh material focused on the life and career of Mae West, herself an American original.

• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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• • Photo: • • Mae West • • touring in variety in 1915 • •
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