"Too Darn Hot" is a

song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetiti ...

written by

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

for his

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwo ...

Kiss Me, Kate ''Kiss Me, Kate'' is a musical written by Bella and Samuel Spewack with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The story involves the production of a musical version of William Shakespeare's ''The Taming of the Shrew'' and the conflict on and off-stag ...

'' (1948). In the stage version, it is sung at the start of Act 2, and in the 1948 original Broadway production, it was sung by

Lorenzo Fuller Lorenzo Dow Fuller Jr. (March 22, 1919 – January 8, 2011) was an American singer, musician, actor, and musical director. He was an original cast member of ''Finian's Rainbow'' and ''Kiss Me, Kate'', and in the radio show ''Van and the Genie'' w ...

(as Paul) and Eddie Sledge and Fred Davis (as the specialty dancers), leading the full company. In the 1953 MGM Hollywood film version, it is moved to a much earlier point, and it is sung by

Ann Miller Ann Miller (born Johnnie Lucille Collier; April 12, 1923 – January 22, 2004) was an American retired actress and former dancer. She is best remembered for her work in the Classical Hollywood cinema musicals of the 1940s and 1950s. Her early ...

(as Lois Lane, Fred's new girlfriend, who is cast as Bianca). The song does not contribute to the plot in either the stage or film versions (according to general opinion); in the stage version, the song represents the company of ''The Taming of the Shrew'' taking a break offstage during the intermission of their play; in the film version it allowed the audience to see Lois's fun-loving, risk-taking nature, and gave Ann Miller a chance to show off her dancing skills, specifically tap. The line 'According to the

Kinsey report The Kinsey Reports are two scholarly books on human sexual behavior, ''Sexual Behavior in the Human Male'' (1948) and ''Sexual Behavior in the Human Female'' (1953), written by Alfred Kinsey, Wardell Pomeroy, Clyde Martin, and (for ''Sexual Behavi ...

' (in the original stage production) was changed in the film version to 'According to the latest report'. The song has also been

covered Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of copy ...

by many artists.

Notable recordings

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

recorded the song for her 1956 album ''

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book ''Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book'' is a 1956 studio double album by American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by a studio orchestra conducted and arranged by Buddy Bregman, focusing on the songs of Cole Porter. Backgroun ...

'', and on her 1960 album '' Ella in Berlin - Mack the Knife''. *

Petula Clark Petula Sally Olwen Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932) is an English singer, actress, and composer. She has one of the longest serving careers of a British singer, spanning more than seven decades. Clark's professional career began during the ...

recorded it for her album ''Petula Clark in Hollywood'' (1959). *

Mel Torme Mel, Mels or MEL may refer to: Biology * Mouse erythroleukemia cell line (MEL) * National Herbarium of Victoria, a herbarium with the Index Herbariorum code MEL People * Mel (given name), the abbreviated version of several given names (including ...

- included on ''

Mel Tormé Swings Shubert Alley ''Mel Tormé Swings Shubert Alley'' is a 1960 album by Mel Tormé, arranged by Marty Paich. ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings'' selected the album as part of its suggested “core collection” of essential recordings. Track listing # " ...

'' 1960) *

Erasure Erasure () is an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1985, consisting of lead vocalist and songwriter Andy Bell with songwriter, producer and keyboardist Vince Clarke, previously known as co-founder of the band Depeche Mode and a membe ...

for the '' Red Hot + Blue'' compilation (album and video versions) in 1990. *

Stacey Kent Stacey Kent (born March 27, 1965) is an American jazz singer from South Orange, New Jersey. Kent was nominated for a Grammy Award and was awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters) by the French Mini ...

- for her album '' The Boy Next Door'' (2003) * Anthony Strong on his 2013 album ''Stepping Out'' *

Holly Cole Holly Cole (born November 25, 1963) is a Canadian jazz singer and actress. For many years she performed with her group The Holly Cole Trio. Background Cole was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her father, Leon Cole, was a noted radio broadcaste ...

for the album '' Shade'' (2013)

In popular culture

On February 16, 1964

Mitzi Gaynor Mitzi Gaynor (born Francesca Marlene de Czanyi von Gerber; September 4, 1931) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Her notable films include '' We're Not Married!'' (1952), '' There's No Business Like Show Business'' (1954), '' The Birds ...

performed the song on ''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...

'', broadcast live from the

Deauville Hotel Deauville () is a commune in the Calvados department, Normandy, northwestern France. Major attractions include its harbour, race course, marinas, conference centre, villas, Grand Casino, and sumptuous hotels. The first Deauville Asian Film Fes ...

Miami Beach Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It was incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on natural and man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter of which ...

, in between the two sets by

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

for their second appearance on the show. This song was the soundtrack of a 2003

Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufacture ...

commercial. The song gained new currency in 2004 because of two

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmospher ...

s that came out that year. The first was the Porter

biopic A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudr ...

De-Lovely ''De-Lovely'' is a 2004 American musical biopic directed by Irwin Winkler and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The screenplay by Jay Cocks is based on the life and career of Cole Porter, from his first meeting with his wife, Linda Lee Thomas, u ...

'', and the second was the movie '' Kinsey'', which used the tune because Porter mentioned the

on American sexual attitudes in the song's bridge. This song is referenced in the title song of the 2008 musical ''

In the Heights ''In the Heights'' is a musical with concept, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The story is set over the course of three days, involving characters in the largely Dominican American neighborhood of ...

'' by Usnavi. In 2013, for ''Verve Remixed: The First Ladies'',

RAC (DJ) André Allen Anjos, better known by his stage name RAC, is a Portland-based Portuguese-American musician and record producer. RAC has created more than 200 remixes in the rock, electronica, and dance music genres for various musical artists, wi ...

did a chill version of Ella Fitzgerald's take. In 2015, Katie Derham danced the Charleston to "Too Darn Hot" on the thirteenth series of ''

Strictly Come Dancing ''Strictly Come Dancing'' (informally known as ''Strictly'') is a British dance contest show in which celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete in mainly ballroom and Latin dance. Each couple is scored by a panel of usually 4 j ...

'' with her professional dancing partner Anton Du Beke.

References

1948 songs Songs written by Cole Porter Songs from Kiss Me, Kate Ella Fitzgerald songs 1940s jazz standards {{Show-tune-stub