Sam, You Made the Pants Too Long
| "Sam, You Made the Pants Too Long" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Vaughn Monroe & Ziggy Talent | |
| Published | 1940 |
| Genre | Jazz |
| Composer(s) | Victor Young (original), Milton Berle, Fred Whitehouse |
| Lyricist(s) | Sam M. Lewis (original), parody lyricist unknown |
"Sam, You Made the Pants Too Long" is a parody of the song "Lawd, You Made the Night Too Long", written in 1932 by Victor Young with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis.[1] The lyrics play as a lament that a tailor named Sam, while highly skilled at fitting a suit's coat and vest, inadvertently made the trousers far too long.
The parody is of uncertain origin, with Milton Berle and Fred Whitehouse usually credited as having written it in 1940,[2] but with Joe E. Lewis claiming credit and performing it as early as 1937.[3] Even earlier there is a report of "Oh Sam, You Made My Pants Too Long" being performed at a revue by dance pupils in Richmond, Indiana, on June 19, 1935.[4] Versions were released by Ziggy Talent & the Vaughn Monroe Orchestra, the Buffalo Bills, and—heavily modified—Allan Sherman. For many years, it was a staple of comedian Red Buttons. In 1966, Barbra Streisand included a part of the song (as part of a 13-song medley) on her album Color Me Barbra.