Is It True What They Say About Dixie?

"Is It True What They Say About Dixie?" is a 1936 song written by Irving Caesar, Sammy Lerner and Gerald Marks.

The lyrics begin: "Is it true what they say about Dixie? Does the sun really shine all the time? Do the sweet magnolias blossom at everybody's door?".

The song was a #1 hit for Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra in May and June 1936 with Bob Eberly on vocal.^[1] Ozzie Nelson and Willie Bryant also charted with the song that year.^[2]

The song has been parodied in various versions, such as the Beau Jesters' parody questioning Lyndon Johnson.^[3]

Other versions

• Erhard Bauschke Orchestra recorded Germany (Berlin?) 1937 Polydor 17246 under the title "Sag mir bloß, was ist los mit der Lilly?" with humorous verses about a pair of lovers. This record was produced and sold despite bans on playing or broadcasting music by Jewish composers under the Third Reich
• Al Jolson and The Mills Brothers – recorded December 8, 1948.^[4]
• Al Jolson – recorded May 24, 1949 ^[5]
• Dean Martin on Swingin' Down Yonder 1955
• Bill Haley and His Comets – Rockin' the Oldies (1957)
• Max Bygraves – for the album Max and Ted - The Hits of the Thirties (1960).^[6]
• The Beach Boys – recorded by Brian Wilson on piano and his mother Audree singing in 1968 released in 2018 for the archival release "I Can Hear Music: The 20/20 Sessions".
• Steve Goodman - included the song on his 1977 Say It In Private album and frequently performed it as part of his live set.

Film appearances

• 1936 Yellowstone – sung briefly at the beginning of the campfire scene
• 1937 Ali Baba Goes to Town – played briefly during the Ali Baba campaign parade
• 1937 Stand-In – sung by an unidentified child actress called Elvira with Anne O'Neal playing harmonica
• 1938 Hold That Co-ed – in the score at the football game
• 1943 His Butler's Sister – sung by Iris Adrian and Robin Raymond
• 1949 Jolson Sings Again – performed by Larry Parks (dubbed by Al Jolson)
• 1987 Orphans
• 2016 Rules Don't Apply