Thanks for the Memory

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Thanks For the Memory" was a song in the film The Big Broadcast of 1938. The words and music were written by Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger, and was recorded by Shep Fields and his orchestra. It won the Academy Award for Best Song. Bob Hope sang the vocals and it became his signature song.

Marilyn Monroe's legendary performance of "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" to U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1962 was followed by an additional verse sung to the tune of "Thanks for the Memory": "Thanks, Mr. President/For all the things you've done/The battles that you've won/The way you deal with U.S. Steel/And our problems by the ton/We thank you so much."

The song was parodied as "Thanks for the Medicare" on one episode of the 1980s NBC-TV sitcom The Golden Girls. Estelle Getty's character, Sophia Petrillo, sang these lyrics to the melody of the song: "Thanks for the Medicare/For Blue Cross and Blue Shield/For a hip that finally healed/Remember, on prescriptions, generic is a steal/We thank you so much."