In the film, Ross and Hope's characters are a divorced couple who encounter each other aboard a ship. Near the film's end, they poignantly sing one of the many versions of this song, recalling the ups and downs of their relationship[3] (then they decide to get back together).
In the fifth verse of the song for the film, Robin recalled the couple’s romantic weekend in Niagara. His original lyrics were: "That weekend at Niagara when we never saw the falls." However, this was rejected by the film producers who feared it was too suggestive. Robin was furious and a bitter row ensued with neither side giving way. Finally a compromise was reached that has Bob Hope singing: "That weekend at Niagara when we hardly saw the falls." The lyricist never forgave this censorship: he considered it ridiculously prissy and that it ruined the song. However, the way that Shirley Ross responds with, "How lovely that was!" indicates that "never" was indeed the better choice.[4]
The success of the song resulted in another film starring the same couple. This follow-up film to The Big Broadcast of 1938 is somewhat confusing because it was given the title Thanks for the Memory but the song of that name does not feature. The main song from this latter film was "Two Sleepy People" and this is often bracketed with its forerunner as the best romantic duet of Bob Hope's career. It was written in September 1938 by Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics by Frank Loesser, and was once again performed by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross. The film Thanks for the Memory was released in 1938.[5]
Cover versions
Shep Fields and his Rippling Rhythm Orchestra with vocalist Bobby Goday recorded the song in 1937. Bluebird Records B-7318-A [6]
Marilyn Monroe's 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."
A special version of the song was used for the closing of NBC Nightly News as Tom Brokaw appears his final broadcast in December 1, 2004.
^Wilk, Max (1974). They're Playing our Song – From Jerome Kern to Stephen Sondheim, the stories behind the words and music of two generations. London and New York: WH Allen. p. 105. ISBN0-491 01530 5.
^Green, Benny (1989). Let's Face the Music – The Golden Age of Popular Song. London: Pavilion Books. p. 143. ISBN1-85145-4896.