Jeeves and the Song of Songs
| "Jeeves and the Song of Songs" | |
|---|---|
| Author | P. G. Wodehouse |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Jeeves |
| Genre(s) | Comedy |
| Publisher | The Strand Magazine |
| Media type | Print (Magazine) |
| Publication date | September 1929 |
| Preceded by | "Jeeves and the Yule-tide Spirit" |
| Followed by | "Episode of the Dog McIntosh" |
"Jeeves and the Song of Songs" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in The Strand Magazine in the United Kingdom in September 1929, and in Cosmopolitan in the United States that same month. The story was also included as the fourth story in the 1930 collection Very Good, Jeeves.
Bertie is singing "Sonny Boy" in the bath when Jeeves tells him that "Tuppy" Glossop has come to see him. Bertie slips on some towels, and greets Tuppy, who says he is practically engaged to an opera singer, Cora Bellinger. She dislikes practical jokes, and heard about the time Tuppy tricked Bertie into falling into the Drones Club swimming pool. Tuppy asks Bertie to tell Cora that the incident never happened, and Bertie reluctantly agrees. Later, Tuppy brings Cora to Bertie's place for lunch. Tuppy fawns over Cora, though Bertie does not care for her.
Tuppy tells Bertie that their friend "Beefy" Bingham, a parson, runs a clean recreational establishment in the East End. Tuppy has been volunteering at Biffy's establishment to please Cora. She will sing at Beefy's next entertainment. To impress her, Tuppy will also be there to soulfully sing "Sonny Boy"; this shocks Bertie, who holds strong views on the song. When Jeeves informs Bertie that Bertie's Aunt Dahlia is coming, Tuppy quickly leaves. Aunt Dahlia arrives and says that her daughter Angela has had her heart broken by Tuppy, who left her for Cora. Aunt Dahlia wants Tuppy to go back to Angela. Bertie asks Jeeves to think of a plan. When Aunt Dahlia returns the next day, Jeeves has a plan. He believes Cora will lose interest in Tuppy if he is unpopular with Beefy's audience. Jeeves suggests that Bertie sing "Sonny Boy" first, so that the audience will be tired of the song by the time Tuppy performs. Bertie tries to refuse but eventually agrees.
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