When the boys are playing the drums, and unwittingly calling the cannibals , Bing sings out " Chloe". Then says "That girl never answers". Or something like it. Does anyone know what this was ? I assume it was some kind of catchphrase of the time.
shareThere was apopular song at the time called "Chloe". I don't remember many of the lyrics but it starts off with a pair of lines sung very slowly about "shadows falling" and "nighttime coming". Then her name is called out twice, very long and drawn out "Chlo-eeeeeeeeee, Chlo-eeeeeeeeeee". Then the actual song lyrics begin. I think it's about a guy out walking in the evening remembering a lost love. The lyrics are somewhat like Cole Porter's but I don't think he wrote it.
shareThe show tune "Chlo-e (Song of the Swamp)" was written in 1928 by Charles N. Daniels & Gus Kahn. Lyrics include the line, "Chlo-eeee, someone's calling, no reply...". As the previous commentator mentioned, the long drawn-out "Chlo-eeeee" was much of the appeal. A farcical version by Spike Jones and his City Slickers appears in a later Paramount movie, "Bring on the Girls".
More interestingly, a controversial independent film called "Chloe, Love is Calling You" (1934) seems to be loosely based on the song. Its attitude towards bayou black and backwoods folk (voodoo is a key theme) is not exactly what you would call "politically correct" nowadays, and some roadshow prints contained brief nudity (try Something Weird Video's copy if you're intrigued -- if memory serves, the nudity is included).
For further research on the song and film, see Wikipedia and YouTube
--Fate or some mysterious force can put the finger on you or me for no good reason at all