It is common knowledge that without Peggy Lee‘s extensive contributions to Disney’s Lady and the Tramp this

charming film wouldn’t be the same. Peggy co-wrote almost all of the film’s songs with her friend Francis “Sonny”

Burke, and they came up with such enduring songs such as Bella Notte, He’s A Tramp, The Siamese Cat Song and La La

Lu (one of the most lovely lullabies ever written), that in time have become standards.

In addition to lending her songwriting talents, Peggy supplied the speaking and singing voices of quite a few

characters in the film itself. She’s Darling, Lady’s beloved owner, Si and Am, the evil Siamese Cats, and Peg

(named after her), the female dog who steals the show by singing her number “He’s A Tramp“.

Peggy Lee released her own “pop” versions of the film’s song in May 1957 on an album simply titled “Songs from Walt

Disney’s Lady and the Tramp” on Decca Records.
It included, in order, Bella Notte,
He’s a Tramp,
Jim Dear,
La-La-Lu,
Old Trusty,
Peace on Earth,
Siamese Cat Song,
Singing,
That Fellow’s a Friend of Man and
What Is a Baby?

While Lady And The Tramp restaured soundrack has been released by Disney Records for the first time on cd in 1997

as part of the classic soundtracks series, the Peggy Lee pop versions had to wait a little more to arrive on the

new audio format. Almost all of the songs from the 1957 album have been released on cd in 2003 on the double cd

compilation “Peggy Lee: Classics and Collectables”

but stangely, the most popular song of the bunch, “Bella Notte“, is missing but can be found on another Peggy Lee compilation.

Listening to these Peggy Lee’s version of these popular song is such a fun, especially the “Siamese Cat Song“, which features addition verses not used in the final film, and “He’s a Tramp” which swings just right as it should.