I'm interested in the history/background of this song from 1933. It
was written by Al Lewis, Al Sherman and Buddy Fields. The sheet music
has a photograph of a now-obscure female singer. I had assumed that it
either was written for a Broadway show or a movie, but I can't find it
in a movie until it surfaced as the title song of a Popeye cartoon in
1935. I've heard that it was popularized by Rudy Vallee but if so, he
didn't seem to record it. I have a 1933 recording by Irving Aaronson &
the Commanders with Harmon Nelson doing the vocal.

Grandvenise --

The correct title is "You Gotta Be a Football Hero (To Get Along With
the Beautiful Girls).

There's a copy of the 1933 sheet music with Jeanie Lang on the cover
selling for $481.95 on Barnes & Noble.com!

But here's another cheaper version.  Check out the photo of the sheet
music --different cover -- for only $15.00 -- and the a blurb that
says,

"Copyrighted in 1933, this little number advised that "You Gotta Be A
Football Hero (To Get Along With The Beautiful Girls)." At the time of
this release, professional football was embryonic, and it was the
college gridiron that reigned supreme. For that matter, lyricist, Al
Lewis, provided extra choruses that could be substituted to cheer 26
favorite schools. So, sing along for the local eleven of Michigan,
Pitt, the Chicago Maroons, Alabama...!"

http://americanmemorabilia.com/Auction_Item.asp?auction_id=17982

If you look up the song on ASCAP's website, it lists other "performers:"
YOU GOTTA BE A FOOTBALL HERO
   
(Title Code: 550018854) 
Writers:
    FIELDS BUDDY 
    LEWIS AL 
    SHERMAN AL (US 1) 

Performers:
NATIONAL LAMPOON
SHERMAN FIELDS & LEWIS W
TUXEDO JUNCTION
UNIVER OF MICH BAND
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN BAND/RE

Variations:
  YOU GOTTA BE 
  YOUVE GOT TO BE A CRICKET HERO 
  FEIST FOOTBALL MEDLEY 
  YOU GOTTA BE A 
  FOOTBALL HERO 
  YOUVE GOT TO BE 
  YOU VE GOTTA BE A FOOTBA 

Publishers/Administrators:
  EMI FEIST CATALOG INC 
    % EMI APRIL MUSIC INC 
    C/O EMI MUSIC PUBLISHING 
    810 SEVENTH AVE 
    NEW YORK , NY, 10019
    Tel. (212) 830-2036

  QUARTET MUSIC INC 
    % WINDSWEPT HOLDINGS LLC 
    ATTN: KAREN RODRIGUEZ 
    9320 WILSHIRE BLVD, SUITE 200 
    BEVERLY HILLS , CA, 90212
    Tel. (310) 550-1500

  RANGE ROAD MUSIC INC 
    C/O CARLIN AMERICA INC 
    126 E 38TH STREET 
    NEW YORK , NY, 10016
    Tel. (212) 779-7977

  SOVEREIGN MUSIC COMPANY
    % MARY ANN SIUSHANSIAN
    MITCHELL B DE GROOT JR TRUST
    3717 GLEN EAGLE DRIVE
    SILVER SPRING, MD, 20906
    Tel. (301) 871-4055

It also showed up in the 1974 version of "The Longest Yard."
Performed by The Soul Touchers Band & Chorus.

There was a 1979 DISCO version by Tuxedo Junction.

And it's in the soundtrack for "The Cat in the Hat" in 2003.

Thank you, cryptica, for the comments and links. It's a fun song that
should have been in a Jack Oakie movie!

I wonder if they've been playing it on NFL Sports and we just haven't
been paying attention.  And here's another bit o' trivia.   Al Sherman
was the songwriting father of the songwriting Sherman Brothers.  They
wrote "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," among
other hits.  Not that I care, but how often does one get to type 
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious twice in one paragraph?!