American composer & lyricist (1888-1989)
Must you dance ev'ry dance
With the same fortunate man?
You have danced with him since the music began.
Won't you change partners and dance with me?
IRVING BERLIN
"Change Partners"
You want who you want in the summer
You get who you want that fall
But after you've got who you wanted, it's not
The one whom you wanted at all
IRVING BERLIN
"After the Honeymoon"
I've got an awful lot of unpublished stuff lying around, but at my age, it's hard to go to auditions and rehearsals and all the rest. Besides, you get frightened. You can stand success, but you're afraid of failure.
IRVING BERLIN
remarks on the occasion of his 90th birthday, Los Angeles Times, March 27, 1988
There might have been a sky of blue for me and you
We'll never know
There might have been a garden, too, where roses grew
We'll never know
We might have built a castle high
For you were young and so was I
But we just kissed and said "Goodbye"
And so
We'll never know
IRVING BERLIN
"We'll Never Know"
When I'm alone
with only dreams of you
that won't come true
what'll I do?
IRVING BERLIN
"What'll I Do"
I've heard about you
Each word about you
That ev'ryone has spoken
And from the things I hear
I should be careful, dear
They come and find me
And then remind me
Of all the hearts you've broken
But I'm in love with you
So what am I to do?
I'm playing with fire
IRVING BERLIN
"I'm Playing With Fire"
Great big houses with great big rooms
Were not fashioned for brides and grooms
A little place is where we should be
Great big troubles and great big cares
Come from houses with marble stairs
A little place for you and for me
IRVING BERLIN
"The Little Things in Life"
I'd wish for a night in June
A silv'ry moon real soon
A moon that makes you want to spoon
And softly croon love's tune
Then a tree that I could trust
A bench that holds just two
Then I'd wish for Cupid's loving dish
And then I'd wish for you
IRVING BERLIN
"Wishing"
Have you seen the well to do?
Up and down Park Avenue?
On that famous thoroughfare,
With their noses in the air?
High hats and arrowed collars,
Wide spats and fifteen dollars.
Spending every dime,
For a wonderful time.
IRVING BERLIN
"Puttin' on the Ritz"
There is an element of truth in every idea that lasts long enough to be called corny.
IRVING BERLIN
World Magazine, 1988
You're not sick, you're just in love.
IRVING BERLIN
"You're Just in Love"
Awfully glad to be home
My heart suddenly mends again
Among my neighbors and friends again
As I start tying loose ends again
IRVING BERLIN
"Glad to be Home"
When I'm worried and I can't sleep I count my blessings instead of sheep.
IRVING BERLIN
"Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep"
I start out every morning just as free as the breeze
My cares upon the shelf
Because I find myself with
No strings and no connections
No ties to my affections
I'm fancy free and free for anything fancy
IRVING BERLIN
"No Strings"
For the longest while
I'd forget to smile,
Then I met you.
IRVING BERLIN
"Always"
May the finger of Fate point the crimson way
And guide her to happiness soon
May it open the gate to a perfect day
That ends with a honeymoon
IRVING BERLIN
"Eyes of Youth"
I wonder if we'll ever meet
My song of love is incomplete
I'm just the words, looking for the tune
Reaching for the moon and you
IRVING BERLIN
"Reaching for the Moon"
He keeps me dancing morning, noon and night
Dancing fills 'im with delight
I am black and blue from the dance I do
But outside of that ev'ry little thing's all right
IRVING BERLIN
"Harem Life"
To have, to hold, to love and caress
Is all we can ask from above
For the road that leads to happiness
Is the road that leads to love
IRVING BERLIN
"The Road that Leads to Love"
Living on a larger scale would soon entail a lot of care and strife
We could be so happy with the little things in life
A little rain, a little sun, a little work, a little fun
A little time for loving when the day is done
IRVING BERLIN
"The Little Things in Life"