What Are Your Favorite VINTAGE Song Lyrics?

I love these lyrics, written in 1929 by Howard Dietz (Arthur Schwartz wrote the melody), for their wit, their evocation of the time during which they were composed, and for the slightly naughty aspect of at least one passage. It's almost like a pre-code movie in song form.

I also was intrigued to note the usage of "fly," with a meaning not so different from the one that term was afforded in the 1990s.

LocktownDog said:

I can't even tell you how many times I've been singing Paper Moon absent-mindedly ... afterwards having to explain what muslin is and how I didn't say Muslim. [huh]

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This is my favourite!



I never feel a thing is real
When I'm away from you
Out of your embrace
The world's a temporary parking place

Mmm, mm, mm, mm
A bubble for a minute
Mmm, mm, mm, mm
You smile, the bubble has a rainbow in it

Say, it's only a paper moon
Sailing over a cardboard sea
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me

Yes, it's only a canvas sky
Hanging over a muslin tree
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me

Without your love
It's a honky-tonk parade
Without your love
It's a melody played in a penny arcade

It's a Barnum and Bailey world
Just as phoney as it can be
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me

Also "Get Thee Behind me, Satan", by Mr Berlin.

Get thee behind me, satan
I want to resist
But the moon is low and I can't say "no"
Get thee behind me

Get thee behind me, satan
I mustn't be kissed
But the moon is low and I may let go
Get thee behind me

Someone I'm mad about
Is waiting in the night for me
Someone that I mustn't see
Satan, get thee behind me

He promised to wait
But I won't appear and he may come here
Satan, he's at my gate
Get thee behind me
Stay where you are
It's too late

Dream a Little Dream of Me

Stars shining bright above you.
Night breezes seem to whisper, 'I love you,'
Birds singing in the sycamore tree.
Dream a little dream of me.

Say nighty-night and kiss me.
Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me.
While I'm alone and blue as can be,
Dream a little dream of me.

Stars fading, but I linger on, dear,
Still craving your kiss.
I'm longing to linger 'till dawn, dear,
Just saying this:

Sweet dreams 'till sunbeams find you,
Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you.
But in your dreams, whatever they be.
Dream a little dream of me.

I'm with these:

cooncatbob said:

"As Time Goes By"
music and words by Herman Hupfeld


[This day and age we're living in
Gives cause for apprehension
With speed and new invention
And things like fourth dimension.

Yet we get a trifle weary
With Mr. Einstein's theory.
So we must get down to earth at times
Relax relieve the tension

And no matter what the progress
Or what may yet be proved
The simple facts of life are such
They cannot be removed.]

You must remember this
A kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh.
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by.

And when two lovers woo
They still say, "I love you."
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by.

Moonlight and love songs
Never out of date.
Hearts full of passion
Jealousy and hate.
Woman needs man
And man must have his mate
That no one can deny.

It's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die.
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by.

Oh yes, the world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by.

Click to expand...

These two have always been special to me.

Charles Trenet, "J'ai ta main,"

Nous sommes allongés
Sur l'herbe de l'été.
Il est tard.
On entend chanter
Des amoureux et des oiseaux.

On entend chuchoter
Le vent dans la campagne.
On entend chanter la montagne.

J'ai ta main dans ma main.
Je joue avec tes doigts.
J'ai mes yeux dans tes yeux
Et partout, l'on ne voit

Que la nuit, belle nuit, que le ciel merveilleux,
Tout fleuri, palpitant, tendre et mystérieux.

Viens plus près, mon amour,
Ton coeur contre mon coeur
Et dis-moi qu'il n'est pas de plus charmant bonheur
Que ces yeux dans le ciel, que ce ciel dans tes yeux,
Que ta main qui joue avec ma main.

Je ne te connais pas.
Tu ne sais rien de moi.
Nous ne sommes que deux vagabonds,
Fille des bois, mauvais garçon.

Ta robe est déchirée.
Je n'ai plus de maison.
Je n'ai plus que la belle saison

Et ta main dans ma main
Qui joue avec mes doigts.
J'ai mes yeux dans tes yeux
Et partout, l'on ne voit

Que la nuit, belle nuit, que le ciel merveilleux,
Tout fleuri, palpitant, tendre et mystérieux.

Viens plus près, mon amour,
Ton c?ur contre mon c?ur
Et dis-moi qu'il n'est pas de plus charmant bonheur.
On oublie l'aventure et la route et demain
Mais qu'importe puisque j'ai ta main.
Mais qu'importe puisque j'ai ta main.
Mais qu'importe puisque j'ai ta main.

"A Kiss to Build a Dream On," Louis Armstrong recording

Gimme a kiss to build a dream on
And my imagination
Will thrive upon that kiss
Sweetheart, I ask no more than this
A Kiss to build a dream on

Give me a kiss before you leave me
and my imagination
will feed my hungry heart
Leave me one thing before we part
A kiss to build a dream on

When I'm alone with my fancies
I'll be with you
Weaving romances
Making believe they're true

Oh, gimme your lips for just a moment
and my imagination
will make that moment live
Give me what you alone can give
A kiss to build a dream on

Gimme a kiss to build a dream on
And my imagination
Will thrive upon that kiss
Sweetheart, I ask no more than this
A Kiss to build a dream on

Give me a kiss before you leave me
and my imagination
will feed my hungry heart
Leave me one thing before we part
A kiss to build a dream on

When I'm alone with my fancies
I'll be with you
Weaving romances
Making believe they're true

Oh, gimme your lips for just a moment
and my imagination
will make that moment live
Give me what you alone can give
A kiss to build a dream on

Come single belle and beau, unto me pay attention
Don't ever fall in love, for it's the devil's own invention
For once I fell in love with a maiden so bewitching
Miss Henrietta Bell out in Captain Kelly's kitchen

With me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
And me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie

At the age of seventeen I was 'prenticed to a grocer
Not far from Stephen's Green where Miss Henri' used to go sir
Her manners were sublime and she set me heart a-twitchin'
When she invited me to a hooley in the kitchen

With me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
And me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie

Oh, next Sunday bein' the day that we were to have the flare-up
I dressed meself quite gay and I frizzed and oiled me hair up
The Captain had no wife and he had gone a-fishin'
And we kicked up high life down below stairs in the kitchen

With me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
And me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie

With her arm around me waist, she slyly hinted marriage
To the door in dreadful haste came Captain Kelly's carriage
Her eyes were full of hate and poison she was spittin'
When the Captain at the door, walked right into the kitchen

With me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
And me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie

When the Captain came downstairs, though he saw me situation
In despite of all me prayers I was marched off to the station
For me they'd take no bail, but to get home I was itchin'
And I had to tell the tale, how I came into the kitchen

With me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
And me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie

Now, I said she did invite me, but she gave a flat denial
For assault she did indict me, and I was sent for trial
She swore I robbed the house and in spite of all her schreechin'
And I got six months hard for me courtin' in the kitchen

With me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
And me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie

Last week snagged the original sheet music for this on evilBay.
From the 1936 film "Shall We Dance" starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers:

They All Laughed
Lyrics by: Ira Gershwin Music by: George Gershwin

The odds were a hundred to one against me
The world thought the heights were too high to climb
But people from Missouri never incensed me
Oh, I wasn't a bit concerned
For from hist'ry I had learned
How many, many times the worm had turned

They all laughed at Christopher Columbus when he said the world was round
They all laughed when Edison recorded sound
They all laughed at Wilbur and his brother when they said that man could fly
They told Marconi wireless was a phony, it's the same old cry
They laughed at me wanting you, said I was reaching for the moon
But oh, you came through, now they'll have to change their tune

They all said we never could be happy, they laughed at us and how!
But ho, ho, ho! Who's got the last laugh now?

They all laughed at Rockefeller Center, now they're fighting to get in
They all laughed at Whitney and his cotton gin
They all laughed at Fulton and his steamboat, Hershey and his chocolate bar
Ford and his Lizzie, kept the laughers busy, that's how people are
They laughed at me wanting you, said it would be, "Hello, Goodbye."
But oh, you came through, now they're eating humble pie

They all said we'd never get together, darling, let's take a bow
For ho, ho, ho! Who's got the last laugh?
Hee, hee, hee! Let's at the past laugh,
Ha, ha, ha! Who's got the last laugh now?

"I'll be seeing you..."

I'll be seeing you
In all the old familiar places
That this heart of mine embraces
All day through.

In that small cafe;
The park across the way;
The children's carousel;
The chestnut trees;
The wishin' well.

I'll be seeing you
In every lovely summer's day;
In every thing that's light and gay.
I'll always think of you that way.

I'll find you
In the morning sun
And when the night is new.
I'll be looking at the moon,
But I'll be seeing you.

I'll be seeing you
In every lovely summer's day;
In every thing that's light and gay.
I'll always think of you that way.

I'll find you
In the morning sun
And when the night is new.
I'll be looking at the moon,
But I'll be seeing you.

Ambrose, Jack Cooper, Elsie Carlisle
"I Lost My Man"

You don't believe it's me, do ya
Because you knew me when, didn't ya
I always was so gay, wasn't I
And how, but now

My voice is kinda stale isn't it
My feet are outta step aren't they
I've got a good reason why
I'm not so spry
Here's my alibi

I lost my rhythm, I lost my music
I lost my rhythm and I lost my music when I lost my man
I've got no ambition, no ignition
There's no show, only intermission when you've lost your man

I never tried dancing 'cause my dancing don't mean a thing
I was a hot singer, but what singer, could sing without a song to sing
Oh I need my rhythm and I need my music
but when my man comes home he'll bring 'em with him
I need my music and I need my rhythm,
I'm just an aweful ram without that man!

Ambrose and His Orchestra
"My Kid's A Crooner"

I'm ambitious about my kid, his future I must plan
I hope he'll be some big doctor or big business man
But it looks like he's ambitious, got his own ideas

My kid's a crooner, though he's only two he sings boo boo boo boo
He has no troubles and when he blows bubbles it's boo boo boo boo

I'm really anxious for my child's recovery
Yet all the papers say he's a child discovery

Instead of Da Da he says Atcha cha cha and boo boo boo boo
I'm really worried to doctors I'm hurried about his boo boo

I think I'll write Bing Crosby, ask him what to do
To stop my kid from crooning boo boo boo boo

-Stardust-Mona Lisa-Moonlight In Vermont-

I'm to lazy to type them out but I love these songs and sing them often....

Trolley Song

Not specially my favourite, but I can't help thinking on the F.L. when I listen to it:

Trolley Song
With my high starched collar and my high top shoes
And my hair piled high upon my head,
I went to lose a jolly hour on the trolley,
And lost my heart instead.
With his light brown derby and his bright green tie,
He was quite the handsomest of men.
I started to yen, so I counted to ten,
Then I counted to ten again.
Clang, clang, clang went the trolley,
Ding, ding, ding went the bell.
Zing, zing, zing went my heart strings,
From the moment I saw him I fell.
Chug, chug, chug went the motor,
Bump, bump bump went the brake,
Thump, thump, thump went my heart strings,
When he smiled, I could feel the car shake.
He tipped his hat and took a seat.
He said he hoped he hadn't stepped upon my feet.
He asked my name; I held my breath;
I couldn't speak because he scared me half to death.
Buzz, buzz, buzz went the buzzer,
Plop, plop, plop went the wheels,
Stop, stop, stop went my heart strings.
As he started to go, then I started to know
How it feels when the universe reels.
The day was bright, the air was sweet.
The smell of honeysuckle charmed you off your feet.
You tried to sing, but couldn't squeak.
In fact you loved him so you couldn't even speak.
Buzz, buzz, buzz went the buzzer,
Plop, plop, plop went the wheels.
Stop, stop, stop went my heart strings.
As he started to leave I took hold of his sleeve
With my hand, and as if it were planned,
He stayed on with me,
And it was grand just to stand
With his hand holding mine
To the end of the line.
words & music:Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane

I like it when sung by Sarah Vaughan

Hoagy Carmichael is my favorite songwriter, and of his songs, I love "Moon Country" most -- which I believe was also one of his early collaborations with the great Johnny Mercer.

Moon Country (is Home to Me) -- Hoagy Carmichael

I long for that moon country
That possum and coon country
That sycamore heaven back south
I’ll lose my mind till I get there
I long for that old country
That good for the soul country
With folk cooking things that melt in your mouth
Mm-mm when my cousin Cindy Lou
Plays a twilight hymn to you
She makes that old piano
Sound exactly like brand new
I long for that moon country
That’s where I should be
'cause that old moon country is home to me

YouTube Link


And on a tangent, the song that made my jaw drop the first time I heard it is Harry Roy's "My Girl's Pussy." So suggestive for back then, wow.

My Girl's Pussy -- Harry Roy & His Orchestra

There’s one pet I like to pet,
And every evening, we get set.
I stroke it every chance I get;
It’s my girl’s pussy.

Seldom plays and never purrs,
But I love the thoughts it stirs,
And I like it ‘cause it’s hers;
It’s my girl’s pussy.

Often, it goes out at night –returns at break of dawn.
No matter what the weather’s like, it’s always nice and warm.

I bring tidbits that it loves;
We spoon like two turtledoves;
I take care to remove my gloves
When stroking my girl’s pussy.

What a precious thing to handle;
No one else could hold a candle;
[Isn't that way...?] lovable and sweet!

There’s one pet I like to pet,
And every evening, we get wet.
I stroke it every chance I get;
It’s my girl’s pussy.

Seldom plays and never purrs,
But I like the thoughts it stirs,
And I never mind because it’s hers;
It’s my girl’s pussy.

Often, it goes out at night –returns the break of dawn.
No matter what the weather’s like, it’s always nice and warm! Oh, yeah, yeah!

Never dirty – Always clean.
At giving thrills, it’s never mean.
That it’s the best I’ve ever seen;
It’s my girl’s pussy.

YouTube Link

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh boy!!

Wow, Orion...just wow!!! I'm laughing so hard I can barely type!

My favourite song-lyrics...

Anything Goes (1934)

In Olden Days a limp stocking was,
Looked on as something shocking,
But now lord knows!
Anything goes!

Good authors too, who once knew better words,
Now only use four-letter words, writing prose!
Anything goes!

If driving fast cars you like,
If low bars you like,
If old hyms you like,
If bare limbs you like,
If Mae West you like,
Or me undressed, you like,
Why, nobody will oppose!

Every night, the set that's smart is,
Always intruding on nudist parties,
In studios!
Anything goes!

Let's Misbehave (1928).

We're all alone,
No chaperone,
Can get our number!
The world's in slumber!

Let's misbehave!

It's getting late,
And while I wait,
My poor heart aches on,
Why keep the brakes on?

Let's misbehave!

When Adam won Eve's hand,
He wouldn't stand,
For teasin'!
He didn't care about,
Those apples out...
of season!

Even bears have love-affairs,
And even camels!
We're only mammals!

Let's misbehave!

Oh, spring just needs one thing,
Two little lovebirds!
We're not above birds,

Let's misbehave!

Orion, move over. I just found something even worse!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ko2VXpW7_g

100% NSFW. Open at your own risk.

Lucille Bogan - "Shave 'Em Dry" (Recorded 1935).

I dare not even post the lyrics here. But this just caught me TOTALLY by surprise...

Love this one.. Nagasaki

Fellows, if you're arn
I will spin a yarn
That was told to me by Able Seaman Jones.
Once he had the blues
So he took a cruise
Far away from night-clubs and from saxophones.
He said, "Yo Ho, I've made a certain port
And when you talk about real he-man sport":

Hot ginger and dynamite
There's nothing but that at night
Back in Nagasaki
Where the fellers chew tobaccy
And the women wicky-wacky
Woo.
The way they can entertain
Would hurry a hurricane
Back in Nagasaki
Where the fellers chew tobaccy
And the women wicky wacky
Woo.

In Fujiama
You get a mama
Then your troubles increase.
In some pagoda
She orders soda
Earth-shake milk-shakes, ten cents a piece.
They kissy and huggy nice
Oh, By Jingo! I'ts worth the price.
Back in Nagasaki
Where the fellers chew tobaccy
And the women wicky-wacky
Woo.

Now when the day is warm
You can keep in form
With a bowl of rice beneath a parasol.
Every gentle man
Has to use a fan
And they only use suspenders in the fall.
That's where the girls don't think of rings and furs.
Gosh, it's the nicest place that ever weres.

They give you a carriage free
The horse is a Japanee
Back in Nagasaki
Where the fellers chew tobaccy
And the women wicky-wacky
Woo.
They sit you upon the floor
No wonder your pants get sore
Back in Nagasaki
Where the fellers chew tobaccy
And the women wicky-wacky
Woo.

With Sweet Kimoner
I pulled a boner
I kept it up at high speed.
I got rhumatics
And then psyatics
Halatosisis, that's guarenteed.
You just have to act your age
Or wind up inside a cage
Back in Nagasaki
Where the fellers chew tobaccy
And the women wicky-wacky
Woo.

With an ice-cream cone and a bottle of tea
You can rest all day by the hickory tree
But when night comes round, oh gosh oh gee,
Mother, mother, mother, pin a rose on me.

Those pretty mamas
In pink pyjamas
They try to give you a kiss
Those torid teases
In B.V.D.ses
Heaven help a sailor on a night like this!
Not too gentle and not too rough
But you've got to tell them when you've had enough
Back in Nagasaki
Where the fellers chew tobaccy
And the women wicky-wacky
Woo.

Because it sounds unmanly? Because it sounds too lovey-dovey? Because it sounds like the singer's being a nancyboy? Probably something like that.

I'm an ol' fan of Mr. Bing Crosby, here's one I just adore that he sang with the Boswells.

Life is just a bowl of cherries, life's to mysterious, don't take it serious.
You work, you slave and you worry so, but you can’t take your dough when you go, go, go.

Keep repeating it's the berries, for the strongest oak must fall.
These things in life, to you were just loaned, so how can you lose
what you never owned? Life is just a bowl of cherries, so live
and laugh at it all.

Midnight, The Stars And You (1934)

recorded by Ray Noble and his Orchestra
vocal by Al Bowlly
Victor 24700

(From the film The Shining)

Midnight with the stars and you
Midnight and a rendezvouz
Your eyes held a message tender
Saying I surrender all my love to you

Midnight, your love's sweet romance
I know for my whole life through
I'll be remembering you whatever else I do
Midnight with the stars and you


Dinner At Eight (1933)

recorded by Ben Selvin and his Orchestra
Columbia 2813-D

Don't forget dinner at eight
Two gardenias at my plate
Under the table our hands will meet
We should be able to be discreet

Lights are dim, moonlight above
That's how people fall in love
I'll tell my mother I might be late
Don't forget dinner at eight


Alone At Last (1925)

recorded by Coon-Sanders Nighthawk Orchestra
vocal by Joe Sanders
Victor 19728

(there's at least several recordings of Alone At Last but in my opinion the definitive version is the Coon-Sanders recording.)

I just can't believe it's true
Here we are alone we two
I have waited all my life it seems
To tell my dreams to you

There was I waiting all alone
Wondering why I was all alone
Wondering when I would find you, dear
You were dear, oh so far, oh so near

Then we met and we've never known
What it means being all alone
Hold me close, time is flying fast
Till we are all alone at last


Where There's You, There's Me (1936)

recorded by Fletcher Henderson and his Orchestra
Victor 25334

(featured in the British film Jack of All Trades.)

Where's there's a river, there's a fish
Where's there's a wishbone, there's a wish
They go together, so do we
Where there's you, there's me

Where there's a valley, there's a hill
Where there's a doctor, there's a pill
They go together, so do we
Where there's you, there's me

We agree like sugar goes with tea
Like honey goes with bee
Wherever you go, I go

Where there's a collar, there's a tie
Where there's a secret, there's a spy
They go together, so do we
Where there's you there's me

Me And The Boy Friend (1925)

recorded by Jane Green with Nat Shilkret and the Victor Orchestra
Victor 19502

You have heard of Cleopatra and Mark Antony
He in love with she, she in love with he
Romeo and Juliet were sure a loving pair
But I must declare none of them compare with

Me and the boy friend, the boy friend and me
We stick together like sap to a tree
He's like a diamond a little bit rough
But when he loves me he shines with his stuff

Sometimes we battle like all sweethearts do
After the battle, Oh Gee!
We sit in the park and get that kiss in the dark
I mean the boy friend and me

Every night I dream of him, he also dreams of me
Visions I can see what the end will be
I will take our marriage license, hang it on the wall
Waiting for the call, sweetest of them all

Me and the boy friend, the boy friend and me
We pal together and keep company
He comes to my house and eats what there is
I'm on a diet when I go to his

Both of us working we'll find some other way
Out of our week's salary
When we save up ten bucks, say,we'll be married deluxe!
I mean the boy friend and me

Me and the boy friend, the boy friend and me
We're like two lovebirds that coo in a tree
We go to ballgames and fights you can bet
We don't miss nothing if passes we get

Saturday evening we take in a dance
Sunday in church we must be
We're not millionaires, but listen, who the duck cares?
I mean the boy friend and me

He drives a car for some big millionaire
And after hours, Oh Gee!
The country is grand and how he drives with one hand
I mean the boyfriend and me

Annette Hanshaw, "Telling It To the Daisies":
(written by Harry Warren & Joe Young, 1930)


Why am I so bashful, so afraid to part
With a lot of love words locked up in my heart
For the want of courage foolishly I’ve tried
To conceal what I reveal by a countryside

Telling it to the daisies,
Hoping they’ll tell you too
Pouring my heart out to them
But it never gets back to you

What do I do on Sunday?
Under those lonely skies
Same as I do on Monday
But they never do put you wise

Oh, I’m so in love with you, and
Oh, I feel you’re never gonna know
Unless the birdies tell you so

I know I’m wasting a lot of love time
Time and again I’m blue
Telling it to the daisies
But it never gets back to you.

(Musical Break)

I know I’m wasting a lot of love time
Time and again I’m blue
Telling it to the daisies
But it never gets back to you.