WHY DON’T YOU PRACTISE WHAT YOU PREACH 

(Goodhart / Hoffman / Sigler)

The Boswell Sisters 1943*

Other recordings:
Jan Garber & His Orch. (vocal: Lee Bennett) - 1934
Adrian's Ramblers (vocal: Chick Bullock) - 1934
Speckled Red - 1934
Blossom Seeley & Benny Fields - 1935




You’re always tellin’ me
What I ought to do
Tellin' me it’s wrong to look at somebody new
You’re tellin’ me and I’m tellin’ you
Why don’t you practice what you preach.

You’re always tellin’ me
To wait until you call
I wait and wait and wait 
And then you don’t call at all
You’re callin’ me, well I’m callin’ you
Why don’t you practice what you preach.

You tell me I’m your sugar pie
You swear you’ll never tell a lie
You even say you hope to die
Well how come you say it with your fingers crossed.

You’re always askin’ me
To name that certain day
Then you change the subject
And you think it’s OK
You’re askin’ me, well I’m askin’ you
Why don’t you practice what you preach.

(bridge)

I’ve had a lot of time to do some thinkin’
Stayin' home alone every night
And now I’m takin’ time to view some talkin’
Separatin’ wrong from right.

Now, you’re always tellin’ me
What I ought to do
Tellin’ me it’s wrong to look at somebody new
You’re tellin’ me, well I’m tellin’ you
Why don’t you practice what you preach.

Always tellin’ me to wait until you call
I wait and wait and wait
And you don’t call at all
You’re callin’ me, well I’m callin’ you
Why, why don’t you practice what you preach.

You tell me I’m your sugar pie
You swear you’ll never tell a lie
You even say that you hope to die
How come you say it with your fingers crossed.

You’re always askin’ me
To name that certain day
Then you change the subject
And you think it’s OK
You’re tellin’ me, I’m tellin’ you
Why don’t you practice what you preach.

Why don’t you tell me
Why don’t you practise what you preach.
Why don’t you tell me
Why don’t you practise what you preach.

Why don’t you practise what you preach.

NOTES:

The 3 sisters, Martha, Connee & Helvetia (Vet), were known for their very intricate 
harmonies in vocal jazz. Some refer to this as 'swing' jazz.
They were affectionately known as 'The Bozzies' by their enthusiastic fans - 
 Website http://www.bozzies.org/

*The Boswell Sisters with Studio orchestra, Victor Young (dir) Manny Klein, Bunny
Berigan (tpt) Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Chuck Campbell (tbn) Jimmy Dorsey (cl,
as) Larry Binyon (ts, fl, cl) Martha Boswell (p) Dick McDonough (g) Artie
Bernstein (b) Stan King (d) June 21st 1934 New York