BABBITT AND THE BROMIDE, THE
fr musical "Funny Face" 1927 sb Fred & Adele Astaire
George Gershwin (m) Ira Gershwin (l) 1927

Fred & Adele Astaire 
w The Julian Jones Novelty Orch  
recORDED Nov 26th 1928 London


[fa]
A babbitt met a bromide on the avenue one day,
And held a conversation in their own peculiar way;
[aa]
They both were solid citizens, they both had been around,
And as they spoke you clearly saw their feet were on the ground!

[fa] Hello!
[aa] How are you?
[fa] How's the folks?
[aa] What's new?
[fa] I'm great!
[aa] That's good!
[fa] Huh-huh!
[aa] Touch wood!
[fa] Well well!
[aa] what say?
[fa] How've you been?
[aa] Nice day!
[fa] How's things?
[aa] What's new?
[fa] That's fine!
[aa] How are you?

[aa]
Nice weather we are having, but it gives me such a pain,
I've brought my umbrella so of course it doesn't rain!

[fa] Well, hey'ho!
[aa] That's life!
[fa] What's new?
[aa] How's the wife?
[fa] Got to run!
[aa] Oh my!
[fa] Ta-ta!
[aa] Olive oil!
[fa] Goodbye!

[fa]
Ten years went quickly by for both these subste-antial men,
And then it happened that one day they chanced to meet again!
[aa]
That they had both developed in ten years there was no doubt,
And so of course they had an awful lot to talk about!

[fa] Hello!
[aa] How are you?
[fa] How's the folks?
[aa] What's new?
[fa] I'm great!
[aa] That's good!
[fa] Huh-huh!
[aa] Touch wood!
[fa] Well well!
[aa] what say?
[fa] How've you been?
[aa] Nice day!
[fa] How's things?
[aa] What's new?
[fa] That's fine!
[aa] How are you?

[fa]
I seem to know your face but I just can't recall your name!
[aa]
Well how've you been old boy?  You're looking just about the same!

[fa] Well, hey'ho!
[aa] That's life!
[fa] What's new?
[aa] How's the wife?
[fa] Got to run!
[aa] Oh my!
[fa] Ta-ta!
[aa] Olive oil!
[fa] Goodbye!

[fa]
Before they met again, some twenty years they had to wait;
This time it happened up above, inside Saint Peter's gate!
[aa]
A harp each one was carrying, and both were wearing wings,
and this is what they said as they were strumming on the strings;

[fa] Hello!
[aa] How are you?
[fa] How's the folks?
[aa] What's new?
[fa] Got to run!
[aa] Oh my!
[fa] Ta-ta!
[aa] Olive oil!
[fa] Goodbye!





(Contributed by Peter Akers - January 2010)


**************************

THE BABBITT AND THE BROMIDE
Lyrics: Ira Gershwin - Music: George Gershwin

as performed by Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly 
in the 1946 film "Ziegfeld"


(Verse)
A Babbitt met a Bromide on the avenue one day;
They held a conversation in their own peculiar way.
They both were solid citizens,
They both had been around,
And as they spoke, you clearly saw
Their feet were on the ground.

"Hello! How are you?
How's the folks? What's new?
I'm great! That's good!
Ha-ha! Knock wood!
Well-well! What say?
How y' been? Nice day!
How's tricks? What's new?
That's fine! How are you?
Nice weather we are having, but it gives me such a pain:
I've taken my umbrella, but of course it doesn't rain.
Heigh-ho! That's life!
What's new? How's the wife?
Gotta run! Oh, my!
Ta-ta! Olive oil! Good-bye!"

Ten years went quickly by
For both these sub-sti-an-tial men,
Then history records one day
They chanced to meet again.
That they have both developed
In ten years there was no doubt,
And so of course they had an awful lot to talk about:

"Hello! How are you?
How's the folks? What's new?
I'm great! That's good!
Ha-ha! Knock wood!
Well! Well! What say?
How y' been? Nice day!
How's tricks? What's new?
That's fine! How are you?
I'm sure I know your face,
But I just can't recall your name!
Well, how've you been, old boy?
You're looking just about the same.
Heigh-ho! That's life!
What's new? How's the wife?
Gotta run! Oh my!
Ta-ta! Olive oil! Good-bye!"

Before they met again,
Some twenty years they had to wait;
This time it happened up above,
Inside St. Peter's gate.
A harp each one was carrying,
And both were wearing wings;
And this is what they sang about
As they kept strumming on the strings:

"Hello! How are you?
How's the folks? What's new?
I'm great! That's good!
Ha, ha! Knock wood!
Well-well! What say?
How y' been? Nice day!
How's tricks? What's New?
That's fine! How are you?
You've grown a little stouter since I saw you last, I think.
Come up and see me sometime and we'll have a little drink.
Heigh-ho! That's life!
What's new? How's the wife?
Gotta run! Oh my!
Ta-ta! Olive oil! Good-bye!"



(Contributed by Lou Rugani - The Music of the Stars (WLIP) - March 2013)