LAUGHING AT LIFE
(Music: Cornell & Bob Todd / Lyrics: Nick & Charles Kenny)
Ruth Etting - 1929
Belle Baker - 1930
Delivery Boys - 1930
Ted Lewis & His Orch. - 1930
Roy Smeck's Novelty Orch. - 1930
McKinney's Cotton Pickers - 1930
Chick Bullock - 1930
Benny Goodman & His Orch. - 1937
Kansas City Five (Instr.) - 1938
Lewis Bronzeville Five - 1940
Billie Holiday - 1940
George Barnes Sextet - 1946
Teddi King - 1957
Carmen McRae - 1983
The Armpit Jug Band - 1986
Etta Jones - 1987
The Orphan Newsboys - 1990
Tony Bennett - 1996
Susannah McCorkle - 1998
Marcelle Gauvin - 2002
Mia Nicholson - 2005
Judy Wexler - 2013
Also recorded by:
Frankie Laine; Buck Clayton; Dena DeRose; Houston Person;
Art Tatum; King Perry & His Pied Pipers ..... and others.
As recorded by RUTH ETTING, 29th September 1929:
Smile a while, laugh in such a happy style
That the world will stop and smile with you
Why not grin, even when the others win
Smile and take it on the chin when blue
Don't mind the raindrops
Wait till the rain stops
There you'll find the sun
Laughing at life
No road is lonely
If you will only
Smile through the tears
Laughing at life
Live for tomorrow, be happy today
Laugh all your sorrows away
Start now and cheer up
The skies will clear up
You'll lose all your blues
Laughing at life
Don't mind the raindrops
Wait till the rain stops
Say, you'll find the sun
Laughing at life
No road is lonely
If you will only
Smile, smile through your tears
Laughing at life
Why, just live, live for tomorrow, be happy today
Laugh, laugh all your sorrows away
Cheer up, cheer up, cheer up
The skies will clear up, clear up, clear up
Say, you'll lose, lose all your blues
Laughing at life
*****
ALTERNATE OPENING VERSE:
Happiness always comes around to bless
Happy hearted ones, I guess
It's true, get your share
There's a lot of joy to spare
Any heart that's free from care will do
(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - December 2014)
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LAUGHING AT LIFE
as recorded by Billie Holiday & her Orchestra
June 7th 1940 New York
Don't mind the rain drops,
Wait till the rain stops.
Smile through your tears,
Laughing at life.
No road is lonely
If you will only
Lose all your blues,
Laughing at life.
Live for tomorrow,
Be happy today,
Laugh all your sorrows away.
Start now and cheer up,
The skies will clear up.
Lose all your blues,
Laughing at life.
Don't mind the rain drops,
Wait till the rain stops.
Smile through your tears,
Laughing at life.
No road is lonely
If you will only
Lose all your blues,
Laughing at life.
Live for tomorrow,
Be happy today,
Laugh all your sorrows away.
Start now and cheer up,
The skies will clear up.
Lose all your blues,
Laughing at life.
(Transcribed by Peter Akers - January 2016)
