LET'S CALL THE WHOLE THING OFF 
(George & Ira Gershwin)

(George & Ira Gershwin)

Recorded by: Louis Armstrong; Fred Astaire; Winifred Atwell; 
Patti Austin; Stanley Black; Ray Charles; Harry Connick Jr.; 
Sam Cooke; Bing Crosby; Buddy DeFranco; Jimmy Dorsey; 
Eddie Duchin; Michael Feinstein; Ella Fitzgerald; Roy Fox; 
George Gershwin; Earl Hines; Billie Holiday; The Ink Spots; 
Greta Keller; Joe Loss; Oscar Peterson; Ginger Rogers; 
Harry Roy; George Shearing; Mel Tormé; Sarah Vaughan;
..... and others.


(verse)
Things have come to a pretty pass, 
Our romance is growing flat,
For you like this and the other
While I go for this and that.
Goodness knows what the end will be;
Oh, I don't know where I'm at...
It looks as if we two will never be one, 
Something must be done.
(refrain)
You say either and I say eyether,
You say neither and I say nyther;
Either, eyether, neither, nyther,
Let's call the whole thing off!
You like potato and I like potatoe,
You like tomato and I like tomatoe; 
Potato, potatoe, tomato, tomatoe!
Let's call the whole thing off!
But oh! If we call the whole thing off,
Then we must part.
And oh! If we ever part,
Then that might break my heart!
So, if you like pyjamas and I like pyjahmas,
I'll wear pyjamas and give up pyjahmas.
For we know we need each other, 
So we better call the calling off off.
Let's call the whole thing off!
You say laughter and I say lawfter,
You say after and I say awfter;
Laughter, lawfter, after, awfter,
Let's call the whole thing off!
You like vanilla and I like vanella,
You, say s'parilla and I say s'parella;
Vanilla, vanella, chocolate, strawberry!
Let's call the whole thing off!
But oh! If we call the whole thing off,
Then we must part.
And oh! If we ever part, 
Then that might break my heart!
So, if you go for oysters and I go for ersters
I'll order oysters and cancel the ersters.
For we know we need each other, 
So we better call the calling off off!
Let's call the whole thing off!

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

as rec by Ella Fitzgerald w Nelson Riddle & his Orch  
March 26th 1959 Hollywood


Things have come to a pretty pass, 
Our romance is growing flat,
For you like this and the other
While I go for this and that.

Goodness knows what the end will be;
Oh, I don't know where I'm at,
It looks as if we two will never be one, 
Something must be done.

You say eether and I say eyether,
You say neether and I say nyther;
Eether, eyether, neether, nyther,
Let's call the whole thing off!

You like potayto and I like potahto,
You like tomayto and I like tomahto; 
Potayto, potahto, tomayto, tomahtoe!
Let's call the whole thing off!

But oh! If we call the whole thing off,
Then we must part.
And oh! If we ever part,
Then that might break my heart!

So, if you like pajaymas and I like pajahmas,
I'll wear pajaymas and give up pajahmas.
For we know we
Need each other, so we
Better call the calling-off off.
Let's call the whole thing off!

You say lawfter and I say larfter,
You say awfter and I say arfter;
Lawter, larfter, awfter, arfter,
Let's call the whole thing off!

You like vanilla and I like vanella,
You sa's'parilla and I say sa'sparella;
Vanilla, vanella, chocolate, strawberry!
Let's call the whole thing off!

But oh! If we call the whole thing off,
Then we must part.
And oh! If we ever part, 
Then that might break my heart!

So, if you go for oysters and I go for ersters
I'll order oysters and cancel the ersters.
For we know we
Need each other, so we
Better call the calling-off off.
Let's call the whole thing off!

I say father and you say pater,
I say mother and you say mater,
Pater, mater, uncle, auntie,
Let's call the whole thing off!

I like banannas and you like banahnas,
I say Havanna and I get Havahna,
Banannas, banahnas, Havanna, Havahna,
Go your way, I'll go mine!

So if I go for scallops and you go for lobster,
So all right, no contest, we'll order lobster!
For we know we
Need each other, so we
Better call the calling-off off.
Let's call the whole thing off!




(Transcribed by Peter Akers - March 2011)