STIFF UPPER LIP
From the film "Damsel In Distress" (1937)
(Music: George Gershwin / Lyrics: Ira Gershwin)

Gracie Allen (Film Soundtrack) - 1937
Kaye Ballard - 1954
Ella Fitzgerald - 1959
Maureen McGovern - 1989
Jodi Benson & Harry Groener (feat. in the Broadway show "Crazy For You") - 1992
Robert Austin & Ruthie Henshall (London Production of "Crazy For You") - 1993
TFN Musical Company - 2008




As recorded by ELLA FITZGERALD
with Nelson Riddle & His Orch., July 17th 1959, Hollywood:


What made Good Queen Bess such a great success?
What made Wellington do what he did at Waterloo?
What makes every Englishman a fighter through and through,
It isn't roast beef or ale or home or mother,
It's just a little thing they sing to one another!

Stiff upper lip, stout fella,
Carry on old fluff,
Chin up, keep muddling through!
Stiff upper lip, stout fella,
When the going gets rough,
Pip pip to old man trouble and a-toodley-oo too!

Carry on through thick and thin
If you feel you're in the right!
Does the fighting spirit win?
Quite, quite quite quite quite!

Stiff upper lip, stout fella,
When you're in a stew!
Sober or blotto,
This is your motto,
Keep muddling through!

When a bounder starts to hiss,
You must give him blow for blow!
Make the blighter say, "What's this?
'Allo 'allo 'allo 'allo 'allo!".

Stiff upper lip, stout fella,
When you're in a stew!
Sober or blotto,
This is your motto,
Keep muddling through!
Keep muddling through!
Keep muddling through!
Keep muddling through!


(Transcribed by Peter Akers - July 2012)