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 rec 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)
