A popular song from 1911
Words and music by Irving Berlin
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- Abie Bloom loved Miss Rosie Cohen
Abie as a bus’ness man was in a class alone
Rosie’s family were satisfied
Abie owned a clothing store, a bus’ness man
Ev’ry month Rosie’s father Mose
Walked in Abie’s clothing store
And took a suit of clothes
One day Abie drew Rosie near
And whispered these words in her ear
Chorus
Bus’ness is bus’ness, Miss Rosie Cohen
I’ve got to pay for ev’rything I own
Seven suits of clothes your father
Took out from my store
All he says is “Charge it to my future son-in-law”
Tell your expensive father C.O.D.
Don’t mean, “Come on down to my store”
For ev’ry little dollar carries int’rest all it’s own
Bus’ness is bus’ness, Rosie Cohen!
- Abie said, “Listen Rosie dear
Ev’ry month a suit means just a dozen suits a year
Seven years and then your father Mose
He will have enough to start a clothing store
Then again, father is no fool
He can tell a cotton suit from one that’s made of wool
Since I fell in love with you Rose
Your father is so hard on clothes
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: