Can’t We Be Friends

from the 1929 musical “The Little Show”
Words by Paul James
Music by Kay Swift


The sheet music:


Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:


Lyrics

I took each word he said as gospel truth
The way a silly little child would
I can’t excuse it on the grounds of youth
I was no babe in the wild wood
He didn’t mean it, I should’ve seen it
Now it’s too late

Refrain:
I thought I’d found the man of my dreams
Now it seems this is how the story ends
He’s goin’ to turn me down and say
“Can’t we be friends?”
I thought for once it couldn’t go wrong
Not for long, I can see the way this ends
He’s goin’ to turn me down and say
“Can’t we be friends?”
Never again, through with love
Through with men
They play their game without shame
And who’s to blame?
I thought I’d found a man I could trust
What a bust, this is how the story ends
He’s goin’ to turn me down and say
“Can’t we be friends?”

Refrain:
I thought I knew the wheat from the chaff
What a laugh! this is how the story ends
I let him turn me down and say
“Can’t we be friends?”
I acted like a kid out of school
What a fool! now I see the way this ends
I let him turn me down and say
“Can’t we be friends?”
Why should I care, though he gave me the air?
Why should I cry, heave a sigh and wonder why?
I should have seen the signal to stop
What a flop! this is how the story ends
I let him turn me down and say
“Can’t we be friends?”