From the “Music Box Revue”, 1921
Words and music by Irving Berlin
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
“Pearls mean tears” is a saying old
Years ago it was found I’m told
In a legend I’ll disclose
Here’s how the story goes
Once a maid on her wedding day
Lost her love who had sailed away
His ship returning home
Disappeared in the angry foam
Beside the sea she sat and cried
A most unhappy girl
And ev’ry tear that fell below
Became a precious pearl
Chorus
Strings of teardrops
That you and I call pearls
Fell from the eyes of a beautiful bride
Who sat and cried by the seaside
And when a crown of silver
Replaced her golden curls
She had spent all her years
Shedding sad little tears
Just to make your string of pearls
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: