From the musical “Of Thee I Sing”, 1931
Words by Ira Gershwin
Music by George Gershwin
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
Why are people gay
All the night and day
Feeling as they never felt before?
What is the thing
That makes them sing?
Rich man, poor man, thief
Doctor, lawyer, chief
Feel a feeling that they can’t ignore
It plays a part in every heart
And every heart is shouting “Encore!”
Refrain:
Love is sweeping the country
Waves are hugging the shore
All the sexes from Maine to Texas
Have never known such love before
See them billing and cooing
Like the birdies above
Each girl and boy alike
Sharing joy alike
Feels that passion’ll soon be national
Love is sweeping the country
There never was so much love
Patter:
Spring is in the air
Each mortal loves his neighbor
Who’s that loving pair?
That’s Capital and Labor
Chevrolet and Ford
Have felt this cosmic urging
They with one accord
Have kissed and now are merging
Florida and California get together
In a festival of oranges and weather
Boston upper zones
Are changing all their habits
And I hear the Cohns
Are taking up the Cabots
Taxi men take dimes
And never curse the traffic
While the New York Times
Adores the New York Graphic