Make Believe (1927)

From the 1927 musical Show Boat.
words by Oscar Hammerstein II
music by Jerome Kern


The sheet music:


Accompaniment track:


Lyrics

The game of “just supposing” is the sweetest game I know
Our dreams are more romantic than the world we see
And if the things we dream about don’t happen to be so
That’s just an unimportant technicality

Refrain (3 times)
We could make believe I love you
Only make believe that you love me
Others find peace of mind in pretending
Couldn’t you? Couldn’t I?
Couldn’t we make believe our lips are blending
In a phantom kiss, or two, or three?
Might as well make believe I love you
For, to tell the truth, I do

Ending
Your pardon I pray, ’twas too much to say
The words that betray my heart
We only pretend, you do not offend
In playing a lover’s part


Sung here by Fred Feild: