From the musical “Nifties”, 1923
Words by Irving Caesar
Music by George Gershwin
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
There’s a sweet singin’ lady down in Tennessee
I mean Nashville, Tennessee
Everyone down in Dixie loves her harmony
I mean craves her harmony
All the darktown preachers and the Bible teachers
Say they’re losin’ all their trade
For the good church people all desert the steeple
When she starts to serenade
Now you won’t find a body that is feelin’ blue
Down in Nashville, Tennesse
For when they all get that way
They run to her and say
Refrain
Nashville Nightingale
Sing a little song for me, all for me
Nashville Nightingale
Give me some of this
Do-do-di-do-di-do
Do-do-di-do di-do
Nashville Nightingale
Up and down the scale for me, wail for me
Nightingale, don’t fail
Fill my heart with bliss
When you sing
Di-do-do, Di-do-do
Di-do-do, Di-do-do
Oh, oh, oh, oh, birdie how you thrill me
Di-do-do, Di-do-do
Di-do-do, Di-do-do
Darktown Tetrazzini, how you kill me
‘Neath the Swanee moon
Sing a little tune for me, croon for me
Do, di-do, di-do
My Nashville Nightingale
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: