Crosby Lyrics

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AC-CENT-TCHU-ATE THE POSITIVE
(Johnny Mercer / Harold Arlen)

You've got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between

You've got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom down to the minimum
Have faith or pandemonium
Liable to walk upon the scene

(To illustrate his last remark
Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark
What did they do
Just when everything looked so dark)

Man, they said we better
Accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between
No, do not mess with Mister In-Between
Do you hear me, hmm?

(Oh, listen to me children and-a you will hear
About the elininatin' of the negative
And the accent on the positive)
And gather 'round me children if you're willin'
And sit tight while I start reviewin'
The attitude of doin' right

(You've gotta accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between)

You've got to spread joy (up to the maximum)
Bring gloom (down) down to the minimum
Otherwise (otherwise) pandemonium
Liable to walk upon the scene

To illustrate (well illustrate) my last remark (you got the floor)
Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark
What did they say (what did they say)
Say when everything looked so dark

Man, they said we better
Accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between
No! Don't mess with Mister In-Between

 

AREN'T YOU GLAD YOU'RE YOU
(Johnny Burke / James Van Heusen)

Every time you're near a rose
Aren't you glad you've got a nose
And if the dawn is fresh with dew
Aren't you glad you're you

When a meadowlark appears
Aren't you glad you've got two ears
And if your heart is singin' too
Aren't you glad you're you

You can see a summer sky
Or touch a friendly hand
Or taste an apple pie
Pardon the grammar, but ain't life grand

And when you wake up each morn
Aren't you glad that you were born
Think what you've got the whole day through
Aren't you glad you're you

Every time you're near a rose
Aren't you glad you've got a nose
And if the dawn is fresh with dew
Aren't you glad you're you

When a meadowlark appears
Aren't you glad you've got two ears
And if your heart is singin' too
Aren't you glad you're you

You can see a summer sky
Or touch a friendly hand
Or taste an apple pie
Pardon the grammar, but ain't life grand

And when you wake up each morn
Aren't you glad that you were born
Think what you've got the whole day through
Aren't you glad you're you

 

THE BELLS OF ST. MARY'S
(Douglas Furber / A. Emmett Adams)
 

The Bells of St. Mary's
Ah, hear they are calling
The young loves, the true loves
Who come from the sea

And so my beloved
When red leaves are falling
The love bells shall ring out, ring out
For you and me

The Bells of St. Mary's
Ah, hear they are calling
The young loves, the true loves
Who come from the sea

And so my beloved
When red leaves are falling
The love bells shall ring out, ring out
For you and me

 

BLUE SKIES
(Irving Berlin)

Blue skies smilin' at me
Nothin' but blue skies do I see
Bluebirds singin' a song
Nothin' but bluebirds all day long

Never saw the sun shinin' so bright
Never saw things goin' so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
When you're in love, my how they fly

Blue days, all of them gone
Nothin' but blue skies from now on
(Blue skies smilin' at me
Nothin' but blue skies do I see)

Never saw the sun shinin' so bright
Never saw things goin' so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
When you're in love, my how they fly

Blue days, all of them gone
Nothin' but blue skies from now on
Nothin' but blue skies from now on

 

BROTHER, CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?
(Gorney, Harburg)

They used to tell me
I was building a dream.
And so I followed the mob
When there was earth to plow
Or guns to bear
I was always there
Right on the job.
They used to tell me
I was building a dream
With peace and glory ahead.
Why should I be standing in line
Just waiting for bread?
Once I built a railroad
I made it run
Made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad
Now it's done
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once I built a tower up to the sun
Brick and rivet and lime.
Once I built a tower,
Now it's done.
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once in khaki suits
Gee we looked swell
Full of that yankee doodle dee dum.
Half a million boots went sloggin' 
through hell
And I was the kid with the drum!
Say don't you remember?
They called me Al.
It was Al all the time.
Why don't you remember?
I'm your pal.
Say buddy, can you spare a dime?
 
Once in khaki suits,
Ah, gee we looked swell
Full of that yankee doodle dee dum!
Half a million boots went sloggin' 
through hell
And I was the kid with the drum!
Oh, say don't you remember?
They called me Al.
It was Al all the time.
Say, don't you remember?
I'm your pal.
Buddy, can you spare a dime?
 

 

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS (Instead of Sheep)
(Irving Berlin)

When I'm worried and I can't sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep counting my blessings

I think about a nursery and I picture curly heads
And one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds
If you're worried and you can't sleep
Just count your blessings instead of sheep
And you'll fall asleep counting your blessings

I think about a nursery and I picture curly heads
And one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds
If you're worried and you can't sleep
Just count your blessings instead of sheep
And you'll fall asleep counting your blessings

 

DAY AFTER FOREVER
(Van Heusen, Burke)

All day tomorrow,
I'll be whispering your name
And the day after forever
I know I'll do the same.
 
Maytime or winter
I won't let you out of sight,
And the day after forever,
We'll talk about tonight.
 
Your laughter is a melody
That I'll remember long.
It plays upon my heartstrings
It's my favorite song.
 
All through a lifetime
I'll be loving you and then
On the day after forever,

I'll just begin again.

 

DEAR HEARTS AND GENTLE PEOPLE
(Fain-Hilliard)

I love those dear hearts and gentle people
Who live in my home town
Because those dear hearts and gentle people
Will never ever let you down

They read the good book from Fri' till Monday
That's how the weekend goes
I've got a dream house I'll build there one day
With picket fence and ramblin' rose

I feel so welcome each time that I return
That my happy heart keeps laughin' like a clown
I love the dear hearts and gentle people
Who live and love in my home town

There's a place I'd like to go and it's back in Idaho
Where your friendly neighbors smile and say "Hello"
It's a pleasure and a treat to meander down the street
That's why I want the whole wide world to know

I love those dear hearts and gentle people
Who live in my home town
Because those dear hearts and gentle people
Will never ever let you down

They read the good book from Fri' till Monday
That's how the weekend goes
I've got a dream house I'll build there one day
With picket fence and ramblin' rose

I feel so welcome each time that I return
That my happy heart keeps laughin' like a clown
I love the dear hearts and gentle people
Who live and love in my home town

Home, home sweet home
Home, home sweet home

 

DINAH
(Akst, Lewis, Young)

Dinah
Is there anyone finer
In the state of Carolina?
If there is and you know her
Show her to me.
Dinah
Got those Dixie eyes blazin'
How I love to sit and gazin'
To the eyes of Dinah Lee.
Every night why do I
Shake with fright?
Cause my Dinah might
Change her mind about me.
Oh, Dinah
Should you wander to China
I would hop an ocean liner	
Just to be with Dinah Lee.
 
Mills bros repeat verse.
Bing scats.
 
Every night why do I
Shake with fright?
Cause my Dinah might
Change her mind about me.
 
The name of this song is Dinah.
Said it.
The name of this song is Dinah.
Snag it.
The name of this song is Dinah.
Ah, Tell it.
The name of this song is Dinah.
 
Dinah
wander to China,
the state of Carolina
Listen, and you know her
I would like to have you show her to me.
Dinah
Got those Dixie eyes blazin'
How I love to sit and gazin'
To the eyes of Dinah Lee.
 
Oh, Dinah
Should you wander to China
I would get me an ocean liner
Just to be  with Dinah Lee.

 

 

DON'T FENCE ME IN
(Cole Porter)

Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above,
Don't fence me in.
Let me ride through the wide open country that I love,
Don't fence me in.
Let me be by myself in the evenin' breeze,
And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees,
Send me off forever but I ask you please,
Don't fence me in.

Just turn me loose, let me straddle my old saddle
Underneath the western skies.
On my Cayuse, let me wander over yonder
Till I see the mountains rise.

I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences
And gaze at the moon till I lose my senses
And I can't look at hovels and I can't stand fences
Don't fence me in.

Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies,
Don't fence me in.
Let me ride through the wide open country that I love,
Don't fence me in.
Let me be by myself in the evenin' breeze
And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees
Send me off forever but I ask you please,
Don't fence me in

Just turn me loose, let me straddle my old saddle
Underneath the western skies
On my Cayuse, let me wander over yonder
Till I see the mountains rise.
Ba boo ba ba boo.

I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences
And gaze at the moon till I lose my senses
And I can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences
Don't fence me in.
No.
Poppa, don't you fence me in

 

DOWN THE OLD OX ROAD
(Coslow, Johnston)

There's a famous thoroughfare,
I've heard collegiates say. 
I'm not referring to Piccadilly. 
It's not 42nd Street, 
it's not the rue de la Paix, 
nor is it Market Street in Philly. 
Ask most any college Romeo,
to complete your education you must go....
 
Down the old ox road. 
Though you'll never find where it is 
by looking in maps, 
with a little investigation you'll discover perhaps, 
that this old tradition's not a place 
but just a proposition called
the old ox road, 
the old ox road.
 
Ox road could be any romantic spot: 
a country highway or a moonlit yacht. 
It could be in the parlor
when the lights are burning low; 
it could be in the movie 
in the very last row.
 
Down the old ox road. 
In the magic of the moonlight 
you are filled with delight, 
while the leaves that flutter o'er you 
whisper lover tonight, 
why keep waiting, and debating, 
when you know it's time for mating 
on the old ox road,
 on the old ox road.
 

FAR AWAY PLACES
(Kramer-Whitney)

Because of a musicians strike, Bing recorded only two songs in 1948. "Far Away Places" was one of these, and it paid Bing's rent and utilities for the year. There was no orchestral accompaniment because of the strike, only the Ken Darby Choir mooing in the background. The song was in the Billboard charts for 19 weeks, reaching as high as No. 2 for 3 weeks.

Far away places with strange-soundin' names
Far away over the sea
Those far away places with the strange-soundin' names
Are callin', callin' me

Goin' to China or maybe Siam
I want to see for myself
Those far away places I've been readin' about
In a book that I took from the shelf

I start gettin' restless whenever I hear
The whistle of a train
I pray for the day I can get underway
And look for those castles in Spain

They call me a dreamer, well maybe I am
But I know that I'm burnin' to see
Those far away places with the strange-soundin' names
Callin', callin' me

(I pray for the day when I'll find a way
Those far away places to see)

Those far away places with the strange-soundin' names
Callin', callin' me

 

GONE FISHIN'
(Nick A. Kenny / Charles F. Kenny)

I'll tell you why I can't find you
Every time I go out to your place...

You gone fishin' (well how you know)
Well there's a sign upon your door (uh-huh)
Gone fishin' (I'm real gone man)
You ain't workin' anymore (could be)
There's your hoe out in the sun
Where you left a row half done
You claim that hoein' ain't no fun (well I can prove it)
You ain't got no ambition

Gone fishin' by a shady wady pool (Shangrila, really la)
I'm wishin' I could be that kind of fool (should I twist your arm?)
I'd say no more work for mine (welcome to the club)
On my door I'd hang a sign
Gone fishin' instead of just a-wishin'

Papa Bing (yeah Louis)
I stopped by your place a time or two lately
And you aren't home either
Well, I'm a busy man Louis. I got a lotta deals cookin'
I was probably tied up at the studio
You weren't tied up you dog
You was just plain old...

Gone fishin' (bah-boo-bah-boo-bah-boo-bah-boo-bah)
There's a sign upon your door (Pops, don't blab it around, will you?)
Gone fishin' (keep it shady, I got me a big one staked out)
Mmm, you ain't workin' anymore (I don't have to work, I got me a piece of Gary)
Cows need milkin' in the barn (I have the twins on that detail, they each take a side)
But you just don't give a darn (give 'em four bits a cow and hand lotion)
You just never seem to learn (man, you taught me)
You ain't got no ambition (you're convincin' me)

Gone fishin' (bah-boo-dah-do-dah-do-dah-do)
Got your hound dog by your side (that's old Cindy-Lou goin' with me)
Gone fishin' (mmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm)
Fleas are bitin' at his hide (get away from me boy, you bother me)

Mmm, folks won't find us now because
Mister Satch and Mister Cros
We gone fishin' instead of just a-wishin'
Bah-boo-baby-bah-boo-bah-bay-mmm-bo-bay
Oh yeah!

 

I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU
(Monaco, Gordon)

I can't begin to tell you
How much you mean to me.
My world would end
If ever we were through.
 
I can't begin to tell you
How happy I would be
If I could speak my mind
Like others do.
 
I make such pretty speeches
Whenever we're apart.
But when you're near
The words I choose
Refuse to leave my heart.
 
So take the sweetest phrases
The world has ever known
And make believe
I've said them all to you.
 
I make such pretty speeches
Whenever we're apart.
But when you're near
The words I choose
Refuse to leave my heart.
 
So take the sweetest phrases
The world has ever known.
And make believe
I've said them all to you.

 

I FOUND A MILLION DOLLAR BABY
(Rose, Dixon, Warren)

It was a lucky April shower
It was the most convenient door
I found a million dollar baby
In a five and ten cent store.
The rain continued for an hour.
I hung around for three or four.
Around a million dollar baby
In a five and ten cent store.
 
She was selling china
And when she made those eyes,
I kept buying china 
Until the crowd got wise.
 
Incidently
If you should run into a shower,
Just step inside my cottage door,
And meet the million dollar baby
From the five and ten cent store.
 
Love comes along like a popular song
Any time or anywhere at all.
Rain or sunshine
Spring or fall.
Say, you'll never know when it may say hello
In a very unexpected place.
For example, take my case.
 
(Bing scats.)
 
She was selling china
And when she made those eyes
I kept buying china 
until the crowd got wise.
 
Incidently
If you should run into a shower
Oh, step inside my cottage door
And meet my million dollar baby

From the five and ten cent store

 

I LOVE YOU
(Cole Porter)

I love you
Hums the April breeze.
I love you
Echo the hills.
I love you
The golden dawn agrees
As once more she sees 
Daffodils.
It's spring again
And birds on the wing again
Start to sing again
The old melody.
I love you,
That's the song of songs
And it all belongs
To you and me.
 
It's spring again
And birds on the wing again
Start to sing again
The old melody.
I love you,
That's the song of songs
And it all belongs

To you and me.

 

I SURRENDER, DEAR
(Barris / Clifford)

We've played the game of 'stay away'
But it costs more than I can pay
Without you I can't make my way
I surrender, dear.

I may seem proud and I may act gay
That's just a pose, I'm not that way.
Cause deep down in my heart I say,
I surrender, dear.

Those little mean things we were doing
Must have been part of the game
Lending a spice to the wooing
Oh, but I don't care who's to blame

When stars appear and shadows fall
Then you'll hear my poor heart call
To you my love, my life, my all
I surrender, dear

Oh, to you my love, my life, my all
I surrender, dear

 

I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
(Kim Gannon, Walter Kent and Buck Ram)

I'll be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree
 
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the lovelight gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
 
I'll be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree
 
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the lovelight gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams

 

I'LL BE SEEING YOU
(Irving Kahal / Sammy Fain)

I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places
That this heart of mine embraces all day through
In that small café, the park across the way
The children's carousel, the chestnut trees, the wishing well

I'll be seeing you in every lovely summer's day
In everything that's light and gay
I'll always think of you that way
I'll find you in the mornin' sun
And when the night is new
I'll be looking at the moon
But I'll be seeing you

I'll find you in the mornin' sun
And when the night is new
I'll be looking at the moon
But I'll be seeing you

 

I'M AN OLD COWHAND (FROM THE RIO GRANDE)
(Johnny Mercer)

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
But my legs ain't bowed and my cheeks ain't tan
I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow
Never roped a steer cause I don't know how
Sure ain't a fixin to start in now
Yippie yi yo kayah
 
I'm an old cowhand and I come down from 
the Rio Grande
And I learned to ride, ride, ride 'fore I learned to 
stand
I'm a riding fool who is up to date
I know every trail in the Lone Star State
Cause I ride the range in a Ford V-8
Yippie yi yo kayah
 
We're old cowhands from the Rio Grande
And we come to town just to hear the band
We know all the songs that the cowboys know
'Bbout the big corral where the doggies go
We learned them all on the radio
Yippie yi yo kayah
 
 I'm an old cowhand
Oh yes, Mr. Bing.
Too hot for you, Uncle Fudd?
Down from the Rio Grande
Oh where the west is wild all around 
the borderland
Where the buffalo roam around the zoo
and the Injuns run up a rug or two
and the old Bar X is just a barbecue, yeah
Yippie yi yo kayah
 
I'm a pioneer who began from scratch
I don't bat an eye in a shootin' match.
They don't call me Elmer, they call me Satch.
Yippie yi yo kayah
Yippie yi yo kayah
 
Get along little horsy
Get along little horsy
Yippie yi yo kayah, oh!

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