OTT from 1917, at the NPG, here.
"If You Were the Only Girl In the World" was a song written by Nat D. Ayer-music, with lyrics by Clifford Grey & made famous in the musical revue The Bing Boys Are Here. The sentimental song had to be bittersweet in wake of the ongoing first World War & the losses suffered by a war weary nation. The original stars of the show-George Robey, playing Lucius Bing, and Violet Loraine, playing Emma, debuted the song on April 19th 1916 at the premiere in The Alhambra, Leicester Square, London. Ottoline was completely enchanted with their performances and carried away with the song. While in Ireland at a pub, she sang "If You Were the Only Girl In the World"when asked to contribute a tune of her own after applauding a number of Irish folk songs sung by regulars there.
"If You Were the Only Girl In the World"
Sometimes when I feel low
and things look blue
I wish a boy I had... say one like you.
Someone within my heart to build a throne
Someone who'd never part, to call my own
and things look blue
I wish a boy I had... say one like you.
Someone within my heart to build a throne
Someone who'd never part, to call my own
If you were the only girl(ie) in the world
and I were the only boy
Nothing else would matter in the world today
We could go on loving in the same old way
and I were the only boy
Nothing else would matter in the world today
We could go on loving in the same old way
A garden of Eden just made for two
With nothing to mar our joy
I would say such wonderful things to you
There would be such wonderful things to do
If you were the only girl(ie) in the world
and I were the only boy.
With nothing to mar our joy
I would say such wonderful things to you
There would be such wonderful things to do
If you were the only girl(ie) in the world
and I were the only boy.
My goodness. Music has changed a bit, eh? Thanks for posting the words.
ReplyDeleteSo right, I do love the sentimental element here, the actual sound today-her own sense of the song and the "of the period" sense of loss. Yes the words help-and of course he sang it girlie-how old fashioned is that?!
ReplyDeleteMy grandparents told me that this was their song.
ReplyDeleteOne of the last memories of my grandmother- smiling and in a wheelchair, looking over her tortoise-shell glasses (I remember seeing for a quick second the glamorous chic girl she used to be)- was singing in a soft happy voice a bit of the song to me.
Wonderful, to see it here.
it is dear-and wasn't that idea of true love.
ReplyDelete