Lyrics On Several Occasions

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If you care about the classic movie musicals from the 1930s and 40s, you have to read Lyrics on Several Occasions.  Ira Gershwin provides commentary for more than 80 musical numbers for which he developed lyrics.  He teamed up with his brother George Gershwin as well as many other well-known composers of the era. 

His comments may include technical notes about why he used certain words or rhymes for a specific number. Or it may include anecdotal information about a song.  In some cases, he provides his opinions on how specific entertainers performed his work.

‘S Wonderful

For example, Ira collaborated with George on the song “’S Wonderful” from the musical “Funny Face” in 1927. He explained that he intentionally wanted the sound effect of slurring the “s” from “it’s” with the next word.  That is, he wanted it pronounced as “swonderful” and “smarvelous” without the preceding “it” pronoun.  And then he expresses frustration with performers who insist on changing the phrase to “it’s wonderful” and “it’s marvelous.” 

Gershwin must have liked the rendition by Gene Kelly and Georges Guetary from 1951’s An American in Paris.

Gershwin also talks about a top critic who approached him in the lobby of the Schubert Theatre in Philadelphia to discuss the song.  He says the critic felt the song contained an obscene phrase.  Telling the story more than 30 years later, Gershwin comments, “I don’t know what he would think about these Freedom-of-Four-Letter-Speech days, but at that time he felt that ‘feeling amorous’ was something better scrawled in chalk than sung from a stage.”

Companion Piece

If you decide to read Lyrics On Several Occasions, consider starting first with Michael Feinstein’s The Gershwins and Me.  Feinstein spent considerable time with Ira Gershwin, becoming good friends during Gershwin’s later years.  His stories from that book provide significant background to Gershwin’s commentary.

All in all, Gershwin’s take on his own lyrics provides a deeper appreciation of those wonderful old numbers.

‘S marvelous!

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Quotes

[Regarding “’S Wonderful”]:   The principal reason for writing this lyric was to feature the sibilant sound effect by deleting the “it” of “it’s” and slurring the leftover “s” with the first syllable of the following word. So I’m frequently baffled by what some singers have in mind and throat when they formalize the phrases to “It’s Wonderful,” “It’s marvelous,” “It’s Paradise,” &c.

[Regarding “Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off”]   May I conclude with a note of phonic and marital tolerance on the part of Mr. and Mrs. Ira Gershwin?  We have been married over thirty years, and the pronunciations taught us in our youth still persist:  my wife still “eyethers” and “tomahtoes” me, while I “ether” and “tomato” her.

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