The Babbitt and the Bromide lyrics
by George Gershwin
[JIMMY]
A Babbitt met a Bromide
On the avenue one day
And held a conversation
In their own peculiar way
[FRANKIE]
They both were solid citizens
They both had been around
And as they spoke you clearly saw
Their feet were on the ground
[JIMMY]
Hello!
[FRANKIE]
How are you?
[JIMMY]
How's the folks?
[FRANKIE]
What's new?
[JIMMY]
I'm great
[FRANKIE]
That's good
[JIMMY]
Ha ha
[FRANKIE]
Touch wood
[JIMMY]
Well, well
[FRANKIE]
What say?
[JIMMY]
How've you been?
[FRANKIE]
Nice day
[JIMMY]
How's things?
[FRANKIE]
What's new?
[JIMMY]
That's fine
[FRANKIE]
How are you?
Nice weather we are having
But it gives me such a pain
I've brought my umbrella
So of course it doesn't rain
[JIMMY]
Well, heigh-ho
[FRANKIE]
That's life
[JIMMY]
What's new?
[FRANKIE]
How's the wife?
[JIMMY]
Got to run
[FRANKIE]
Oh, my
[JIMMY]
Ta-ta
[FRANKIE]
Olive oil
[JIMMY]
Goodbye
[JIMMY]
Ten years went quickly by
For both these sub-sti-an-tial men
And then it happened that one day
They chanced to meet again
[FRANKIE]
That they had both developed
In ten years there was no doubt
And so of course they had
An awful lot to talk about
[JIMMY]
Hello!
[FRANKIE]
How are you?
[JIMMY]
How's the folks?
[FRANKIE]
What's new?
[JIMMY]
I'm great
[FRANKIE]
That's good
[JIMMY]
Ha ha
[FRANKIE]
Touch wood!
[JIMMY]
Well, well!
[FRANKIE]
What say?
[JIMMY]
How've you been?
[FRANKIE]
Nice day
[JIMMY]
How's things?
[FRANKIE]
What's new?
[JIMMY]
That's fine
[FRANKIE]
How are you?
[JIMMY]
I seem to know your face
But I just can't recall your name
[FRANKIE]
Well, how've you been, old boy?
You're looking just about the same
[JIMMY]
Well, heigh-ho
[FRANKIE]
That's life
[JIMMY]
What's new?
[FRANKIE]
How's the wife?
[JIMMY]
Got to run
[FRANKIE]
Oh, my
[JIMMY]
Ta-ta
[FRANKIE]
Olive oil
[JIMMY]
Goodbye
[JIMMY]
Before they met again
Some twenty years they had to wait
This time it happened up above
Inside St. Peter's Gate
[FRANKIE]
A harp each one was carrying
And both were wearing wings
And this is what they said
As they were strumming on the strings:
[JIMMY]
Hello!
[FRANKIE]
How are you?
[JIMMY]
How's the folks?
[FRANKIE]
What's new?
[JIMMY]
Got to run
[FRANKIE]
Oh, my
[JIMMY]
Ta-ta
[FRANKIE]
Olive oil
[JIMMY]
Goodbye