Put Em' in a Box Tie Em' With a Ribbon
Danny Kaye & The Andrews Sisters Lyrics


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You can take the moon, gather up the stars
And the robins that sing merrily
Put 'em in a box, tie 'em with a ribbon
Throw 'em in the deep blue sea

You can take the flowers, down in lovers lane
And that sentimental poetry
Put 'em in a box, tie 'em with a ribbon
Throw 'em in the deep blue sea

Not for me, all that stuff
The dreams that ruin your sleep
Not for me, had enough
Love is one thing you can keep

You can take the plans and the wedding bells
And whoever sings, "Oh, promise me"
Put 'em in a box, tie 'em with a ribbon
Throw 'em in the deep blue sea
'Cause love and I we don't agree

Hansoms through the park, kisses in the dark
All the promises made faithfully
Put 'em in a box, tie 'em with a ribbon
Throw 'em in the deep blue sea

And you won't go wrong if you take a song
Sung by Frankie Boy or Mr. C
Put 'em in a box, tie 'em with a ribbon
Throw 'em in the deep blue sea

Not for me, all that stuff
Not for me, had enough

You know what to do with good old tea for two
And the girl for you, the boy for me
Put 'em in a box, tie 'em with a ribbon




Throw 'em in the deep blue sea
'Cause love and I we don't agree

Overall Meaning

The song "Put 'Em in a Box, Tie 'Em with a Ribbon" is a playful and humorous commentary on love and relationships. The lyrics suggest that traditional symbols and cliches of love, such as the moon, stars, flowers, poetry, and promises, are not for the singer. He urges the listener to throw these things into the sea, implying that they are meaningless or even harmful to him. He even suggests taking a song by Frank Sinatra or Perry Como and tossing it in the ocean, indicating that he rejects even romantic music.


The singer's rejection of traditional love symbols may be read in various ways. One interpretation is that he has been hurt by love in the past and is now cynical or bitter. Another interpretation is that he is rejecting the unrealistic or shallow expectations that society places on romantic relationships. He may be suggesting that love is deeper and more complex than simple symbols or superficial gestures.


Overall, the song is a playful and ironic take on the theme of love and its conventional symbols. By suggesting that they are meaningless or even harmful to him, the singer subverts the romantic traditions of popular music and questions the very idea of love itself.


Line by Line Meaning

You can take the moon, gather up the stars
You can gather anything, but it doesn't matter to me.


And the robins that sing merrily
Even the most delightful things don't matter to me.


Put 'em in a box, tie 'em with a ribbon
I don't want or need any of those things.


Throw 'em in the deep blue sea
Get rid of them.


You can take the flowers, down in lovers lane
You can take romantic things, but it doesn't matter to me.


And that sentimental poetry
Even emotional things don't matter to me.


Not for me, all that stuff
I am not interested in those things.


The dreams that ruin your sleep
I don't want to be kept awake by thoughts of love.


Not for me, had enough
I have had enough of love.


Love is one thing you can keep
I don't want anything to do with love.


You can take the plans and the wedding bells
You can take all the traditional symbols of love and marriage, but it doesn't matter to me.


And whoever sings, "Oh, promise me"
Even the most romantic songs don't interest me.


'Cause love and I we don't agree
I don't want any part of love.


Hansoms through the park, kisses in the dark
Romantic gestures hold no interest for me.


All the promises made faithfully
Even the most sincere promises hold no sway over me.


And you won't go wrong if you take a song
If you want to express love, a song is a safe choice.


Sung by Frankie Boy or Mr. C
Songs sung by popular crooners are a good choice for expressing love.


You know what to do with good old tea for two
Traditional images of romance are meaningless to me.


And the girl for you, the boy for me
I don't need love to be happy.


'Cause love and I we don't agree
I reject the idea of love entirely.




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JULE STYNE, SAMMY CAHN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@rubewaddell1704

Australia's 63rd number one hit along with a version by Ray McKinley.

@irenekent4335

oh happy memories love Danny Kaye so clever

@korndog87

wow danny kaye and the andrew sister still hold up today......love civilization!

@billieanderson93

Great song!

@giulianagennaccaro6934

Sempre grande Danny Kaye! Lo adoro!

@hipsterdoofus1026

With due respect this has to be later than 1944, I thought Doris premiered it in 1948.

@ianvancauwenberg1982

Yeah, Danny Kaye & the Andrews Sisters first recorded this song in 1948 as well.

@patrickstar1852

I prefer this over Doris's version

@RAMROD4708

Great record! Is this a V-Disc? Do you have any label information?

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