Ella Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as "Lady Ella"… Read Full Bio ↴Ella Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as "Lady Ella", and the "First Lady of Song", was an American jazz vocalist.

Louis Armstrong (1901 - 1971) was a trumpet player, singer, and bandleader, and is widely regarded as one of the most influential artists in the history of jazz.

Let's do it
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When the little blue bird who has never said a word
Starts to sing, "Spring, spring"
When the little blue bell in the bottom of the dell
Starts to ring, "Ting, ting"

When the little blue clock in the middle of his work
Sings a song to the moon up above
It is nature that's all

Simply telling us to fall in love

And that's why birds do it
Bees do it
Even educated fleas do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love

In Spain, the best
Upper sets do it
Lithuanians and let's do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love

The dutch in old Amsterdam do it
Not to mention the fins
Folks in Siam do it
Think of Siamese twins

Some Argentines
Without means, do it
People say in Boston even beans do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love

Sponges
They say, "Do it"
Oysters down in oyster bay do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love

Cold cape cod clams
Against their wish, do it
Even lazy jellyfish, do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love

Electric eels I might add do it
Though it shocks 'em I know why ask if shad do it
Waiter bring me bring me shad roe
Come on and bring me, bring me shad roe

In shallow shoals
English soles do it
Goldfish in the privacy of bowls do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love

Now if the birds and the bees and the trees do it
The monkeys and the birds, bees do it
In, in water gates they quarrel but they do it
And if they can make up and still do it baby, how about me and you?

Hey let's do it now
Let's do it, let's fall in love

Overall Meaning

The song "Let's Do It" by Ella Fitzgerald (recorded with the Buddy Bregman Orchestra) is a playful and whimsical tune that speaks to the natural instincts of all living things to fall in love. The lyrics use metaphors and examples of birds, bees, clocks, and even educated fleas to suggest that the urge to fall in love is universal and deeply ingrained in the natural world.

The song begins by describing the various signs that spring has arrived - the little blue bird singing, the bluebell ringing, and the clock chiming - before suggesting that it is nature itself telling us to "fall in love." Throughout the rest of the song, the lyrics name various groups of people and creatures from around the world who are known to fall in love, including "Upper sets" in Spain, "Lithuanians and Letts," and "folks in Siam" (a reference to Siamese twins). The whimsical list of creatures that fall in love includes oysters, jellyfish, and electric eels, along with more commonly known animals like birds and fish.

One interesting aspect of the song is the way it uses a mixture of high-brow and low-brow references to make its point. The lyrics reference everything from the upper classes in Spain to the lowly jellyfish, from Lithuanians to the Dutch in Amsterdam. The song also includes a humorous reference to the Watergate scandal with the line "In Water Gates they quarrel but they do it," which was likely a reference to the Nixon Administration's wiretapping scandal that had recently come to light in the early 1970s.

Another interesting fact about the song is that it was written by the legendary composer Cole Porter in 1928 and has been covered by countless artists over the years. Ella Fitzgerald's version is one of the most well-known and beloved versions of the song, but other notable versions include recordings by Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, and Frank Sinatra.

Chords:
Verse:
C, Dm7, G7, C
C, F7, Dm, G7
C, Dm7, G7, C
C, F7, Dm, G7

Chorus:
C, Am7, Dm7, G7
C, Am7, Dm7, G7
C, C7, F, D7
G7, G#dim, C, G/B

Bridge:
Am7, Dm7, G7, C, A7, Dm7, G7, C

Line by Line Meaning

When the little blue bird who has never said a word Starts to sing, "Spring, spring"
Nature is so beautiful that even a silent creature like a bird cannot help but burst into song, announcing the arrival of spring

When the little blue bell in the bottom of the dell Starts to ring, "Ting, ting"
The little bell in the valley echoes the bird's sentiments, joyfully ringing and adding to the musical celebration of nature

When the little blue clock in the middle of his work Sings a song to the moon up above It is nature that's all Simply telling us to fall in love
Even the ticking of a clock sounds like music and calls upon us to embrace love, a natural and timeless feeling

And that's why birds do it Bees do it Even educated fleas do it Let's do it, let's fall in love
Nature is full of examples of creatures engaging in romantic activities, so let's join in and fall in love ourselves

In Spain, the best Upper sets do it Lithuanians and let's do it Let's do it, let's fall in love
Love is not limited by geography or social class, as even the wealthy and the Lithuanians are swept up in its power

The dutch in old Amsterdam do it Not to mention the fins Folks in Siam do it Think of Siamese twins
From Amsterdam to Siam, love knows no borders, and even siblings like Siamese twins can feel the pull of romantic attraction

Some Argentines Without means, do it People say in Boston even beans do it Let's do it, let's fall in love
Money doesn't matter when it comes to love, as even poor Argentines can find it, and in Boston, even beans seem to be in love

Sponges They say, "Do it" Oysters down in oyster bay do it Let's do it, let's fall in love
Even creatures that seem inanimate or just a little gross, like sponges and oysters, engage in love, so let's not hold back

Cold cape cod clams Against their wish, do it Even lazy jellyfish, do it Let's do it, let's fall in love
Love is so strong that it can make even reluctant creatures like clams and lazy jellyfish fall for each other, so why resist it ourselves?

Electric eels I might add do it Though it shocks 'em I know why ask if shad do it Waiter bring me bring me shad roe Come on and bring me, bring me shad roe
Even electric eels can find love, though it may shock them; the singer is also smitten with shad, a type of fish, and requests it from the waiter

In shallow shoals English soles do it Goldfish in the privacy of bowls do it Let's do it, let's fall in love
Even fish find love, whether they're swimming in shoals in the ocean or in solitary bowls, so we should embrace it too

Now if the birds and the bees and the trees do it The monkeys and the birds, bees do it In, in water gates they quarrel but they do it And if they can make up and still do it baby, how about me and you?
Nature is full of creatures that fight and make up, yet still find time for love, so why can't the singer and their lover put aside their disagreements and do the same?

Hey let's do it now Let's do it, let's fall in love
The singer passionately urges their lover to embrace love and fall for each other, just like the rest of nature

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLE PORTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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