The Half of It Dearie Blues
Fred Astaire Lyrics

Each time you trill a song with Bill or look at Will
Whenever you sing or even glance the way of a man named Bill or Will

I get a chill, I'm gloomy
I shudder with sadness and despair

I won't recall the names of all the men who fall
I don't bother to remember all the men who are enamored with you

It's all appalling to me
It's all so terrible and distressing to witness

Of course, I really cannot blame them a bit
I don't blame those men for being attracted to you

For you're a hit where're you flit
Because you're popular and sought-after everywhere you go

I know it's so, but dearie, oh!
I recognize that it's true, but it still pains me

You'll never know the blues that go right through me
You'll never understand the sadness and melancholy I feel because of you

I've got the you-don't-know-the-half-of-it-dearie blues
I feel extremely sad, and you only know part of the reason why

The trouble is you have so many from whom to choose
The problem is that you have so many potential suitors to choose from

If you should marry Tom, Dick, or harry,
If you were to marry any of the countless men who are interested in you,

Life would be the bunk, I'd become a monk
My life would be miserable, and I might as well become a monk

I've got the you-don't know-the-half-of-it-dearie blues!
I am overcome with a deep melancholy that you cannot fully comprehend

To Bill and Ben I'd pay attention now and then
I used to be interested in men like Bill and Ben occasionally

But really men would bore me
But in reality, men often bore me

When I'd begun to think I'd run and be a nun
When I started to feel like I wanted to run away and become a nun

I met the one man for me
I finally found the man I truly love

And now just when the sun is starting to beam
But now, just as things were starting to look up

Along comes a girl, zip goes a dream!
Another woman came into the picture, and my dream fizzled away

What will I do away from you?
I don't know what I will do without you

I feel the future will be blue and stormy
I feel like the future will be bleak and turbulent

It may be my heart isn't broken, but there's a bruise.
Perhaps my heart isn't shattered, but it still bears a wound

Through you I've known some days that were lonesome
Because of you, I have experienced many days of loneliness

Though you say that i'm flirting all the time
Even though you accuse me of always flirting with other men

I've got the you-don't know-the-half-of-it-dearie blues!
I am still consumed with a deep sadness that you cannot fully comprehend

Oh, how i wish you'd drop an anchor and end your cruise
Oh, how I wish you would settle down and stop traveling so much

You're just a duffer who makes me suffer
You're just a clueless person who causes me grief

All the younger set says your heart's to let
All the young people say that you're not committed to anyone

I've got the you-don't-know-the-half-of-it-dearie blues!
I still cannot shake off the intense melancholy that grips me