Loewe was born in Berlin to Viennese parents Edmond and Rosa Loewe. His father Edmond was a noted Jewish operetta star who traveled considerably, to North and South America and throughout much of Europe. Fritz grew up in Berlin and attended a Prussian cadet school from the age of five until he was thirteen.
At an early age Loewe learned to play piano by ear and helped his father rehearse. He eventually attended a music conservatory in Berlin, one year behind virtuoso Claudio Arrau. Both won the coveted Hollander Medal awarded by the school, and Fritz gave performances as a concert pianist while still in Germany.
In 1925, his father received an offer to appear in New York, and Loewe traveled there with him, determined to write for Broadway. This proved to be difficult, and he found work playing piano in German clubs in Yorkville and in movie theaters as the accompanist for silent pictures.
Loewe began to visit The Lambs Club, a hangout for theater performers, producers, managers, and directors. It was here that he met Alan J. Lerner in 1942. Their first collaboration was a musical adaptation of Barry Connor's farce The Patsy called Life of the Party for a Detroit stock company. It enjoyed a nine-week run and encouraged the duo to join forces with Arthur Pierson for What's Up?, which opened on Broadway in 1943. It ran for 63 performances and was followed two years later by The Day Before Spring. One of Broadway's most successful partnerships had been established.
Their first hit was Brigadoon (1947), a romantic fantasy set in a mystical Scottish village, directed by Robert Lewis. It was followed in 1951 by the less successful Gold Rush story Paint Your Wagon.
In 1956 Lerner and Loewe unveiled My Fair Lady. Their adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion retained his social commentary and added unusually appropriate songs for the characters of Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins, played originally by Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison. It was hugely popular and set box-office records in New York and London. Together with Lerner, he won the Tony Award for Best Musical. With My Fair Lady a smash hit, MGM took notice, and commissioned them to write the 1958 film musical Gigi, which won nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Their next Broadway production, Camelot, received mediocre reviews when it opened. The director and producer arranged for stars Richard Burton, Julie Andrews, and Robert Goulet to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show and sing a few numbers from the musical, along with an appearance by Lerner and Loewe. The following morning the box office was swamped with requests, and Camelot became a huge hit.
Loewe then decided to retire to Palm Springs, California, not writing anything until he was approached by Lerner to augment the Gigi film score with additional tunes for a 1973 stage adaptation, which won him his second Tony, this time for Best Original Score. The following year they collaborated on a musical film version of The Little Prince, based on the classic children's tale by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. This film was a critical and box office failure, but has become a cult favorite, with the soundtrack recording and the film itself back in print (on CD and DVD) after many years of being unavailable.
Loewe was inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame in 1972. He remained in Palm Springs until his death.
Get Me to the Church on Time
Frederick Loewe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's all the time you′ve got. A few more hours
Before they tie the knot. Doolittle
There are drinks and girls all over London,
And I've gotta track 'em down in just a few more hours!
I′m getting married in the morning! Ding dong!
The bells are gonna chime. Pull out the stopper!
I gotta be there in the mornin'
Spruced up and lookin′ in me prime.
Girls, come and kiss me;
Show how you'll miss me.
But get me to the church on time!
If I am dancin′ Roll up the floor.
If I am whistlin' Whewt me out the door!
For I′m gettin' married in the mornin'
Ding dong! the bells are gonna chime.
Kick up an rumpus But don′t lose the compass;
And get me to the church, Get me to the church,
For Gawd′s sake, get me to the church on time!
Doolittle and Everyone I'm getting married in the morning
Ding dong! the bells are gonna chime.
Doolittle Drug me or jail me, Stamp me and mail me.
All But get me to the church on time!
I gotta be there in the morning
Spruced up and lookin′ in me prime.
Doolittle Some bloke who's able Lift up the table,
All And get em to the church on time!
Doolittle If I am flying Then shoot me down.
If I am wooin′,
Get her out of town!
All For I'm getting married in the morning!
Ding dong! the bells are gonna chime.
Doolittle Feather and tar me;
Call out the Army; But get me to the church.
All Get me to the church...
Doolittle For Gawd′s sake, get me to the church on time!
Harry and Everyone Starlight is reelin' home to bed now.
Mornin' is smearin′ up the sky. London is wakin′.
Daylight is breakin'. Good luck, old chum,
Good health, goodbye.
Doolittle I′m gettin' married in the mornin′
Ding dong! the bells are gonna chime...
Hail and salute me Then haul off and boot me...
And get me to the church, Get me to the church...
For Gawd's sake, get me to the church on time!
The song "Get Me to the Church on Time" by Frederick Loewe from the musical My Fair Lady, is a lively tune sung by Doolittle and his friends Jamie and Harry. The song is about Doolittle's impending wedding and his excitement to get there. He's spent the night before drinking, dancing, and chasing women with his pals in London, yet he still has to get to the church in the morning. Doolittle can't wait to be married and is eager to begin his new life, yet he's afraid he might not make it to the church on time, as he has partied too hard.
The lyrics are full of slang and vernacular, giving the song a working-class feel. Doolittle's friends Harry and Jamie try to keep him on track, while the others around them are dancing, drinking, and having a good time. The song's energy is infectious and reflects Doolittle's enthusiasm and urgency. The chorus, "Get me to the church on time!" is repeated multiple times to emphasize Doolittle's anxiety about missing his own wedding.
Overall, the song is a funny and upbeat take on the anxiety and excitement of getting married. It captures the mood of Doolittle and his friends perfectly and serves as a fantastic comedic relief within the musical's storyline.
Line by Line Meaning
There's just a few more hours.
The time left is just a few hours.
Before they tie the knot.
Before the wedding ceremony.
There are drinks and girls all over London,
Many women and alcoholic beverages are available in London.
And I've gotta track 'em down in just a few more hours!
I have to find and meet them in a few hours!
I'm getting married in the morning!
I'm going to get married in the morning!
Ding dong! The bells are gonna chime.
The sound of the bells will announce the wedding.
Pull out the stopper!
Open the champagne bottle!
Let's have a whopper!
Let's have a great celebration!
But get me to the church on time!
Make sure I arrive at the church on time!
I gotta be there in the morning
I have to be present in the church in the morning.
Spruced up and lookin' in me prime.
I have to look my best.
Girls, come and kiss me;
Ladies, give me a farewell kiss.
Show how you'll miss me.
Show me how much you will miss me.
If I am dancin' Roll up the floor.
If I start dancing, let the floor be cleared.
If I am whistlin' Whewt me out the door!
If I start whistling, warn me to stop.
For I'm gettin' married in the mornin'
I'm getting married in the morning!
Ding dong! The bells are gonna chime.
The bells will ring.
Kick up an rumpus But don't lose the compass;
Celebrate, but be sure not to lose the way.
And get me to the church,
Make sure I'm in the church.
For Gawd's sake, get me to the church on time!
Please, make it a priority to get me to the church on time!
Drug me or jail me, Stamp me and mail me.
If necessary, drug or imprison me, stamp me and send me to the church.
Some bloke who's able Lift up the table,
Find someone strong who will lift up the heavy table.
And get em to the church on time!
Take the objects to the church on time!
If I am flying Then shoot me down.
If I'm not serious, stop me.
If I am wooin', Get her out of town!
If I pursue someone, please take her away from me.
Feather and tar me; Call out the Army;
Punish me or even call the Army if I delay the wedding.
But get me to the church.
However, make sure I'm at the church.
For Gawd's sake, get me to the church on time!
Please do not let me miss the wedding ceremony!
Starlight is reelin' home to bed now.
People are going to bed now as the stars twinkle.
Mornin' is smearin' up the sky.
The sky is getting lighter as the morning approaches.
London is wakin'.
London is waking up.
Daylight is breakin'.
The new day is starting.
Good luck, old chum, Good health, goodbye.
Goodbye, friend, I wish you good luck and good health!
Hail and salute me
Please recognize and congratulate me.
Then haul off and boot me...
And then don't be afraid to kick me to make sure I'm on time!
Get me to the church,
As I have emphasized before, bring me to the church,
Get me to the church...
Yes, I'm sure you get it.
For Gawd's sake, get me to the church on time!
I cannot stress this enough: please, please, do not let me be late for the wedding!
Writer(s): Lerner Alan Jay, Loewe Frederick
Contributed by William H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.