Cohan began his career as a child, performing with his parents and sister in a vaudeville act known as "The Four Cohans." Beginning with Little Johnny Jones in 1904, he wrote, composed, produced, and appeared in more than three dozen Broadway musicals. Cohan published more than 300 songs during his lifetime, including the standards "Over There", "Give My Regards to Broadway", "The Yankee Doodle Boy" and "You're a Grand Old Flag". As a composer, he was one of the early members of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). He displayed remarkable theatrical longevity, appearing in films until the 1930s, and continuing to perform as a headline artist until 1940.
Known in the decade before World War I as "the man who owned Broadway", he is considered the father of American musical comedy. His life and music were depicted in the Academy Award-winning film Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) and the 1968 musical George M!. A statue of Cohan in Times Square in New York City commemorates his contributions to American musical theatre.
I
George M. Cohan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the universe should cease to spin around
If the stars tumbled to the ground
You ask me now would I walk through fire and rain for you somehow
You know that I would, yes I would
That's how I feel about you
That's how I feel about you
That's how I feel about you
If time stood still
And the earth is burning, falling down to die
Your time to stop and wonder why
You ask me how I would spend the final moments of my life
Right by your side I will die
That's how I feel about you
That's how I feel about you
Call it love I won't deny it's true
That's how I feel about you
Oh, naked I stand before the master of moments
When destiny is due
Cause baby I know this love is more than a moment
And that's how I feel about you
You ask me now would I walk through fire and rain for you somehow
You know that I would, yes I would
That's how I feel about you
That's how I feel about you
Call it love I won't deny it's true
That's how I feel about you
The lyrics of George M. Cohan's song "That's How I Feel About You" describe an unwavering, devoted love that surpasses any obstacle, even if the world were to come to an end. The singer proclaims that they would be willing to walk through fire and rain to be with their loved one, and even die by their side in the face of inevitable doom. The lyrics use the metaphor of time standing still and the universe crumbling to convey the depth and intensity of the singer's feelings for their loved one, emphasizing that their love is an undying force that triumphs over all else.
When the singer says "naked I stand before the master of moments," it suggests a certain vulnerability and honesty in their expression of love. The phrase "master of moments" implies that life is made up of fleeting moments, and the singer acknowledges the importance of this one moment in which they confess their love. The song implies that there is something sacred and eternal about their love, even in the face of apocalyptic chaos.
Line by Line Meaning
If time stood still
If all movement in the world ceased
And the universe should cease to spin around
And the cosmos stopped its rotating motion
If the stars tumbled to the ground
If the celestial bodies fell from the sky
You ask me now would I walk through fire and rain for you somehow
If you asked me to endure any difficulty, I would do it for you
You know that I would, yes I would
I love you so much that I am willing to sacrifice for you
That's how I feel about you
My love for you is beyond words
Call it love I won't deny it's true
I cannot deny that this is love
If time stood still
Even if time stopped
And the earth is burning, falling down to die
And our world is collapsing in flames
Your time to stop and wonder why
You would have a moment to reflect on the situation
You ask me how I would spend the final moments of my life
If given the choice, I would want to spend it with you
Right by your side I will die
I want to share my last moments with you
Oh, naked I stand before the master of moments
I face the inevitable outcome of the passing of time
When destiny is due
When fate finally arrives
Cause baby I know this love is more than a moment
I know that our love is enduring
And that's how I feel about you
That's how much I love you
You ask me now would I walk through fire and rain for you somehow
If you asked me to endure any difficulty, I would do it for you
You know that I would, yes I would
I love you so much that I am willing to sacrifice for you
That's how I feel about you
My love for you is beyond words
Call it love I won't deny it's true
I cannot deny that this is love
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE EDWARD CHANDLER, JIMMY CHAMBERS, JIMMY HELMS, WILLIAM RUSSELL HENSHALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
That 70's Girl
Happy Veteran Day to all those who served. Today is always the day that my dad is my first thought in the morning. Thank you dad, for being the man you are. Serving in the National Guards... it was evident you were going to serve your country. That he did. He was one of lucky ones. And he most certainly knew it! God Bless you all! 🙏
Happy Friday 🕊 Thank you for sharing! 💖
JillKJV
Precious video, thank you. 👍
Lazyeyewitness
He was, and is a national treasure!
lonestarfriend
Happy Veterans Day!
gregorysharp
My grandparents lived right next to a kind Doughboy (popular nickname for the American infantryman during World War 1)
Back in the late 70s. We would talk a lot because I loved WW1 aviation etc. He still had the lungs to belt Over There out. ❤
Love this channel. I would buy every blue ray/DVD Of every episode if possible.
But I’m grateful for what I got.
Brian McNicholl
This is indeed the REAL, original, George M. Cohan --- in footage shot in Providence, RI in Sept. 1934.
Tom Smith
As an update to my earlier comment, in which, through my own research, I concluded the following to be true, this has now been confirmed to be rare video footage of George M. Cohan Sr., not Jr. The footage was shot in Providence, Rhode Island in September 1934. Brian McNicholl, a George M. Cohan historian who uploaded a rare radio recording of George singing "Over There" is the one who has confirmed this.
Edit: The uploaders have now corrected the title of the video.
Tom Smith
This appears to be newsreel footage from the '30's or '40's. I strongly suspect this is actually George M. Cohan Sr, not Jr. as the title states. Looking at pictures, this man looks like the famous George M. Cohan Sr., writer of patriotic songs such as "Over There", "You're a Grand Old Flag" and others like "Give My Regards to Broadway" and played by James Cagney in the film "Yankee Doodle Dandy". In addition, I just listened to a recording of Jr. singing "Over There" and this does not sound like him, so I feel this is likely Sr. in the video. This does not appear to be something that was filmed for the Ed Sullivan show, but rather, much earlier film footage. This is speculation, but perhaps George M. Cohan Jr. was on this episode talking about his famous father, and Ed showed this rare film footage of his dad. Sr. passed away in 1942, while his son, Jr., passed away in 2000.
Tom Smith
@Brian McNicholl It's a rare candid look!
Brian McNicholl
@Tom Smith Oh, good. Glad you enjoyed it. The most interesting and revealing parts are the sequences where you see Cohan relaxing with the other guys, and his behavior when he's not on-camera. That's when you see the genuine article.