Berlin, who was Jewish, was one of the few Tin Pan Alley/Broadway songwriters who wrote both lyrics and music for his songs. Although he never learned to read music beyond a rudimentary level, he composed over 3,000 songs. Many of his songs, including "God Bless America", "White Christmas", "Alexander's Ragtime Band", and "There's No Business Like Show Business," left an indelible mark on American music and culture. He produced 17 film scores and 21 Broadway scores, in addition to his individual songs.
Anything You Can Do
Irving Berlin Lyrics
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I can do, we can do, I can do, much much better than You.
Anything you can do, I can do better.
I can do anything better than you.
No you can't.
Yes I can.
No you can't.
No you can't.
Yes I can, yes I can.
Anything You can be I can be greater.
Sooner or later, I'm greater than you.
No, you're not.
Yes I am.
No you're not.
Yes I am.
No you're not.
Yes I am, yes I am.
I can shoot a partridge with a single cartridge.
I can get a sparrow with a bow and arrow.
We can do most anything.
Can you bake a pie?
No.
Well Neither can I.
Anything you can sing I can sing louder.
I can sing anything louder than you.
No you can't.
Yes I can.
No you can't.
Sure I can.
No you can't.
Yes I can
I'm superior, no you're inferior.
I'm the big attraction, oh no you are the small.
I'm the major one, oh no you're the minor one,
I can beat you at anything', and that's not all.
Anything you can buy, I can buy cheaper.
I can buy anything cheaper than you.
Fifty cents.
Forty cents.
Thirty cents.
Twenty cents.
No you can't.
Yes I can, yes I can.
Anything you can dig, I can dig deeper.
I can dig anything deeper than you.
Thirty feet.
Forty feet.
Fifty feet.
I can drink my liquor faster than a flicker.
I can do it quicker and get even sicker.
I can live on bread and cheese.
And only on that?
Yep.
So can a rat.
Any note you can reach, I can go higher.
I can sing anything higher than you.
No you can't.
Yes I can.
No you can't.
Yes I can.
Anyone you can lick, I can lick faster.
I can lick anyone faster than you.
With your fist?
With my feet.
With your feet?
With an axe.
Anything you can do, I can do better.
I can do anything better than you.
No you can't.
Yes We can.
No you can't.
Yes We can.
No you can't.
Yes We can, yes We can.
The song "Anything You Can Do" by Irving Berlin is a playful duet between two characters, a man and a woman, who compete with each other to prove that they are better than the other in everything. The song is filled with witty and humorous lyrics that showcase the characters' competitive yet humorous nature.
The lyrics show that the characters are trying to one-up each other in many different aspects of their lives. They compete in singing, shooting, digging, buying, and drinking, among other things. The song highlights the characters' playfulness and their desire to show off their skills.
The song not only has humorous lyrics but also has a catchy tune that makes it a popular song to sing along to. The repetition in the lyrics, such as "No you can't. Yes, I can," helps to make the song memorable and easy to sing along to.
Overall, "Anything You Can Do" is a fun and playful song that is perfect for a light-hearted competition between friends or couples.
Line by Line Meaning
Anything you can do, I can do better.
I am capable of outdoing you in every task you perform.
I can do anything better than you.
My ability to perform is superior to yours in every domain.
No you can't.
You are incapable of doing better than me.
Yes I can.
I am absolutely certain of my ability to outdo you.
Anything You can be I can be greater.
I possess more admirable qualities than you ever could.
Sooner or later, I'm greater than you.
Inevitably, I will surpass you in every way.
I can shoot a partridge with a single cartridge.
It takes me very little time and resources to accomplish what others need consierable more of.
I can sing anything louder than you.
My ability to project my voice is superior to yours.
Sure I can.
I have complete confidence in my ability to do so.
I'm superior, no you're inferior.
I am of higher quality than you and you lack in quality in comparison to me.
I'm the big attraction, oh no you are the small.
I am the main attraction, you are merely a small part of it.
Anything you can buy, I can buy cheaper.
I can obtain the same items you possess for a lower price.
Fifty cents.
I offer a much lower price than you can.
No you can't.
You cannot obtain the same items for a lower price as I can.
Yes I can, yes I can.
I can positively do better than you can.
Anything you can dig, I can dig deeper.
I can dig deeper than you can.
I can drink my liquor faster than a flicker.
I can consume liquor more quickly than most.
I can live on bread and cheese. And only on that?
I can survive on a minimal amount of sustenance.
Yep.
Yes.
So can a rat.
A rat can also survive on a similar amount of sustenance.
Any note you can reach, I can go higher.
I can reach even higher notes than you can.
Anyone you can lick, I can lick faster.
I can defeat anyone faster than you can.
With your fist?
Using your fists.
With my feet.
Using my feet.
With your feet?
Yes, I can.
With an axe.
Even a difficult task like that will be accomplished with ease by me.
Yes We can.
Collectively, we can do better than you.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Irving Berlin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind