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.
Berlin Irving: Say It Isn'T So
Irving Berlin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say it isn't so,
Everyone is saying
You don't love me,
Say it isn't so.
Everywhere I go,
Whispers that you're growing tired of me,
Say it isn't so.
People say that you,
Found somebody new,
And it won't be long
Before you leave me,
Say it isn't true,
Say that everything is still okay,
That's all I want to know,
And what they're saying,
Say it isn't so
The song Say It Isn't So by Irving Berlin expresses the feeling of uncertainty and a deep sense of loss when rumors of a breakup start to emerge. The narrative of the song is driven by the singer's desperate plea for a confirmation that the rumors about their lover's growing disinterest in them are untrue. The opening line is a direct appeal to the lover to dispel the rumors by confirming that they still love them. The second line reiterates the sense of collective opinion from everyone around them.
Throughout the song, the singer tries to rationalize their lover's supposed infidelity, dismissing the rumors as hearsay while still hoping their lover will prove the rumors to be false. The chorus captures the essence of the singer's emotional turmoil. It serves as a final appeal to the lover to dispel the rumors that everyone seems to have heard. The repetition of the phrase "Say it isn't so" elevates the sense of desperation while still showing the singer's vulnerability.
In summary, Say It Isn't So portrays the emotional pain that comes with a potential breakup, the hope that love can survive, and the unrelenting need for clarification in the face of rumors.
Line by Line Meaning
Say it isn't so,
Please deny what others are saying.
Everyone is saying
All people talk about is this.
You don't love me,
You have stopped loving me.
Everywhere I go,
In every place I visit.
Everyone I know,
All the people I associate with.
Whispers that you're growing tired of me,
They say you are getting fed up with me.
Say it isn't so.
Please deny what others are saying.
People say that you,
Others claim that you.
Found somebody new,
You have discovered someone else.
And it won't be long
It will happen very soon.
Before you leave me,
Before you walk out of my life.
Say it isn't true,
Please deny what others are saying.
Say that everything is still okay,
Tell me that everything between us is still fine.
That's all I want to know,
That's the only thing I want to hear.
And what they're saying,
What others are telling me.
Say it isn't so
Please deny what others are saying.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Irving Berlin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ray George
Billie had her own style, it took me a while to fully appreciate it, but now, I love hearing her. She truly was a unique and distinctive vocalist.
Love this wonderful Irving Berlin song, too!
María Esperanza
Maravillosa como diempre💐
Thomas .Hennessey
Late Billie from the 4th of 5 sessions she did for Verve. They were at Capitol Tower in Los Angeles a little more than a month after her 2 Nov. 1956 Carnegie Hall concerts. They celebrated her Lady Sings the Blues autobiography. Here the band is Harry "Sweets" Edison, t; Ben Webster, ts; Jimmy Rowles,p; Barney Kessel,eg; Joe Mondragon,sb; Larry Bunker.d. The group supports Lady Day very well. Her voice is clearly weakened but the style and emotion is fantastic.
Alan Souza cruz
♥
Davu.
we don't have many time
GhostCat
days*