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.
Marrying for Love
Irving Berlin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ten generations of Constantins
Lived very comf'table lives
They were contented to live in style
Supported by their wives
Daughters of men who were wealthy
Fitted them like a glove
They all married for money
[Refrain:]
It's an old-fashioned idea, marrying for love
And that old-fashioned idea's what I'm thinking of
Where there's love, poets have said
Two can live as one
That's an old-fashioned idea
But it's being done
When I find the man that I'm crazy about
There's much that I could do without
But I couldn't do without love
Just an old-fashioned romance with a moon above
A romance, one that will end marrying for love
That's the kind of love
That I'm thinking of
[
Alternate bridge for male:]
If she must have gold, let it be in her hair
Rubies, let them be in her lips
Diamonds, let them shine in her eyes
In Irving Berlin’s song “Marrying for Love,” the singer speaks about his admiration for young women who go against the traditional values held by their families, who sought luxury and comfort by marrying into rich families. He praises women who would rather marry for love, a notion that is dismissed by many as an old-fashioned idea. The opening verse begins by mentioning ten consecutive generations of the Constantin family, who lived comfortable and wealthy lives due to the support of their wives. The daughters of these wealthy men perfectly suited their lavish lifestyles, but they all married for money; something that the singer finds unsatisfying.
Line by Line Meaning
Ten generations of Constantins
For ten generations, the family of Constantins has lived a luxurious life
Lived very comf'table lives
They lived a very comfortable and lavish life
They were contented to live in style
They were happy to live in luxury and wealth
Supported by their wives
Their wives financially supported them in order to maintain the lifestyle they had become accustomed to
Daughters of men who were wealthy
Their daughters also married wealthy men like themselves
Fitted them like a glove
Their daughters were a perfect match for these wealthy men
They all married for money
The Constantins and their daughters married these wealthy men purely for their money
I mean to marry for love
The artist, in contrast to the Constantins, plans to marry someone out of love rather than for money
It's an old-fashioned idea, marrying for love
Marrying out of love is an outdated concept and is not the norm
And that old-fashioned idea's what I'm thinking of
Despite it being old-fashioned, the artist still believes in marrying someone out of love
Where there's love, poets have said
Poets have said that if there is love between two people, they can live as one
Two can live as one
Two individuals can become one unit if they are in love
That's an old-fashioned idea
The notion of becoming one through love is outdated
But it's being done
However, people still strive to unite through love despite it being outdated
When I find the man that I'm crazy about
The singer is waiting to find someone who they are deeply, irrationally in love with
There's much that I could do without
The artist is willing to sacrifice many things if they find this love
But I couldn't do without love
Despite the potential sacrifices, the one thing the artist could not live without is love
Just an old-fashioned romance with a moon above
The singer wants a classic, romantic love story like those in the past - with the moon above as a symbol of tradition
A romance, one that will end marrying for love
The singer desires a love that will end in marriage
That's the kind of love
This is the type of love that the artist desires
If she must have gold, let it be in her hair
If the artist's future wife cares about wealth, let it be seen in her hair as adornments
Rubies, let them be in her lips
If her wife wants rubies, let them be on her lips as lipstick
Diamonds, let them shine in her eyes
If her wife wants diamonds, let them sparkle in her eyes
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@janholly3961
Great !...and what a Beautiful voice Guy had... underated really because of all his Novelty hits. Love them both!
@edithsymmans3273
This is such a great duet.... Love Guy Mitchell and Rosemary Clooney their voices blend together wonderfully.... Such a wonderful gem of television history. Thanks for this one.
@showtunestarpower
I wonder if Irving Berlin did the revised lyrics for this wonderful version himself. Boy, to say that these two could sing is putting it very, very mildly. What great vocalists!
@rosemaryclooneytunes
..excellent as always, thank you for sharing! *****