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.
Mrs. Sally Adams
Irving Berlin Lyrics
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Requests the pleasure of your company
At a supper and dance
A farewell party
That she's giving at her house tonight
Missus Sally Adams
The queen of Washington society
Who's anybody
Will be gathered at her house tonight
Missus Sally Adams
The new ambassador to cross the sea
Missus Sally Adams
Who says "The hell with formality"
Missus Sally Adams
Missus Sally Adams
Makes 'em sing at her parties
And each guest becomes a ham
Giving all that he's got
It may not please the smarties
But she doesn't give a damn
If they like it or not
She is liable to blurt out
The thing that she should ignore
But nobody will care
She can iron a shirt out
That's stuffed with a senator
Or a Congressman there
God bless America
For Missus Sally Adams
Who wants the pleasure of your company
Glad are we
To accept and root for
Missus Sally Adams
Queen of all the madams
Madam Ambassador
[Reprise:]
Missus Sally Adams
Requests the pleasure of your company
At a supper and dance
A coming home party
That she's giving at her house tonight
Missus Sally Adams
Has lost some of her popularity
And the chances are
That a few somebodys
Will be missing at her house tonight
Missus Sally Adams
Is back among us very suddenly
And we're very anxious
To hear what happened there across the sea
We are simply delighted
And happy without a doubt
To be gathering there
Ev'ryone is excited
For maybe we'll hear about
Sally's foreign affair
God bless America
For Missus Sally Adams
Who wants the pleasure of your company
Glad are we
To accept and root for
Missus Sally Adams
Queen of all the madams
Madam Ambassador
The song “Mrs. Sally Adams” by Irving Berlin is a playful and humorous tribute to an influential socialite in Washington, D.C. who has been appointed as ambassador to a foreign country. The lyrics begin by inviting the listener to a farewell party that Mrs. Sally Adams is throwing at her house that night. The singer emphasizes Adams’ importance in society by calling her the “queen” of Washington society, and noting that “anybody at all who’s anybody” will be gathered at her house that evening.
The second verse of the song reveals even more about Mrs. Sally Adams, noting that she is the “new ambassador to cross the sea” and that she has a devil-may-care attitude toward formality. Despite her high status, Sally Adams is portrayed in the song as a down-to-earth and fun-loving hostess who knows how to throw a good party. The lyrics mention that her guests are likely to become “hams” at her parties, singing and performing with gusto, and that Mrs. Adams herself is unafraid to speak her mind, even if it might offend some of her guests.
Overall, the song is meant to be a lighthearted and affectionate tribute to a woman who was seen as an influential and beloved figure in Washington society during the mid-20th century.
Line by Line Meaning
Missus Sally Adams
The host of the event, Mrs. Sally Adams
Requests the pleasure of your company
Politely invites you to attend the event
At a supper and dance
The gathering will have both dinner and dancing
A farewell party
It's a party to say goodbye to someone
That she's giving at her house tonight
The party is happening at her house tonight
The queen of Washington society
Mrs. Adams is very respected and influential in Washington society
Anybody at all
Everyone who is someone in Washington will be there
Who's anybody
All the important people will be there
Will be gathered at her house tonight
Everyone will be gathered at Mrs. Adams' house tonight
The new ambassador to cross the sea
Mrs. Adams is the new ambassador who has just returned from abroad
Who says 'The hell with formality'
Mrs. Adams is not concerned with formalities and traditions
Makes 'em sing at her parties
Mrs. Adams' parties are so fun that people can't resist singing
And each guest becomes a ham
Everyone becomes performers and enjoy the party
Giving all that he's got
People are enjoying the party and having fun in their own way
It may not please the smarties
Some might not enjoy it because it's not intellectual or sophisticated
But she doesn't give a damn
Mrs. Adams doesn't care about other people's opinions
If they like it or not
People can like it or not, but Mrs. Adams will still have fun
She is liable to blurt out
Mrs. Adams might say something uncalled for or inappropriate
The thing that she should ignore
Mrs. Adams might talk about something that she should not have talked about
But nobody will care
Even if she says something inappropriate, people will overlook it
She can iron a shirt out
Mrs. Adams can even handle difficult tasks like ironing a shirt for important people present there
That's stuffed with a senator
A senator might be present there as well in a crowded room
Or a Congressman there
A congressman might be present there apart from the senator
God bless America
A positive statement about America is said
For Missus Sally Adams
For Mrs. Adams
Who wants the pleasure of your company
Mrs. Adams wants you to be a part of the event
Glad are we
Everyone is happy and excited to attend the event
To accept and root for
Everyone is accepting the invitation and cheering for Mrs. Adams
Queen of all the madams
Mrs. Adams is the top lady among all the ladies who have hosted events
Madam Ambassador
A respectful title to address Mrs. Adams as the ambassador
Has lost some of her popularity
Mrs. Adams' popularity has decreased over time
And the chances are
There is a possibility that
That a few somebodys
Some important people
Will be missing at her house tonight
Some important people might not be present at the event
Is back among us very suddenly
Mrs. Adams has returned from abroad without any prior notice
And we're very anxious
Everyone is excited and curious about Mrs. Adams' experiences abroad
To hear what happened there across the sea
Everyone wants to know what Mrs. Adams' experiences were like abroad
We are simply delighted
Everyone is very happy
And happy without a doubt
Everyone is definitely happy
To be gathering there
Everyone is excited to be gathering at the event
Ev'ryone is excited
Everyone is very excited
For maybe we'll hear about
They hope to hear about
Sally's foreign affair
Mrs. Adams' experiences abroad
Contributed by John V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.