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.
Of Thee I Sing
Irving Berlin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let those who will take care of its rights and wrongs
What care I who cares for the world's affairs
As long as I can sing its popular songs
Let me sing a funny song
With crazy words that roll along
And if my song can start you laughing
Let me sing a sad refrain
Of broken hearts who love in vain
And if my song can start you crying
I'm happy
Let me croon a lowdown blues
That lifts you out of your seat
If my blues can reach your shoes
And start you tapping your feet
I'm happy
Let me sing of Dixie's charms
Of cotton fields and mammy's arms
And if my song can make you homesick
I'm happy
Of broken hearts that loved in vain
To lift you out of your seat
If my song can reach your shoes
The Swanee shore and mother's arms
The opening lines of Irving Berlin's song, "Of Thee I Sing," reveal a narrator who is unconcerned about the governing of a nation or the happenings of the world. Instead, the singer finds solace in singing popular songs. The song goes on to explore the power of music to evoke emotions, both happy and sad. The lyrics suggest that the singer takes great pleasure in being able to connect with listeners through music. Whether it be an upbeat tune that makes people dance or a somber ballad that brings tears to their eyes, the singer finds happiness in being able to touch people's emotions through song.
The lyrics also touch on themes of nostalgia and homesickness. The mention of Dixie's charms, cotton fields, and mammy's arms evoke an image of the American South and its culture, which may have been a source of comfort for many Americans during a time of political and social upheaval. The singer's desire to make people feel homesick through song speaks to the power of music to create a sense of belonging and community.
Overall, "Of Thee I Sing" is a celebration of the power of music to connect people and evoke emotions. It suggests that no matter how divided a nation may be or how turbulent the world may seem, music has the power to bring people together and provide solace in difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
What care I who makes the laws of a nation
I do not care about who is in charge of ruling a country
Let those who will take care of its rights and wrongs
Those who are responsible for justice and morality can deal with that
What care I who cares for the world's affairs
It is not my concern who is managing global issues
As long as I can sing its popular songs
What matters to me is being able to sing the favorite melodies
Let me sing a funny song
Allow me to perform a humorous tune
With crazy words that roll along
Featuring non-sensical lyrics that are catchy
And if my song can start you laughing
If my music makes you happy and brings out laughter
I'm happy, happy
Then I am content and joyful
Let me sing a sad refrain
Permit me to sing a melancholic melody
Of broken hearts who love in vain
About unrequited love and shattered emotions
And if my song can start you crying
And if my music can make you emotional and bring you to tears
I'm happy
Then I am satisfied
Let me croon a lowdown blues
Allow me to perform a soulful, bluesy number
That lifts you out of your seat
Which will get you up and moving
If my blues can reach your shoes
If my music can evoke a genuine emotional response from you
And start you tapping your feet
And make you want to dance
I'm happy
Then I am content
Let me sing of Dixie's charms
I want to sing about the appealing qualities of the Southern US region
Of cotton fields and mammy's arms
Referring to the history of slavery and African American culture in the Southern US
And if my song can make you homesick
If the music can elicit feelings of longing for home or nostalgia
I'm happy
Then I am delighted
Of broken hearts that loved in vain
Similar to the earlier line, referring to unrequited love
To lift you out of your seat
Intending to bring a powerful emotional response from the audience
If my song can reach your shoes
If the music can affect you so deeply that you feel it in your core
The Swanee shore and mother's arms
Another reference to the Southern US and feelings of home and comfort with loved ones
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Irving Berlin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TresLanes
What an inspiration his life was. I'm 62 but still too young to really "know" his music. He was incredibly blessed with the gift of song crafting and never stopped loving the country that, in his words, "allowed" him to succeed in life. If we could all be so lucky! God rest your soul, Mr. Berlin!!
@guydavidknollcomedy
As a second generation Jewish American this really brings a tear to my eye. Irving Berlin having such love for the country that welcomed him in is so beautiful
@firstlast9292
Imperial Russia wasn't a fun place for Jews. And the communist Soviet Union that preached equality wasn't that much better.
@stuffguy6664
he was not even born in America too he was a immigrant jew from Russia bless this man! true patriotism!
@mhirsch2847
Well said!
@jocolope
This old proud New Yorker wrote all the chit on paper punchin his black key finger playing piano data fuhqs who need a pencil to mark their X. Yer Franky Sinatra's from Italy wrote squat and yer natural born dancin Elvis wrote squat too. Cadillac told me with epee!
@johne7345
This story is similar to that of Igor Sikorsky, who founded the aircraft company that bore his name and is now part of Lockheed Martin. Sikorsky's website always included the tagline, "Russian by birth, American by choice." In the early days, his fledgling company was saved from bankruptcy by a generous loan from another great Russian American, Sergei Rachmaninoff, who told him, "I believe in you, and I believe in your company. Pay me back when you can," which of course he did.
@alexanderbusen7868
Sorry, but he was born in Belarus, not Russia.
@SuperPindos
That's why. He knew the price. His parents paid it, and told him how much it cost.
@daughterofjerusalem8483
His name was Israel Baline, the son of a cantor in Russia.
If anyone loved America, it was Irving Berlin, who knew what America stood for.