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.
Outside of That I Love You
Irving Berlin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What makes you think I can't do without you?
I′ve looked you over carefully
And if I never see you again, it's soon enough for me
I hate the ground you walk upon
I hate the phone you talk upon
I hate 'most ev′rything that you do
I hate that funny little mouth you drink with
That peanut on your shoulders that you think with
I hate the rouge upon your lips
The polish on your finger tips
I hate your eyes of heavenly blue
I hate the way you sigh, honest I do
Outside of that, I love you
[Female version:]
I hate the way you comb your hair
I hate the flashy clothes you wear
I hate the patent shine on your shoe
I hate the closet that you keep your clothes in
I hate the handkerchief you blow your nose in
I hate the smell of your cigar
The way you lean against a bar
I hate the jokes you tell that are blue
I hate that fancy tie, honest I do
Outside of that, I love you
Irving Berlin's song "Outside of That I Love You" is a classic example of how love can be complicated and imperfect. The lyrics express a conflicting series of emotions that entangle love and hate, desire and repulsion. We hear the singer express a deep-seated antipathy towards their partner; they criticize every aspect of their appearance and behavior. They highlight their dislike for the ground they walk upon, the phone they speak into, the clothes they wear, and so much more. However, despite these negative feelings, the song establishes that the singer still loves this person. The line "Outside of that, I love you" sums up the entire song's message. It means that despite all the flaws, the love persists.
This song is an example of how complex human emotions can be. It shows how love is not always easy, and sometimes it can mix with hate. The song is relatable because everyone has experienced moments where love and hate intermingle. The lyrics emphasize that people should not give up on love just because their partners have flaws. Instead, they should learn to accept those flaws and continue to love them.
Line by Line Meaning
What makes you think I'm crazy about you?
I'm not sure why you think I'm head-over-heels for you.
What makes you think I can't do without you?
I'm actually independent and I don't need you in my life.
I've looked you over carefully
I've examined every part of you thoroughly.
And if I never see you again, it's soon enough for me
I won't miss you if we never cross paths again.
I hate the ground you walk upon
I dislike everything that is even remotely associated with you.
I hate the phone you talk upon
Even the phone you speak into is enough to make me dislike you.
I hate 'most ev'rything that you do
I detest almost everything you do.
I hate that funny little mouth you drink with
Even the way you drink with your mouth makes me hate you.
That peanut on your shoulders that you think with
I hate the way you think and make decisions.
I hate the rouge upon your lips
I hate the makeup you wear on your lips.
The polish on your finger tips
I even hate the nail polish on your fingers.
I hate your eyes of heavenly blue
Even your beautiful blue eyes can't make me like you.
I hate the way you sigh, honest I do
Even the way you sigh annoys me.
I hate the way you comb your hair
I even hate the way you style your hair.
I hate the flashy clothes you wear
Your choice of clothing doesn't appeal to me at all.
I hate the patent shine on your shoe
I even dislike the shiny finish on your shoes.
I hate the closet that you keep your clothes in
Even the closet you keep your clothes in I find detesting.
I hate the handkerchief you blow your nose in
The handkerchief you use to blow your nose even disgusts me.
I hate the smell of your cigar
The smell of the cigar you smoke makes me uncomfortable.
The way you lean against a bar
Even the way you stand is enough for me to dislike you.
I hate the jokes you tell that are blue
Even your taste in humor doesn't appeal to me in the slightest.
I hate that fancy tie, honest I do
Even the tie you wear I find repulsive.
Outside of that, I love you
Despite all the things I hate about you, I still love you because of other qualities or reasons.
Writer(s): Irving Berlin
Contributed by Samantha J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.