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.
Pretty Girl Is Like Melody
Irving Berlin Lyrics
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And I have an eye for a maid.
I like a pretty girlie,
With each pretty tune that's played.
They go together,
Like sunny weather goes with the month of may.
I've studied girls and music,
So I'm qualified to say
A pretty girl is like a melody
That haunts you night and day,
Just like the strain of a haunting refrain,
She'll start up-on a marathon
And run around your brain.
You can't escape she's in your memory.
By morning night and noon.
She will leave you and then come back again,
A pretty girl is just like a pretty tune.
In Irving Berlin's "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody," the singer asserts his expertise in both music and women, claiming that pretty girls and music belong together. The singer notes that just as sunny weather belongs with May, pretty girls naturally go with every pretty tune that is played. The singer goes on to offer a comparison of a pretty girl to a melody, suggesting that a pretty girl can be just as haunting and memorable as a melody that sticks with you long after it is played. The singer believes that a pretty girl can run around your brain just like a haunting refrain, making you unable to escape her presence in your memory.
Line by Line Meaning
I have an ear for music,
I am skilled at discerning different melodies and tunes.
And I have an eye for a maid.
I am also skilled at identifying and appreciating beautiful women.
I like a pretty girlie,
I am attracted to lovely young ladies.
With each pretty tune that's played.
Especially when they are accompanied by pleasing musical accompaniments.
They go together,
These two passions are inexorably linked and complementary.
Like sunny weather goes with the month of may.
Their combination is as natural and predictable as the climate in early summer.
I've studied girls and music,
As an expert in both fields, I can offer an authoritative opinion.
So I'm qualified to say
I am equipped to make a definitive statement about the relationship between the two.
A pretty girl is like a melody
I view an attractive woman as being similar to a haunting, unforgettable piece of music.
That haunts you night and day,
Her image and presence continually occupy your thoughts and emotions.
Just like the strain of a haunting refrain,
Like a familiar, plaintive melody, she lingers in your mind.
She'll start up-on a marathon
Once she enters your thoughts, she will persistently monopolize your mind.
And run around your brain.
Her memory will continue to dance, skip, and whirl through your thoughts.
You can't escape she's in your memory.
No matter how hard you try, she will remain embedded in your recollections.
By morning night and noon.
Her memory will remain vivid in your heart and mind, regardless of the hour.
She will leave you and then come back again,
Her impact on you may lessen, but she will inevitably return to your thoughts.
A pretty girl is just like a pretty tune.
In this way, an attractive woman is analogous to a beautiful piece of music – unforgettable and forever resonant in your consciousness.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind