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.
Steppin Out With My Baby
Irving Berlin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's for sure, sure and not for maybe
Don't ask when will the lucky day be
Here he comes and let him tell you himself:
If I seem to scintillate
It's because I've got a date
A date with a package of
You don't have to ask me
I won't waste your time
But if you should ask me
Why I feel sublime
I'm
Steppin' out with my baby
Can't go wrong 'cause I'm in right
It's for sure, not for maybe
That I'm all dressed up tonight
Steppin' out with my honey
Can't be bad to feel so good
Never felt quite so sunny
And I keep on knockin' wood
There'll be smooth sailin' 'cause I'm trimmin' my sails
With a bright shine on my shoes and on my nails
[alternate line: In my top hat and my white tie and my tails]
Steppin' out with my baby
Can't go wrong 'cause I'm in right
Ask me when will the day be
The big day may be tonight
The lyrics to Irving Berlin’s classic song “Steppin Out With My Baby” depict the excitement and anticipation of a man looking forward to spending time with his lover. The first few lines indicate that the man is actively seeking out his partner, and he knows with certainty that they will be reunited soon. He then proceeds to explain the source of his effervescence: he is about to embark on a date with someone he loves, and he is confident that it will be magical. He assures his audience that he won’t disappoint them with excessive talk or waste their time over trivialities, but if they want to know why he is elated, it is because he is “steppin out with his baby.”
The next verse repeats the previous lines, but this time, the man refers to his lover as “honey.” He emphasizes that it feels wonderful to be so happy and to radiate such warmth. He is so overjoyed that he keeps knocking on wood, a gesture that indicates his desire to extend his good fortune. He assures us that everything will go smoothly, referencing his appearance, which hints at how much effort he has put in to impress and woo the one he loves. The lyrics focus primarily on the singer's excitement about the evening to come, how being with his lover is the source of that excitement, and, even though this night may not be "the big day," the aura of anticipation and romance that surrounds the event serves to the lift the mood of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Here he comes lookin' for his baby
He is coming to find his lover.
It's for sure, sure and not for maybe
He is absolutely certain of his love.
Don't ask when will the lucky day be
He doesn't know the lucky day, so it's useless to ask.
Here he comes and let him tell you himself
He wants to tell his own story.
If I seem to scintillate
If I appear to be sparkling
It's because I've got a date
It's because I have a date with someone special.
A date with a package of
A date with an experience that
The good things that come with love
Comes with enjoyment and happiness.
You don't have to ask me
You don't need to ask me.
I won't waste your time
I won't take up your time.
But if you should ask me
But if you insist on asking me.
Why I feel sublime
Why I feel elated and joyful.
I'm
I am
Steppin' out with my baby
Leaving home with my lover
Can't go wrong 'cause I'm in right
I can't make a mistake because I know I'm correct.
Steppin' out with my honey
Leaving home with my lover
Can't be bad to feel so good
It can't be terrible to feel so happy
Never felt quite so sunny
I've never felt so cheerful before.
And I keep on knockin' wood
And I'm keeping up with the fingers-crossed tradition.
There'll be smooth sailin' 'cause I'm trimmin' my sails
Things will go smoothly because I've made some adjustments away from unnecessary things.
With a bright shine on my shoes and on my nails
My shoes and nails are polished and clean to perfection.
In my top hat and my white tie and my tails
Wearing elegant formal wear, including a top hat, white tie, and tails.
Ask me when will the day be
Ask me when will the special day be.
The big day may be tonight
The special day may be tonight.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Irving Berlin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Matt Slazik
I love that bass line
BANDA SHOW
Muito agradável
00DirectorsCut00
Amazing arr. 👍
Holy Water Squirtgun
When the nostalgia of playing this is middle school jazz kicks you in your nonexistent balls
HentaiBro69
Yup.
Olga Sevilla
This is so true
SCRT091605
I play percussion but I’m playing the vibes
NotGage
I play trombone, I’m vibin too
SCRT091605
Nope _ Um I really hope you know the Vibes is an instrument it the Vibraphone
dyuan
@SCRT091605 Trumpet here, am also vibing