The Girl That I Marry
Percy Faith & His Orchestra Lyrics
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As soft and as pink as a nursery
The girl I call my own
Will wear satins and laces and smell of cologne
Her nails will be polished and, in her hair,
She'll wear a gardenia and I'll be there
'stead of flittin', I'll be sittin'
A doll I can carry, the girl that I marry must be
Her nails will be polished and, in her hair,
She'll wear a gardenia and I'll be there
'stead of flittin', I'll be sittin'
Next to her and she'll purr like a kitten
A doll I can carry, the girl that I marry must be
The lyrics of Percy Faith & His Orchestra's "The Girl That I Marry" depict a man's ideal of the perfect wife. The man believes that the girl he marries should be soft and delicate like a nursery, with a feminine smell of cologne and attire made of satins and laces. Furthermore, he desires a woman whose nails are well-polished, and in her hair is a gardenia- a white and fragrant flower- that will be delivered to her by him. The lyrics also suggest that the man has no interest in playing around or wasting his time with different women; rather, he is satisfied with the notion of settling down with this particular woman. He wants her to be a doll he can carry around and show off to the world, signifying the pride the man holds over his new bride.
The lyrics of "The Girl That I Marry" are very much ingrained in patriarchal and gender stereotypes. The image painted of the perfect wife is one that is seen in many old Hollywood movies of the 1940s and 1950s- the man is the breadwinner who wants a delicate wife to look good and make him proud. However, the connotations of this idea have aged poorly as societal norms and expectations of 21st-century women have shifted drastically. While the song may have been a hit when it was released in 1946, it is unlikely that the lyrics would resonate so favourably with modern audiences.
Line by Line Meaning
The girl that I marry will have to be
The woman I intend to marry must possess certain qualities.
As soft and as pink as a nursery
She must be gentle and delicate like a newborn baby girl.
The girl I call my own
The woman who belongs to me.
Will wear satins and laces and smell of cologne
She will dress elegantly and wear perfume to smell nice.
Her nails will be polished and, in her hair,
She will take care of her appearance, which includes manicured nails and styled hair.
She'll wear a gardenia and I'll be there
She'll wear a flower in her hair, and I'll be by her side to enjoy her company.
'stead of flittin', I'll be sittin'
Instead of moving around aimlessly, I'll be sitting next to her.
Next to her and she'll purr like a kitten
By her side, she will be content and happy, like a kitten purring.
A doll I can carry, the girl that I marry must be
She must be petite and easy to carry like a doll.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ernesto Musngi
....will wear satin and laces... and smell of the rose.. ... and in hair she wears a gardenia ...and I will be there... Very nice Irving Berlin's Broadway hit! very nice easy listening.. THANKS!
Ernesto Musngi
@nancyfloressantos I Will.. for sure