Overture
Renee Zellweger / Reilly John C. / Colm Feore Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

[VELMA]
Come on babe
Why don´t we paint the town?
And all that Jazz

I´m gonna rouge my knees
And roll my stockings down
And all that jazz

Start the car
I know a whoopee spot
Where the gin is cold
But the piano´s hot

It´s just a noisy hall
Where there´s a nightly brawl
And all
That
Jazz

Slick your hair
And wear your buckle shoes
And all that Jazz

I hear that Father Dip
Is gonna blow the blues
And all that Jazz

Hold on, hon
We´re gonna bunny hug
I bought some aspirin
Down at United Drug
I case you shake apart
And want a brand new start
To do that-

[VELMA AND COMPANY]
Jazz

[COMPANY]
Skidoo!

[VELMA]
And all that Jazz

[COMPANY]
Hotcha!
Whoopee!

[VELMA]
And all that Jazz

[COMPANY]
Ha! Ha! Ha!

It´s just a noisy hall
Where there´s a nightly brawl

[ALL]
And all that jazz

[CASELY (spoken)]
Listen, your husband ain´t home, is he?

[VELMA (Spoken)]
No, her husband is not at home.

Find a flask
We´re playing fast and loose

[ALL]
And all that jazz

[VELMA]
Right up here
Is where I store the juice

[ALL]
And all that jazz

[VELMA]
Come on, babe
We´re gonna brush the sky
I bet you luck Lindy
Never flew so high
´Cause in the stratosphere
How could he lend an ear
to all that Jazz?

[COMPANY]
Oh, you´re gonna see your sheba shimmy shake

[VELMA]
And all that jazz

[COMPANY]
Oh, she´s gonna shimmy ´till her garters break

[VELMA]
And all that jazz

[COMPANY]
Show her where to park her girdle
Oh, her mother´s blood´d curdle
If she´d hear her baby´s queer
For all that jazz

[VELMA]
And All that jazz
Come on, babe
Why Don´t we paint
The town?
And all that jazz

[COMPANY]
Oh, you´re gonna see
Your
Sheba
Shimmy shake
And all that jazz

[VELMA]
I´m gonna
Rouge my knees
And roll my
Stockings down
And all that jazz

[COMPANY]
Oh
She´s gonna shimmy
´Till her garters
Break
And all that jazz

[VELMA]
Start the car
I know a whoopee spot
Where the gin is cold
But the piano´s hot
It´s just a noisy hall
Where there´s a nightly brawl
And all that jazz

[COMPANY]
Show her where to
Park her girdle
Oh, her mother´s blood´d
Curdle
If she´d hear
Her baby´s queer
For all that jazz

[ROXIE (Spoken)]
So that´s it, huh Fred?

[CASELY (Spoken)]
yeah, I´m afraid so, Roxie.

[ROXIE (Spoken)]
Oh, Fred...

[GIRLS (Spoken)]
Oh, Fred...

[CASELY (Spoken)]
Yeah?

[ROXIE (Spoken)]
Nobody walks out on me.

[CASELY (Spoken)]
Sweetheart-

[ROXIE (Spoken)]
Oh, don´t "sweetheart" me,
you son-of-a-bitch!

[COMPANY]
Hotcha!
Whoopee!
Jazz!

[ROXIE (Spoken)]
Oh, I gotta pee!

[VELMA]
No, I´m no one´s wife
But, Oh, I love my life
And all that Jazz!

[COMPANY]
That Jazz!

Renée Zellweger (Roxy)




Catherine Zeta-Jones (Velma)
Taye Diggs (Casely)

Overall Meaning

The song "Overture/All That Jazz" from the musical "Chicago" is a lively and energetic introduction to the show's world of glitz, glamour, and violence. The song is sung by Velma Kelly (played in the film by Catherine Zeta-Jones) and introduces the audience to her character and her world. She invites the listener to join her in painting the town red, starting with getting dressed up in the iconic flapper style of the era, complete with rouged knees and rolled down stockings. She then takes them to a wild late-night club where the gin is cold but the piano is hot, and anything can happen.


Velma's lyrics are a mixture of seduction and danger, as she urges the listener to embrace the wild and reckless lifestyle of the Jazz Age. She speaks of a nightly brawl and a whoopee spot, and name-drops famous dancers and musicians of the era, such as Father Dip and Lindy. The song's chorus is a joyful celebration of the titular phrase "All That Jazz," which embodies the spirit of the era with its fast-paced, improvisational style and its emphasis on pleasure and spectacle.


Line by Line Meaning

Come on babe
Encouragement to the person addressed


Why don´t we paint the town?
Suggesting going out and having a good time


And all that Jazz
Referring to the culture of the time


I´m gonna rouge my knees
Applying make-up to her knees


And roll my stockings down
Pulling down her stockings


Start the car
Initiating the vehicle


I know a whoopee spot
Knowledge of a fun place


Where the gin is cold
Where the gin is cold


But the piano´s hot
But the piano is popular


It´s just a noisy hall
It is a noisy establishment


Where there´s a nightly brawl
Where there is a nightly fight


And all That Jazz
Referring to the culture of the time


Slick your hair
Gel your hair down


And wear your buckle shoes
Put on your shoes with a buckle


I hear that Father Dip
I have heard Father Dip


Is gonna blow the blues
Father Dip is playing blues


Hold on, hon
Wait, my dear


We´re gonna bunny hug
We are going to dance


I bought some aspirin
I have bought some aspirin


Down at United Drug
At the United Drug Store


I case you shake apart
In case you break down mentally


And want a brand new start
And want to start anew


To do that-
To achieve that


Jazz
Referring to the culture of the time


Skidoo!
Leaving quickly


Hotcha!
Exclamation of approval


Whoopee!
Exclamation of excitement


Ha! Ha! Ha!
Laughter


Sheba shimmy shake
Sheba's shimmy dance


Show her where to park her girdle
Help her to take off her girdle


Oh, her mother´s blood´d curdle
Her mother would be outraged


If she´d hear her baby´s queer
If she heard her daughter's situation


It´s just a noisy hall
It is a noisy establishment


Where there´s a nightly brawl
Where there is a nightly fight


Listen, your husband ain´t home, is he?
Asking if her husband is at home


No, her husband is not at home.
Answering the previous question


Find a flask
Locating a container for alcohol


We´re playing fast and loose
We are taking risks


Right up here
Up ahead


Is where I store the juice
Where I have stored alcohol


Come on, babe
Come on, dear


We´re gonna brush the sky
We are going to reach high levels


I bet you luck Lindy
I bet fortune, Lindy


Never flew so high
Never achieved such heights


How could he lend an ear
How could he listen


Oh you´re gonna see your Sheba shimmy shake
You will see her do a shimmy dance


Oh she´s gonna shimmy ´till her garters break
She will dance enthusiastically


Oh, her mother´s blood´d curdle
Her mother would be outraged


That´s it, huh Fred?
That's all, right Fred?


Yeah, I´m afraid so, Roxie.
Yes, unfortunately that is the case, Roxie.


Oh, Fred...
Oh, Fred...


Nobody walks out on me.
No one leaves me behind.


Sweetheart-
Term of endearment


Oh, don´t 'sweetheart' me, you son-of-a-bitch!
Do not act like everything is okay!


I gotta pee!
I need to urinate!


No, I´m no one´s wife
I am not married


But, Oh, I love my life
But, Oh, I love my life


That Jazz!
Referring to the culture of the time




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN KANDER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@amberpage7936

For her first number
Miss Roxie Hart sings a song of love and devotion
Dedicated to her dear husband, Amos
Sometimes I'm right, sometimes I'm wrong
But he doesn't care, he'll string along
He loves me so
That funny honey of mine
Sometimes I'm down, sometimes I'm up
But he follows 'round like some droopy-eyed pup
He loves me so
That funny honey of mine

He ain't no sheik, that's no great physique
Lord knows, he ain't got the smarts
But look at that soul, I tell you that whole
Is a whole lot greater than the sum of his parts
And if you knew him like me
I know you'd agree
What if the world slandered my name?
Why, he'd be right there taking the blame
He loves me so and it all suits me fine
That funny, sunny, honey, hubby of mine!
He loves me so
That funny honey of mine
Lord knows he ain't got the smarts
Now he's shot of his trap I can't stand that sap
Look at him go, rattin' on me
With just one more brain what a half-wit he'd be
If they string me up I'll know who brought the twine
That scummy, crummy, dummy, hubby of mine.



@savy4090

Sometime's I'm right
Sometime's I'm wrong
But he doesn't care
He'll String along
He loves me so
That funny honey of mine
Sometime's I'm down
Sometime's I'm up
But he follows 'round
Like some droopy-eyed pup
He love me so
That sunny honey of mine
He ain't no sheik
That's no great physique
Lord knows, he ain't got the smarts
Oh, but look at that soul
I tell you, the whole
Is a whole lot greater than
The sum of his parts
And if you knew him like me
I know you'd agree
What if the world
Slandered my name?
Why, he'd be right there
Taking the blame
He loves me so
And it all suits me fine
That funny, sunny, honey
Hubby of mine
A man's got a right to protect his home
and his loved ones, right?
Of course, he has
Well, I came in from the garage, Officer, and I see him coming through the window
With my wife Roxanne there, sleepin'...like an angel...
He loves me so
That funny honey of mine
...an angel!
I mean supposin', just supposin', he had violated her or somethin'
You know what I mean...
Violated?
I know what you mean...
...or somethin'. Think how terrible that would have been.
It's a good thing I came home from work on time, I'm tellin' ya that! I say I'm tellin' ya that!
He loves me so
That funny honey of mine
Name of deceased... Fred Casely
Fred Casely. How could he be a burglar?
My wife knows him! He sold us our furniture!
Lord knows he ain't got the smarts
She lied to me. She told me he was a burglar!
You mean he was dead when you got home?
She had him covered with a sheet
And she's givin' me that cock and bull story about this burglar
And I ought to say that I did it 'cause I was sure to get off
Burglar, huh!
Now, he shot off his trap
I can't stand that sap
Look at him go
Rattin' on me
With just one more brain
What a half-wit he'd be
If they string me up
I'll know who
Brought the twine
And I believed her!
That cheap little tramp
So, she was two-timing me, huh?
Well, then, she can just swing for all I care
Boy, I'm down at the garage
Working my butt off fourteen
Hours a day and she's up munchin' on god-damn bon bons and jazzing
This time she pushed me too far
That little chiseler
Boy, what I sap I was!
That scummy, crummy
Dummy hubby of mine!



@tatumfontenot3095

For her first number
Miss Roxie Hart sings a song of love and devotion
Dedicated to her dear husband, Amos

Sometimes I'm right, sometimes I'm wrong
But he doesn't care, he'll string along
He loves me so
That funny honey of mine

Sometimes I'm down, sometimes I'm up
But he follows 'round like some droopy-eyed pup
He loves me so
That funny honey of mine

He ain't no sheik, that's no great physique
Lord knows, he ain't got the smarts
But look at that soul, I tell you that whole
Is a whole lot greater than the sum of his parts
And if you knew him like me
I know you'd agree

What if the world slandered my name?
Why, he'd be right there taking the blame
He loves me so and it all suits me fine
That funny, sunny, honey, hubby of mine!

He loves me so
That funny honey of mine

Lord knows he ain't got the smarts
Now he's shot of his trap I can't stand that sap

Look at him go, rattin' on me
With just one more brain what a half-wit he'd be
If they string me up I'll know who brought the twine
That scummy, crummy, dummy, hubby of mine



All comments from YouTube:

@memesalsa3796

Today was the last showing of our rendition of Chicago in our high school and I just wanted to say that the girl that played Roxie absolutely KILLED it! Honestly, I prefer her cover over this one (I still love this though).

@godsclown4419

Damn now I wanna hear it...

@ziadoodlez

I WAS ABOUT TO TYPE THE SAME THING

@amberpage7936

For her first number
Miss Roxie Hart sings a song of love and devotion
Dedicated to her dear husband, Amos
Sometimes I'm right, sometimes I'm wrong
But he doesn't care, he'll string along
He loves me so
That funny honey of mine
Sometimes I'm down, sometimes I'm up
But he follows 'round like some droopy-eyed pup
He loves me so
That funny honey of mine

He ain't no sheik, that's no great physique
Lord knows, he ain't got the smarts
But look at that soul, I tell you that whole
Is a whole lot greater than the sum of his parts
And if you knew him like me
I know you'd agree
What if the world slandered my name?
Why, he'd be right there taking the blame
He loves me so and it all suits me fine
That funny, sunny, honey, hubby of mine!
He loves me so
That funny honey of mine
Lord knows he ain't got the smarts
Now he's shot of his trap I can't stand that sap
Look at him go, rattin' on me
With just one more brain what a half-wit he'd be
If they string me up I'll know who brought the twine
That scummy, crummy, dummy, hubby of mine.

@AnakinSkywalker-mi5cz

Thank you lyric guy

@amberpage7936

?? *girl, and you’re welcome! 😁

@simonandme9397

@Amber Page I was a dancer for this musical for 6 months, this was one of my favorites. thx for posting lyric girl

@seslywilliams3573

That took a turn at the end

@campbellbologna980

Trying to audition for my school play and decided to do this song from the beginning to 2:17 and I’m so shocked on my voice fitting the range 😭😭

@vipysguineapig1

Ik this is a year later but how did it go?

More Comments

More Versions