Elmer
The Andrews Sisters Lyrics


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Why are the stars always winkin' and blinkin' above?
What makes a fellow start thinkin' of fallin' in love?
It's not the season, the reason is plain as the moon
It's just Elmer's tune
What makes a lady of eighty go out on the loose?
Why does a gander meander in search of a goose?
What puts the kick in a chicken, the magic in June?
It's just Elmer's tune
Listen, listen, there's a lot you're li'ble to be missin'
Sing it, swing it, any old way and any old time
The hurdy gurdies, the birdies, the cop on the beat
The candy maker, the baker, the man on the street
The city charmer, the farmer, the man in the moon
All sing Elmer's tune

Why are the stars always winkin' and blinkin' above?
What makes a fellow start thinkin' of fallin' in love?
It's not the season, the reason is plain as the moon
It's just Elmer's tune
What makes a lady of eighty go out on the loose?
Why does a gander meander in search of a goose?
What puts the kick in a chicken, the magic in June?
It's just Elmer's tune
Listen, listen, there's a lot you're li'ble to be missin'
Sing it, swing it, any old way and any old time
The hurdy gurdies, the birdies, the cop on the beat
The candy maker, the baker, the man on the street




The city charmer, the farmer, the man in the moon
All sing Elmer's tune

Overall Meaning

The Andrews Sisters' song Elmer's Tune is a celebration of the magic of love and the whimsy of life. The lyrics pose some curious questions like why the stars are always winking and blinking, what puts the kick in a chicken, and why an eighty-year-old lady would go out on the loose. The answer, according to the song, is simple - it's just Elmer's tune. The song goes on to urge the listener to sing and swing the tune in any way and at any time they like because it's a song that encompasses everyone and everything. From the hurdy-gurdies to the man on the moon, all sing Elmer's tune.


The song was written by Elmer Albrecht, Dick Jurgens, and Sammy Gallop in 1941 and recorded by the Dick Jurgens Orchestra with vocals by Marion Holmes. The Andrews Sisters first recorded the song in March 1941, and it became a huge hit, staying on the charts for 13 weeks. The song has been covered by many artists over the years, including Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Peggy Lee.


Line by Line Meaning

Why are the stars always winkin' and blinkin' above?
What causes the stars to continuously twinkle in the sky?


What makes a fellow start thinkin' of fallin' in love?
What triggers a man to contemplate falling in love with someone?


It's not the season, the reason is plain as the moon
It's not the time of year that sparks these feelings, the explanation is evident and clear.


It's just Elmer's tune
It's simply the melody of Elmer's song.


What makes a lady of eighty go out on the loose?
What motivates an elderly lady to go out and enjoy herself recklessly?


Why does a gander meander in search of a goose?
What prompts a male goose to aimlessly wander in search of a female mate?


What puts the kick in a chicken, the magic in June?
What instills energy and excitement in a chicken, or a special feeling in the month of June?


It's just Elmer's tune
It's simply the melody of Elmer's song.


Listen, listen, there's a lot you're li'ble to be missin'
Pay attention, as there's a lot you could overlook.


Sing it, swing it, any old way and any old time
Sing it with your own style and rhythm, any way and whenever you want.


The hurdy gurdies, the birdies, the cop on the beat
The musicians, the songbirds, the police officers patrolling the streets.


The candy maker, the baker, the man on the street
The confectioners, the bakers, the everyday people walking on the streets.


The city charmer, the farmer, the man in the moon
The people who captivate us in the city, the farmers who cultivate our crops, and even the fictional man in the moon.


All sing Elmer's tune
All of them are singing Elmer's song.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ELMER ALBRECHT, SAMMY GALLOP, DAN JURGENS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@Maverick2

Today is December 27,2022 on this day in 2004 my dad Lloyd Dudley Smith passed away in Mesa, Arizona of liver failure - This is his favorite song - I just sang this to him and posted it on my Facebook page

@noradenzel6535

I just found out this song was my Mom's favorite song in 1942! It's wonderful to be able to play it here!

@gailg1957

My dad used to sing this to my mom, it makes me cry now thinking about it.

@josha4913

Sounds like he loved her a tremendous amount. Cheers to him🥂

@journeymnme

God bless you for sharing this. I hum along with my father who is unable to speak due to a stroke. We laugh and cry as we share this precious song from his childhood. Keep humming Daddy! I love you!

@GodsFavoriteBassPlyr

It's amazing how many great stories and memories this song, and especially these Incredible Ladies, bring to mind.  It's nice to remember that there was a time when music was straight from the heart and civilization was.. well..  civilized.

@jimstokes6742

Amazing how bad lyrics survive. The sheeple love it.

@williamroden8495

Could not disagree more.  I think it's s'Wonderful.s'Marvelous even.

@whiimskers

Andrews Sisters were literally around during WW2. I wouldn’t quite say things were civilized. Nevertheless, I love these ladies. Its a shame they parted ways the way they did.

@deewesthill1213

@@jimstokes6742 I'd be astounded if a snide troll like you could come up with lyrics only a small fraction as clever and charming as in "Elmer's Tune".

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