181. Nice Work If You Can Get It (1937)
lyrics by Ira Gershwin
music by George Gershwin
| rec date | type | # | discography | tk | rec time |
| 1937 | MT | 71 | Complete on Columbia v.4 | 1 | 3’07” |
Holding hands at midnight
‘Neath the starry sky
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryStrolling with the one boy
Sighing sigh after sigh
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryJust imagine someone
Waiting at the cottage door
Where two hearts become one
Who could ask for anything moreLoving one who loves you
And then taking that vow
Nice work if you can get it
And if you get it
Won’t you tell me how?
2nd version
| rec date | type | # | discography | tk | rec time |
| 1954 | MT | 127 | Perfect Complete Collection v.7 | 9 | 2’45” |
Holding hands at midnight
‘Neath the starry sky
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryStrolling with the one boy
Sighing sigh after sigh
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryJust imagine someone
Waiting at the cottage door
Where two hearts become one
Who could ask for anything moreLoving one who loves you
Then taking that vow
Nice work if you can get it
And if you get it
Won’t you tell me how?Holding hands at midnight
‘Neath the starry sky
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryStrolling with the one boy
Sighing sigh after sigh
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryJust imagine someone
Awaiting at the cottage door
Where two hearts become one
Who could ask for anything moreLoving one who loves you
Then taking that vow
Nice work if you can get it
And if you get it
Won’t you tell me
Please, please tell me
Won’t you tell me how?
3rd version
| rec date | type | # | discography | tk | rec time |
| 1955 | MT | 264 | Complete on Verve v.5 | 16 | 3’47” |
Holding hands at midnight
‘Neath the starry sky
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryStrolling with the one boy
Sighing sigh after sigh
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryJust imagine someone
Waiting at the cottage door
Where two hearts become one
Who could ask for anything moreLoving one who loves you
And then taking that vow
Nice work if you can get it
And if you get it
Won’t you tell me how?(long bridge)
Holding hands at midnight
‘Neath the starry sky
Nice work if you can get it
You can get it if you tryStrolling with the one boy
Sighing sigh after sigh
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryJust imagine someone
Waiting at the cottage door
Where two hearts become one
Who could ask for anything moreLoving one who loves you
And then taking that vow
Nice work if you can get it
And if you get it
Won’t you tell me
Please, please tell me
Won’t you tell me how?
4th version
| rec date | type | # | discography | tk | rec time |
| 1956 | LR | 154 | Perfect Complete Collection v.9 | 15 | 2’32” |
Holding hands at midnight
‘Neath the starry sky
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryStrolling with the one boy
Sighing sigh after sigh
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryJust imagine someone
Waiting at the cottage door
Where two hearts become one
Who could ask for anything moreLoving one who loves you
Then taking that vow
Nice work if you can get it
And if you get it
Won’t you tell me how?Holding hands at midnight
‘Neath the starry sky
Nice work if you can get it
You can get it if you tryStrolling with the one boy
Sighing sigh after sigh
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryJust imagine someone
Waiting at the cottage door
Where two hearts become one
Who could ask for anything moreLoving one who loves you
Then taking that vow
Nice work if you can get it
And if you get it
Won’t you tell me
Please, please tell me
Won’t you tell me how?(applauses)
5th version
| rec date | type | # | discography | tk | rec time |
| 1957 | LR | 180 | Complete on Verve v.10 | 4 | 2’39” |
Holding hands at midnight
‘Neath the starry sky
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryStrolling with the one boy
Sighing sigh after sigh
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryJust imagine someone
Waiting at the cottage door
Where two hearts become one
Who could ask for anything moreLoving one who loves you
Then taking that vow
Nice work if you can get it
And if you get it
Won’t you tell me how?Holding hands at midnight
‘Neath the starry sky
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryStrolling with the one boy
Sighing sigh after sigh
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryJust imagine someone
Waiting at the cottage door
Where two hearts become one
Who could ask for anything moreLoving one who loves you
Then taking that vow
Nice work if you can get it
And if you get it
Won’t you tell me
Please, please tell me
Won’t you tell me how?(applauses)
6th version
| rec date | type | # | discography | tk | rec time |
| 1957 | LR | 186 | Billie Holiday At Stratford ’57 | 1 | 2’30” |
Holding hands at midnight
‘Neath the starry sky
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryStrolling with the one boy
Sighing sigh after sigh
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryJust imagine someone
Waiting at the cottage door
Where two hearts become one
Who could ask for anything moreLoving one who loves you
Then taking that vow
Nice work if you can get it
And if you get it
Won’t you tell me how?Holding hands at midnight
‘Neath the starry sky
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryStrolling with the one boy
Sighing sigh after sigh
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryJust imagine someone
Waiting at the cottage door
Where two hearts become one
Who could ask for anything moreLoving one who loves you
Then taking that vow
Nice work if you can get it
And if you get it
Won’t you tell me
Please, please tell me
Won’t you tell me how?(applauses)
7th version
| rec date | type | # | discography | tk | rec time |
| 1959 | LR | 224 | Perfect Complete Collection v.12 | 15 | 3’04” |
(The MC presents the band)
Holding hands at midnight
‘Neath the starry sky
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryStrolling with the one boy
Sighing sigh after sigh
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryJust imagine someone
Waiting at the cottage door
Where two hearts become one
Who could ask for anything moreLoving one who loves you
Then taking that vow
Nice work if you can get it
And if you get it
Won’t you tell me how?Holding hands at midnight
‘Neath the starry sky
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryStrolling with the one boy
Sighing sigh after sigh
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it if you tryJust imagine someone
Waiting at the cottage door
Where two hearts become one
Who could ask for anything moreLoving one who loves you
Then taking that vow
Nice work if you can get it
And if you get it
Won’t you tell me
Please, please tell me
Won’t you tell me how?(applauses)
Notes |
First appeared on the film A Damsel in Distress with Fred Astaire