Isn't It Romantic?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the Rodgers and Hart song. For the book by Daniel M. Kimmel, see Isn't It Romantic (book).
For the 1948 film, see Isn't It Romantic? (film).

"Isn't It Romantic?" is a popular song and part of the Great American Songbook. The music was composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart. It has a 32-bar chorus in ABAC form. Alec Wilder, in his book American Popular Song: The Great Innovators 1900-1950 calls it "a perfect song."

It was introduced in the Paramount film Love Me Tonight (1932). It has since been recorded numerous times, with and without vocals, by many jazz and popular artists. It has also since been featured in a number of movies, including several other Paramount films, such as Preston Sturges' The Lady Eve (1941) and The Palm Beach Story (1942), as well as Billy Wilder's Sabrina 1954

In Love Me Tonight, the song is used in an innovative sequence in which it is first sung by Maurice Chevalier, a tailor, and then taken up by others (his customer, a cabby, a composer, a troop of soldiers, a band of gypsies) and is finally heard and sung by a princess, played by Jeanette MacDonald.

The lyrics in the film are not the same as those in the published version. They appear below, except for four lines sung by marching soldiers, which are unintelligble (though see below):

Maurice: My face is glowing, I'm energetic./ The art of sewing I found poetic./ My needle punctuates the rhythm of romance./ I don't give a stitch if I don't get rich./ A custom tailor who has no custom/ Is like a sailor, no one will trust 'im./ But there is magic in the music of my shears./ I shed no tears, lend me your ears./


Isn't it romantic?/ Soon I will have found some girl that I adore./ Isn't it romantic?/ While I sit around my love can scrub the floor./ She'll kiss me every hour or she'll get the sack/ And when I take a shower she can scrub my back./


Isn't it romantic?/ On a moonlit night she'll cook me onion soup./ Kiddies are romantic/ And if we don't fight we soon will have a troop./ We'll help the population,/ It's a duty that we owe to France./ Isn't it romance?/


Emile (customer): Isn't it romantic?/ Da da da da/ A very catch strain./ Isn't it romantic?/ Da da da da/ Oh, I forgot my cane./ Oh, thank you very much./

Maurice: I'd better fix your tie./

Emile: Da-da-da-da-da-da-da/ Da-da, da-da

Maurice: ...good-bye!

Emile: Isn't it romantic?/ Da-da-da-da/

Cabbie: Taxi?

Emile: Oh no, I need some air./ Isn't it romantic?/ (whistles for five notes)

Cabbie: At last I've got a fare./ (Whistles for six notes)/

Composer: Not too fast, I hate to take a chance./

Cabbie: Isn't it romance?/


Isn't it romantic,/ To drive around the town?/

Composer: Isn't it romantic?/ I think I'll take that down./ (Whistles next line)/ A...B-A-G-F-E, D-E, D-A, B-flat/


Isn't it romantic?/ Da da da da I'll write some words as well./ Isn't it romantic,/ Sitting on the train? This song has got to sell!/

Soldiers: Laa, lalalalalala,/ Now that's a song that makes you want to dance!/ Isn't it romance?

(Marching sequence: Four lines, not intelligible.)

Gypsy violin and wordless chorus, until it ends with: Isn't it romance?

Jeanette: Isn't it romantic,/ Music in the night, a dream that can be heard?/ Isn't it romantic,/ That a hero might appear and say the word?/ Brought by a secret charm or/ By my heart's command,/ My prince will ride in armor/ Just to kiss my hand./


Isn't it romantic?/ He will hear my call and bend his royal knee./ Isn't it romantic?/ He'll be strong and tall and yet a slave to me./ Sweet lover of my fancy/ Will you ever come to life to love, perchance?/ Isn't it romance?/


The Complete Lyrics Of Lorenz Hart gives the soldiers' lyric thus:

Isn't it the right foot?/ Isn't it the left!/ This town is full of dames/ So, we lift a light foot!/ Marching full of heft/ And don't give your right names/ You bet we're gonna pet 'em/ Left! Right! Boys must play/ We'll fool 'em and forget 'em/ And we'll march away!/ [Boy fiddles as the soldiers sing] Isn't it romantic/ Da, da, da, da, da... [The boy runs off and joins a gypsy band, who take up the music]



In 2008 Margaret Preece also known as Maggie Preece has just released an album called "Isn’t It Romantic" which features the Isn’t It Romantic and 17 of Richard Rodgers most glorious songs, with lyrics by both Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein. You can get more information on her website about the CD on her official website at http://www.maggiepreece.com