Isn't It A Pity? 1932

James Pitt-Payne, London UK - 18 Jun 2004

[Michael:] Why did I wander,
here and there and yonder,
wasting precious time,
for no reason or rhyme?
Isn't it a pity?
Isn't it a crime?
My journey's ended;
Everything is splendid:
meeting you today
has given me a wonderful idea,
here I stay!

It's a funny thing,
I look at you
I get a thrill
I never knew,
Isn't it a pity
we never met before?
Here we are at last!
It's like a dream!
The two of us a perfect team!
Isn't it a pity
we never met before?
Imagine all the lonely years we've wasted:
You, with the neighbors,
I, at silly labors;
what joys untasted!
You, reading Heine,
I, somewhere in China.
Happiest of men
I'm sure to be,
if only you will say to me:
"It's an awful pity,
we never, never met before."

It's a funny thing,
I look at you
I get a thrill
I never knew,
Isn't it a pity
we never met before?
Here we are at last!
It's like a dream!
The two of us a perfect team!
Isn't it a pity
we never met before?
Imagine all the lonely years we've wasted:
You, with the neighbors,
I, at silly labors;
what joys untasted!
You, reading Heine,
I, somewhere in China.
Happiest of men
I'm sure to be,
if only you will say to me:
"It's an awful pity,
we never, never met before."

[Ilse:] While you were flitting,
I was busy knitting,
hoping I'd survive,
hoping you'd arrive
all my Dresden boy friends
were only half alive.
Sleepy was Hermann,
Fritz was like a sermon,
Hans was such a bore!
How well you planned it!
I just couldn't stand it any more!

It's a funny thing,
I look at you
I get a thrill
I never knew,
Isn't it a pity
we never met before?
Here we are at last!
It's like a dream!
The two of us a perfect team!
Isn't it a pity
we never met before?
Imagine all the lonely years we've wasted:
Fishing for salmon,
losing at backgammon.
What joys untasted!
My nights were sour
spent with Schopenhauer.
Let's forget the past
let's both agree
that I'm for you
and you're for me,
And it's such a pity,
we never, never met before.

It's a funny thing,
I look at you
I get a thrill
I never knew,
Isn't it a pity
we never met before?
Here we are at last!
It's like a dream!
The two of us a perfect team!
Isn't it a pity
we never met before?
Imagine all the lonely years we've wasted:
Fishing for salmon,
losing at backgammon.
What joys untasted!
My nights were sour
spent with Schopenhauer.
Let's forget the past
let's both agree
that I'm for you
and you're for me,
And it's such a pity,
we never, never met before.

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
Isn't It A Pity? 1932 Gershwin
by George and Ira Gershwin
© 1932 by WB Music Corp.
*
sequence and karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Friday 18 June 2004 at 23.02
in association with Doug Grierson
*