Just Thinking About Life...
On the season finale of Boardwalk Empire, HBO's brilliantly written new series. They chose to close the show with an old turn-of-the-century tune by George M. Cohan. It's a song that I first became familiar with back in the 1960s, when I was just a wee lad. (as Cohan might've said)
When most people think of Cohan's music and lyrics; They tend to remember the light hearted ditties like "Yankee Doodle Dandy".
The serious being that I am however, always seemed to remember the insightful, darker and more somber songs. Such as the poignant lyrics contained within the immortal tune...
Life's a funny proposition, after all
"Did you ever sit and ponder,
Sit and wonder, sit and think,
Why we're here and what this life is all about?
It's a problem that has driven
Many brainy men to drink,
It's the weirdest thing they've tried to figure out.
About a thousand diff'rent theories
All the scientists can show,
But never yet have proved a reason why
With all we've thought
And all we're taught,
Why all we seem to know,
Is we're born, and live a while and then we die.
Refrain 1
Life's a very funny proposition after all,
Imagination, jealousy, hypocrisy and all.
Three meals a day, a whole lot to say;
When you haven't got the coin you're always in the way.
Ev'rybody's fighting as we wend our way along,
Ev'ry fellow claims the other fellow's in the wrong;
Hurried and worried until we're buried and there's no curtain call.
Life's a very funny proposition after all.
Verse 2
When all things are coming easy, and when luck is with a man,
Why then life to him is sunshine ev'rywhere;
Then the fates blow rather breezy and they quite upset a plan,
Then he'll cry that life's a burden hard to bear.
Though today may be a day of smiles, tomorrow's still in doubt,
And what brings me joy, may bring you care and woe;
We're born to die, but don't know why, or what it's all about,
And the more we try to learn the less we know.
Refrain 2
Life's a very funny proposition, you can bet,
And no one's ever solved the problem properly as yet.
Young for a day, then old and gray;
Like the rose that buds and blooms and fades and falls away,
Losing health to gain our wealth as through this dream we tour.
Ev'rything's a guess and nothing's absolutely sure;
Battles exciting and fates we're fighting until the curtain falls.
Life's a very funny proposition after all."
Just Thinking
Please feel free to comment below, ( just click on the word "Comments")
Monday, December 6, 2010
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The music throughout Boardwalk empire was a revelation,that final scene with Eddie Cantor singing Proposition sent me to the web looking for the lyrics ,and brought me to your site.The more things change....
ReplyDeleteI too love Boardwalk Empire, great show! The song about "Life" at the end was the perfect way to cap off season one. Thanks for providing the lyrics.
ReplyDeleteI wrote about this song from a meaning of life wellness perspective many years ago. Here is the essay, posted at http://www.seekwellness.com/wellness/reports/2001-09-24.htm
ReplyDeleteLife's A Very Funny Proposition After All!
Monday September 24, 2001
No matter what may happen, Whatever may befall, I only know I'm mighty glad I'm living, That is all. George M. Cohan, "I'm Mighty Glad I'm Living," 1910
I believe the bottom line challenge for wellness seekers lies in finding, and sustaining, sufficient meaning and purpose in life. Once that is achieved, other lifestyle interests are more likely to appeal and fall into place. Books, poems, movies and yes, songs about meaning and purpose interest me greatly. No song has been of more fascination than "Life's A Very Funny Proposition After All!"
It was written and recorded 90 years ago by George M. Cohan, the composer of so many patriotic songs, such as "Yankee Doodle Dandy," "Over There" and "You're A Grand Old Flag."
"Life's A Very Funny Proposition After All" was composed for and featured in a Broadway play in 1911 entitled "Little Johnny Jones." You can hear this lovely but haunting song on a cassette entitled Niper's Greatest Hits 1901-1920 (1991 BMG Music).
The first part of "Life's A Very Funny Proposition After All" invites the listener to think about the ultimate questions, as follows:
Did you ever sit and ponder, Sit and wonder, sit and think, Why we're here and what this life is all about? It's a problem that has driven many brainy men to drink, It's the weirdest thing they've tried to figure out.
That stanza surely got everyone's attention in the play "Little Johnny Jones." The next is equally arresting:
"About a thousand different theories the scientists can show, But never yet have proved a reason why. With all we've thought and all we're taught Why all we seem to know is we're born, live a while, then we die, Life's a very funny proposition after all."
How do we spend our days? George M. Cohan does not paint a pretty pictue:
"Imagination, jealousy, hypocrisy, love, Three meals a day, a whole lot to say, When you haven't got the coin, You're always in the way. Everybody's fighting, we wend our way along, Every fellow claims, the other fellow's in the wrong, Hurried and worried, until we're buried There's no curtain call. Life's a very funny proposition after all."
George notes that there are good times and bad, that we are all different but eventually time runs out, so live well while you can:
(Continued at site due to space limits here)
TO: Donald B. Ardell PhD from Seek-Wellness,
ReplyDeletehttp://www.seekwellness.com/wellness/
Thanks Donald for your insightful comment. It's nice to know that somebody else gets it besides me.
I also greatly appreciate meaningful and poignant lyrics. Most of my friends, however think the song was morbid and depressing. I wonder what they would say if I ever posted the lyrics to "Dust in the Wind " by Kansas or Don McLean's "Vincent"
I used the link you sent to read your entire essay and greatly enjoyed it. Also, thanks for turning me onto the Seek-Wellness site in general. I took great pleasure in reading the Atheist's Perspective on Christmas very well done.
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