From the 1904 show “Little Johnny Jones”.
Words and music by George M. Cohan.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- 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 different 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
Chorus
Life’s a very funny proposition after all
Imagination, jealousy, hypocrisy and gall
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
- 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
Chorus
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 thro’ this dream we tour
Ev’rything’s a guess and nothing’s absolutely sure
Battles exciting and fates we’re fighting
Until the curtain’s fall
Life’s a very funny proposition after all
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: