(Keep On Playing, Honey).
From “The Jolly Bachelors,” 1909.
Words by Irving Berlin.
Music by Ted Snyder.
Cover Art by E.H. Pfeiffer.
Copyright ©24 Nov 1909.
Sheet Music from the collection of Michael Deatz.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- Do my ears deceive me or am I goin’ mad?
Honey, please believe me, that my hearin’ ain’t bad
But something seems to tell me that I’m list’nin’ to Rag
I’ve been suspectin’ so all night
Tunes I’ve heard befo’ was only music what ain’t
Melody like this is what an artist can’t paint
Go get me some ammonia ’cause I fear I must faint
I’m suffocating with delight
Chorus:
Stop dat rag, keep on playin’, honey
Stop dat rag, hear me prayin’, honey
Run away, I feel that I must be alone
But don’t you dare to leave me
‘Till the cows come home
Cease dat strain, please repeat it, honey
Once again, and I’ll meet it, honey
Oh, I’m sad, No, I’m glad
Stop dat rag, I’m sayin’
I mean keep on playin’
Don’t you dare to stop dat rag
- Call in some physician, ’cause I feel that I’m ill
Somehow or another, hon’, my feet won’t keep still
Please request that leaderman to keep a-playin’ till
I cry enough, enough some more
Hon, I’ll never forgive you, just for takin’ me here
Take me miles and miles away from here anywhere
Just raise a hand to move me, mister man if you dare
I’m satisfied to die right now
Sung by Laurence Rubenstein: