A popular song from 1930.
Words by Jack Yellen.
Music by Ted Shapiro.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
Bye-bye folks! I’m leaving you
Hope I won’t be grieving you
‘Cause I’m on my way
Where ev’ry day’s a holiday
Place is where the south begins
Faces full of happy grins
Greet you ev’rywhere
You ought to come and join me there
Chorus
Where the skies are always blue
And the whole world smiles at you
You can always tell
And you’ll know darn well
You’re where the south begins
Oh, the angels cut a slice
Of the best of Paradise
Fenced it off up north
And they said, “Hence forth
Here’s where the south begins”
Up here’s a storm
We’re shivering in our boots
Down there it’s warm
And they’re wearing bathing suits
Where the sun is hot above
But it’s not too hot for love
Happy days of joy
And the nights, Oh, Boy!
That’s where the south begins
Patter
I’ve been to the East! East!
With it’s myst’ries of the past
I’ve been to the West! West!
Where the pace is terribly fast
I’ve been to the North! North!
Just a frozen desert of snow
Give me the South! South!
Heaven on earth below
Where it’s good to be alive
And the moment you arrive
You’ll get up and cheer
“Happy days are here”
That’s where the south begins
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: