They Like Ike

From the 1950 film “Call Me Madam”.
Words and music by Irving Berlin.

The sheet music:

They-Like-Ike – SHEET MUSICDownload

Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:

They_Like_Ike – MIDIDownload

Lyrics

  1. The Presidential year
    Will soon be drawing near
    The people soon will choose their fav’rite son
    I wonder what they’ll do in Nineteen fifty-two
    I wonder who they’ll send to Washington

Chorus
They like Ike and Ike is good on a mike
They like Ike but Ike says he don’t wanna
That makes Ike the kind o’ feller they like
And what’s more they seem to think he’s gonna
But Harry won’t get out
They’re in for plenty of fights
Harry won’t get out
He’s got squatter’s rights
But there’s Ike and Ike is good on a mike
And they know the vote’s that he can carry
But don’t forget there’s Harry
But they like Ike

  1. They won’t take Saltenstall
    And Stassen’s chance is small
    The same would go for Vanderberg and Taft
    And Dewey’s right in line
    With William Jennings Bryan
    There isn’t anyone that they can draft

Chorus
They like Ike and Ike is good on a mike
They like Ike but Ike says he won’t take it
That makes Ike the kind o’ feller they like
And what’s more they seem to think he’ll make it
But Harry’s on the ground
And should Republicans win
When they come around
He won’t let them in
If it’s Ike your Chief can get on his bike
And his things a moving van will carry
They can’t do that to Harry
But they like Ike

  1. For nearly twenty years
    We’ve had the people’s cheers
    The Democrats continue to advance
    Of course, they could arrange
    To make a sudden change
    But no one’s ’round who seems to have a chance

Chorus
They like Ike and Ike is good on a mike
They like Ike but Ike says he’s not bidding
That makes Ike the kind o’ feller they like
And what’s more they seem to think he’s kidding
But Harry won’t consent
They’ll get a sock in the jaw
Republican president?
That’s against the law
If it’s Ike your Chief can go on a hike
And we boys will see he doesn’t tarry
They can’t do that to Harry
But they like Ike

  1. With your permission, sir
    We’re anxious to confer
    And we would like to do it privately
    Go on and make your crack
    I’ll even turn my back
    But if you’re speaking of the G. O. P.

Chorus
They like Ike and Ike is good on a mike
They like Ike but Ike says he’ll reject it
That makes Ike the kind o’ feller they like
And what’s more they seem to think he’ll be elected
But Harry won’t give in
Defeat he’ll never admit
No one else can win
He won’t stand for it
If it’s Ike your Chief can get on his bike
Two years more the month of January
They can’t do that to Harry
But they like Ike

  1. It seems that ev’ry Spring
    They all approach the ring
    And cockily keep throwing in their hats
    They always lose, but then
    They come right back again
    And some of them come back as Democrats

Chorus
They like Ike and Ike is good on a mike
They like Ike but Ike says he don’t choose to
That makes Ike the kind o’ feller they like
And what’s more they know he won’t refuse to
But Harry is content
To stay there living in peace
The people pay the rent
You can’t break his lease
If it’s Ike your Chief can go on a strike
And we boys will hand his hat to Harry
You can’t do that to Harry
But they like Ike

Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: