The Music That Makes Me Dance

I have been considering the work of Bob Merrill this afternoon. This is my favorite of his lyrics & one of the most overlooked songs from the Musical Theatre canon. It was written for the Broadway show- Funny Girl in 1964, but cut from the film version.

I add 2 & 2, the most simple addition

Then swear that the figures are lying

I'm a much better comic than mathematician

Because I'm better on stage
 Than at intermission

& as far as the man is concerned

If I've been burned

I haven't learned

I know he's around when the sky
 & the ground start in ringing

I know that he's near
 By the thunder I hear in advance

His words

His words alone are the words
 That can start my heart singing

& his is the only music that makes me dance

He'll sleep & he'll rise,
 In the light of the 2 eyes that adore him

Bore him it might,
 But he won't leave my sight for a glance

In ev'ry way, ev'ry day, I need less of myself

& need more him, more him

Because his is the only music
 That makes me dance

Beause his is the only music
 That makes me dance

Born On This Day- May 17th... Lyricist Bob Merrill

I possess a great passion for the art of the popular song. I have a large library of books by & about 20th century songwriters including everyone from Irving Berlin to Sting, Occasionally mentioned as one of the worst songwriters of all time based on his penchant for coming up with best selling novelty songs: If I’d Known You Were Comin’, I'd Have Baked a Cake, Honeycomb, How Much Is That Doggie In the Window?, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania & Mambo Italiano.

Unfair when Bob Merrill is responsible or the music or lyrics for successful Broadway musicals: New Girl In Town, Take Me Along, Carnival, & Funny Girl. But, by the other turn, he gave us the monumental flops: Breakfast At Tiffany’s, Henry, Sweet Henry, Sugar, & The Red Shoes. He also wrote the book & lyrics for the Angela Lansbury vehicle Prettybelle , & the music & lyrics for the Robert Preston musical The Prince of Grand Street , both of which closed during their Boston tryouts. He was nominated for the Tony Award 8 times, but never won. He was nominated for an Oscar for the song- Funny Girl.

Merrill finally tired of the Broadway grind & turned to writing screenplays: the 1975 film Mahogany, starring Diana Ross, WC Fields & Me, with Rod Steiger; Chu Chu & the Philly Flash with Carol Burnett; & Portrait of a Showgirl, starring Rita Moreno, Leslie Ann Warren & Tony Curtis.

Suffering from depression, Bob Merrill took his own life on February 17, 1998 in Los Angeles, California.

People Who Need People... Born On May 17th- Songwriter Bob Merrill

I possess a great passion for the art of the popular song. I have a large library of books by & about 20th century songwriters including everyone from Irving Berlin to Sting, Occasionally mentioned as one of the worst songwriters of all time based on his penchant for coming up with best selling novelty songs: If I’d Known You Were Comin’, I'd Have Baked a Cake, Honeycomb, How Much Is That Doggie In the Window?, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania & Mambo Italiano.

Unfair when Bob Merrill is responsible or the music or lyrics for successful Broadway musicals: New Girl In Town, Take Me Along, Carnival, & Funny Girl. But, by the other turn, he gave us the monumental flops: Breakfast At Tiffany’s, Henry, Sweet Henry, Sugar, & The Red Shoes. He also wrote the book & lyrics for the Angela Lansbury vehicle Prettybelle , & the music & lyrics for the Robert Preston musical The Prince of Grand Street , both of which closed during their Boston tryouts. He was nominated for the Tony Award 8 times, but never won. He was nominated for an Oscar for the song- Funny Girl.

Merrill finally tired of the Broadway grind & turned to writing screenplays: the 1975 film Mahogany, starring Diana Ross, WC Fields & Me, with Rod Steiger; Chu Chu & the Philly Flash with Carol Burnett; & Portrait of a Showgirl, starring Rita Moreno, Leslie Ann Warren & Tony Curtis.

Suffering from depression, Bob Merrill took his own life on February 17, 1998 in Los Angeles, California.