George Gershwin
“The Half of It, Dearie” Blues
(Verse 1)
[DICK]
Each time you trill
A song with Will
Or look at Bill
I get a chill
I'm gloomy
I won't recall
The names of all
The men who fall
It's all appall-
Ing to me
Of course, I really cannot blame them a bit
For you're a hit
Wherever you flit
I know it's so
But dearie, oh
You'll never know
The blues that go
Right through me

(Chorus 1)
[DICK]
I've got the "you don't know the half of it, dearie" blues
The trouble is you have so many from whom to choose
If you should marry
Tom, Dick, or Harry
Life would be the bunk
I'd become a monk
I've got the "you don't know the half of it, dearie" blues
(Verse 2)
[SHIRLEY]
To Bill and Ben
I'd pay atten-
Tion now and then
But really men
Would bore me
When I'd begun
To think I'd run
And be a nun
I met the one
Man for me
And now just when the sun is starting to beam
You get engaged
Zip! goes a dream
What will I do
Away from you?
I feel the fu-
Ture will be blue
And stormy

(Chorus 2)
[SHIRLEY]
I've got the "you don't know the half of it, dearie" blues
It may be my heart isn't broken, but there's a bruise
Through you, I've known some
Days that were lonesome
Though you say that I'm
Flirting all the time
I've got the "you don't know the half of it, dearie" blues
(Chorus 3)
[ENSEMBLE]
I've got the "you don't know the half of it, dearie" blues
Although I know that love's a gamble, I hate to lose
Life will be duller
Will have no color
Jill without a Jack
Makes the future black
I've got the "you don't know the half of it, dearie" blues

[DICK]
I've got the "you don't know the half of it, dearie" blues

(dance break)

(Chorus 4)
[MEN]
I've got the "you don't know the half of it, dearie" blues
Each time I try to kiss my baby, I get bad news

[DICK]
With your permission
My one ambition
Was to go through life
Saying, "Meet the wife."
[ALL]
I've got the "you don't know the half of it, dearie" blues