Innovation Blog

How to Say “I Love You”  Without Saying “I Love You”!

By Shlomo Maital

Nov. 4/2009

      A BBC World Service program on the songs of Irving Berlin and  George and Ira Gershwin, American Jewish songwriters and musicians who lived in the 1930’s,  reveals a key innovation principle:

     Often, thinking IN the box [i.e. within difficult binding constraints or limitations] spurs enormous creativity.

     In the 1930’s composer George Gershwin (Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris] and his brother Ira, who wrote the words (lyrics), wrote wonderful love songs.  They did so, however, without using the words “I love you”, because those words were overused and tired.

     How do you say I love You without saying I Love You?  Wow, here are two great examples:  Gershwin’s Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off, and Irving Berlin’s  How Deep is the Ocean?

Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off

This song was written for the 1937 movie musical Shall We Dance?  By Ira and George Gershwin.  It was sung by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, who did an innovative dance while singing it,  on …. roller skates!   It is pure magic!   Compare these lyrics with today’s rap!

Things have come to a pretty pass
Our romance is growing flat,
For you like this and the other
While I go for this and that,
Goodness knows what the end will be
Oh I don’t know where I’m at
It looks as if we two will never be one
Something must be done:
You say either and I say either,
You say neither and I say neither
Either, either
Neither, neither
Let’s call the whole thing off.

You like potato and I like potahto
You like tomato and I like tomahto
Potato, potahto,
Tomato, tomahto.
Let’s call the whole thing of
But oh, if we call the whole thing off
Then we must part
and oh, if we ever part, then that might break my heart

So if you like pyjamas
and I like pyjahmas,
I’ll wear pyjamas
and give up pyjahmas
for we know we need each other so
we better call the whole thing off
let’s call the whole thing off.

You say laughter and I say larfter
You say after and I say arfter
Laughter, larfter
after arfter
Let’s call the whole thing off,
You like vanilla and I say vanella
you saspiralla, and I saspirella
vanilla vanella
chocolate strawberry
let’s call the whole thing of
but oh if we call the whole thing off
then we must part
and oh, if we ever part,
then that might break my heart

So if you go for oysters
and I go for ersters
I’ll order oysters
and cancel the ersters
for we know we need each other
we better call the calling off off,
let’s call the whole thing off.

I say father, and you say pater,
I saw mother and you say mater
Pater, mater
Uncle, auntie
let’s call the whole thing off.

I like bananas and you like banahnahs
I say Havana and I get Havahnah
Bananas, banahnahs
Havana, Havahnah
Go your way, I’ll go mine

So if I go for scallops
and you go for lobsters,
So all right no contest
we’ll order lobseter
For we know we need each other
we better call the calling off off,
let’s call the whole thing off.

 

How Deep is the Ocean?

  Irving Berlin’s 1936 song, to which he wrote both words and music, conveys the deepest feelings of love , using I love you only twice, but as a question….

 

How can I tell you what is in my heart?
How can I measure each and every part?
How can I tell you how much I love you?
How can I measure just how much I do?

How much do I love you?
I’ll tell you no lie
How deep is the ocean?
How high is the sky?

How many times a day do I think of you?
How many roses are sprinkled with dew?

How far would I travel
To be where you are?
How far is the journey
From here to a star?

And if I ever lost you
How much would I cry?
How deep is the ocean?
How high is the sky?