They All Laughed
| PROFILE | |
| Composer | George Gershwin |
| Lyricist | Ira Gershwin |
| Year Written | 1937 |
| About They All Laughed | |
| George and Ira Gershwin wrote “They All Laughed” in 1937 for the Fred Astaire film Shall We Dance. Mr. Bennett often performs this song in concert. | |
Lyrics
The odds were a hundred to one against me
The world thought the heights were too high to climb
But people from Missouri never incensed me
Oh, I wasn’t a bit concerned
For from hist’ry I had learned
How many, many times the worm had turned
They all laughed at Christopher Columbus
When he said the world was round
They all laughed when Edison recorded sound
They all laughed at Wilbur and his brother
When they said that man could fly
They told Marconi
Wireless was a phony
It’s the same old cry
They laughed at me wanting you
Said I was reaching for the moon
But oh, you came through
Now they’ll have to change their tune
They all said we never could be happy
They laughed at us and how!
But ho, ho, ho!
Who’s got the last laugh now?
They all laughed at Rockefeller Center
Now they’re fighting to get in
They all laughed at Whitney and his cotton gin
They all laughed Fulton and his steamboat
Hershey and his chocolate bar
Ford and his Lizzie
Kept the laughers busy
That’s how people are
They laughed at me wanting you
Said it would be, “Hello, Goodbye.”
But oh, you came through
Now they’re eating humble pie
They all said we’d never get together
Darling, let’s take a bow
For ho, ho, ho!
Who’s got the last laugh?
Hee, hee, hee!
Let’s at the past laugh
Ha, ha, ha!
Who’s got the last laugh now?
Session / Album Information
1968
“They All Laughed” was recorded on November 25, 1968 and released the following year on the album I’ve Gotta Be Me. It was arranged by Torrie Zito.
This recording released on:
- 1969: Columbia LP 12″: CS 9882 — I’ve Gotta Be Me
- 1969: Columbia 45: 4-44755
- 2009: Beat Goes On CD: 886 — For Once In My Life/I’ve Gotta Be Me [UK
- 2011: Disc #38 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK37) I’ve Gotta Be Me
1993
“They All Laughed” was recorded in July 1993 and was released that year on Steppin’ Out. It was arranged by Tony Bennett and Ralph Sharon.
This recording released on:
- 1993: Columbia CD: CK 57424 — Steppin’ Out
- 2004: Columbia/Legacy CD: C5K 92784 — Fifty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett
- 2011: Disc #59 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK58) Steppin’ Out
- 2013: Columbia/Legacy – Sixty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett
2014
“They All Laughed” was recorded in 2014 with Lady Gaga and released that year on Cheek To Cheek. It was arranged by Marion Evans.
This recording released on:
- 2014: Columbia/RPM/Streamline/Intercept Records: B0021494-02 – Cheek To Cheek (deluxe edition)
- 2014: Columbia/RPM/Streamline/Intercept Records: B0021861-03 – Cheek To Cheek (Target edition)
- 2014: Columbia/RPM/Streamline/Intercept Records: B0021688-02 – Cheek To Cheek (HSN edition)
- 2014: Columbia/RPM/Streamline/Intercept Records: Cheek To Cheek (iTunes edition)