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They All Laughed

ComposerGeorge Gershwin
LyricistIra Gershwin
Year Written1937

About This Song

“They All Laughed” was written by George and Ira Gershwin for the 1937 film Shall We Dance, where it was performed by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

View the lyrics

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?

Recordings

1968

Tony Bennett recorded “They All Laughed” on November 25, 1968. Torrie Zito wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

CO 100268

Release History

1969Columbia 45: 4-44755
1969Columbia LP 12″: CS 9882 — I’ve Gotta Be Me
2009Beat Goes On CD: 886 — For Once In My Life/I’ve Gotta Be Me [UK]
2011Columbia: The Complete Collection — Disc 38 — I’ve Gotta Be Me

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