Fred Astaire - Puttin’ on the Ritz (1930)
Taco - Puttin’ on the Ritz (1982)

Puttin’ on the Ritz (annotations)
by Irving Berlin

Have you seen the well-to-do
Upon Lennox Avenue
On that famous thoroughfare
With their noses in the air

High hats and narrow collars
White spats and fifteen dollars
Spending every dime
For a wonderful time

If you’re blue
And you don’t know where to go to
Why don’t you go where Harlem flits
Puttin’ on the Ritz
Spangled Gowns upon the bevy of
High browns from down the levy
All misfits
Puttin’ on the Ritz

That’s where each and every lulu-belle goes
Every Thursday evening with her swell beaus
Rubbin’ elbows

Come with me and we’ll attend their jubilee
And see them spend
Their last two bits
Puttin’ on the Ritz

(Boys, look at that man puttin’ on that Ritz)
(You look at him, I can’t)

If you’re blue
And you don’t know where to go to
Why don’t you go where Harlem flits
Puttin’ on the Ritz
Spangled Gowns upon the bevy of
High browns from down the levy
All misfits
Puttin’ on that certain Ritz

That’s where each and every lulu-belle goes
Every Thursday evening with her swell beaus
Rubbin’ elbows

Come with me and we’ll attend their jubilee
And see them spend
Their last two bits
Puttin’ on the Ritz

Come with me and we’ll attend their jubilee
And see them spend
Their last two bits
Puttin’ on the Ritz

This article is about Funny Money  Sunday, 30th July 2006 (by J.D. Roth)