Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Written for “Babes in Arms”
HE
You’re the most beautiful baby
In your mother’s eyes and mine
And every other mother’s child is too divine
You’re very sensible, Baby,
But you’ve got a lot to learn
I appoint myself your teacher
And I must be stern
REFRAIN
All at once
Baby starts in toddling,
And all at once
Baby needs no coddling
Then soon
Knows all the names
Of toys and games,
Discovers duty,
Beauty
All at once
Baby needs affection
To fall at once
In the right direction
If Baby’s wise
Baby’s eyes
Should be able to see
All at once
Baby’s going to love me!
SHE
All the world’s a nursery
We grow no older through the seven ages
We keep our bottles and our bogeymen,
And little babies are as wise as sages
When I was three I was a siren,
And knew the old trick
Of vamping my dad for a peppermint stick
HE
At five I was a gangster
I’d loot the pantry,
And give the cream pie a lick
SHE
I was a comedian
At six I had a little knack or two
I used to practice on my teacher dear
And make her sit upon a tack at two
BOTH
Now that we’ve met we forget our old age
We’re kids again in the nursery stage
REFRAIN
All at once
Baby starts in toddling,
And all at once
Baby needs no coddling
Then soon
Knows all the names
Of toys and games,
Discovers duty,
Beauty
All at once
Baby needs affection
To fall at once
In the right direction
If Baby’s wise
Baby’s eyes
Should be able to see
All at once
Baby’s going to love me!
Lorenz Hart & Marshall Barer 