Bring back U.S. prohibition

One of the things that gave Montreal its old sparkle was the fact that you could get a drink here when the States wuz dry. Back in 1928, the Irving Berlin Co. published a song that summed up the feelings of parched Americanos in search of a good time. It was called...

(Goodbye Broadway) Hello Montreal!

Lyric: Mort Dixon and Billy Rose Music: Harry Warren; Year: 1928; Original publisher: Irving Berlin, Inc. (Courtesy harrywarren.org)


(sh) Speak easy,

(sh) Speak easy,

Said Johnny Brown;

I'm gonna leave this town,

Ev'rything is closing down.

(sh) Speak easy,

(sh) Speak easy,

And tell the bunch:

I won't go East, won't go West,

Got a diff'rent hunch:

Chorus 1:
I'll be leaving in the summer,

And I won't come back till fall,

Goodbye Broadway, hello Montreal.

With a stein upon the table,

I'll be laughing at you all,

Goodbye Broadway, hello Montreal.

I'm on my way, I'm on my way,

And I'll make whoop-whoop whoopee night and day.

Anytime my wifey wants me,

You can tell her where to call,

Goodbye Broadway, hello Montreal.


Patter:
Yamo, yamo, I think I want a drink;

Yamo, yamo, there's water in the sink.

The sink, the sink, the sink, the sink, the sink;

The good old rusty sink;

But who the heck wants water when you're dying for a drink?

Chorus 2:
Oh, "We Won't Get Home Till Morning"

Is the best song after all,

Goodbye Broadway, hello Montreal.

There'll be no more Orange Phosphates*,

You can bet your Ingersoll**,

Goodbye Broadway, hello Montreal.

That old tin pail, that old tin pail,

Was never meant to carry ginger ale.

There'll be photographs of brew'ries

All around my bedroom wall,

Goodbye Broadway, hello Montreal.


Verse 2:
(sh) Speak easy,

(sh) Speak easy,

Asked Tommy Gray;

I must know right away,

Are the gals up there okay?

(sh) Speak easy,

(sh) Speak easy,

Said Johnny Brown;

You ain't been hugged, ain't been kissed,

Till you've hit that town:


[Chorus 1, Patter, Chorus 2]

* Orange phosphates refers to a sweet, non-alcoholized drink.

** Possible reference to an Ingersoll brand pocket watch.