1929 Original Keys: Verse: F, Chorus: Fm

Introduced by Harry Richman in 1930 movie

Puttin' on the Ritz. Berlin wrote new lyrics
for Fred Astaire in the 1946 movie Blue Skies

1928 Verse:
1946 Verse:

E 7

G7

well- to- do,

well- to- do,

F 7

B7

Fm7

fa - mous
fa - mous

G dim

High
High

hats
hats

13

Dm7

Have you seen the

Have you seen the

On that
On that
9

Puttin' on the Ritz

Em

Spend - ing
Spend - ing

ev - 'ry
ev - 'ry

E 7

Dm7

F 7

G dim

White
White

spats
spats

A7

D7

dime
dime,

for
for

Av - e - nue?
Av - e - nue?

in
in

B7
the air.
the air.

Am7
and
and

2/25/2005

G7

Fm7

With their nos - es

With their nos - es

D7

co - lored col- lars,

Ar - row col- lars,

Verse: C major

up on Len - ox
up and down Park

thor - ough - fare,

thor - ough - fare,

Am7
and
and

Words and Music by Irving Berlin

fif - teen
lots of

D7
dol- lars.
dol- lars.

G7
a
a

won- der - ful

won- der - ful

time.
time.

Puttin' on the Ritz was a hit several different times in the last century. The "Ritz" refers to the posh hotel chain built by
Cesar Ritz. This song expresses a common theme of several Berlin songs, a couple of society wannabees trying to appear
better off than they really are.
This may have been written as early as 1927, and Harry Richman introduced the tune in 1929. Clark Gable sang it in the
1939 film Idiot's Delight, which was reintroduced in 1973 film That's Entertainment. Most people remember Fred Astaire's
incredible dance in the 1948 movie Easter Parade. Do you remember the world-wide hit in 1982 by Indonesian Dutch singer
Taco Ockerse? And Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle sang it in 1974 in one of my favorite movies. Young Frankenstein.
Puttin' on the Ritz has a jazzy syncopated melody sang over a steady swing style accompaniment. The melody is formed
from syncopated chord arpeggios and scales. The verse is in a major key (C major), and the chorus is in a minor key
(C minor), which provides an intriguing contrast. Irving Berlin rewrote the lyrics in 1946 for Fred Astaire to perform in the
musical Blue Skies, and it is these later lyrics that most people know. .

Puttin' on the Ritz

1929 Original Keys: Verse: F, Chorus: Fm

Cm

17

1928 Chorus:
1946 Chorus:

Cm

20

If
If

you're
you're

G7

blue
blue

and you
and you

Cm

28

Put- tin' on the

Put- tin' on the

up - on
who wear

a be - vy
of
a day coat, pants

Dm7

Fm

That's where each and

Dressed up
like
a
Strol - ling
up the
37

C 7 C7

ev - 'ry Lu - Lu
mil - lion dol - lar
a - ven - nue so

B7

Cm

Come with me and we'll

Come let's mix with Rock

Dm7
bits.
mits.

G7

Cm/B A 7

G7

GmF m F

B7

Ritz.
Ritz.

Fm

Belle
goes.
troo - per.
hap - py.

Cm

45

Cm
Put- tin' on the
Put- tin' on the

Ev - 'ry Thurs- day ev - 'ning with her

Try - ing hard to look like Ga - ry
All dressed up just like an Eng - lish
41

high browns from down the

with stripes, and cut - a -

G7

C7

Ritz.
Ritz.

Cm

le - vee, all mis - fits.

way coat per - fect
fits.
33

Cm Cm/B A 7 G7

Cm

G7

go to, why don't you

go to, why don't you

G7

sits,
sits,

gowns
types

Cm

don't know where to

don't know where to

Dm7

Cm

Spang - led
Dif - ferent

Chorus: C minor

Cm

go where Har - lem

go where fash - ion
25

Words and Music by Irving Berlin

swell beaus,
Coo - per,
chap - pie,

Rub- bing el - bows.

Su - per
du - per.
ve - ry snap - py.

Cm

Cm

G7

at- tend their ju - bil - lee and see them spend their last two
e - fel - lers walk with sticks or "um- ber - el - lers" in their

G7

Cm

Put- tin' on the

Put- tin' on the

Ritz.

G7

Cm Fm
2

Ritz.