VERSE 1
At words poetic, I'm so pathetic
That I always have found it best,
Instead of getting 'em off my chest,
To let 'em rest unexpressed,
I hate parading my serenading
As I'll probably miss a bar,
But if this ditty is not so pretty
At least it'll tell you
How great you are.
REFRAIN
You're the top!
You're the Coliseum.
You're the top!
You're the Louver Museum.
You're a melody from a symphony by Strauss
You're a Bendel bonnet,
A Shakespeare's sonnet,
You're Mickey Mouse.
You're the Nile,
You're the Tower of Pisa,
You're the smile on the Mona Lisa
I'm a worthless check, a total wreck, a flop,
But if, baby, I'm the bottom you're the top!
VERSE 2
Your words poetic are not pathetic.
On the other hand, boy, you shine,
And I can feel after every line
A thrill divine
Down my spine.
Now gifted humans like Vincent Youmans
Might think that your song is bad,
But for a person who's just rehearsin'
Well, I gotta say this my lad:
REFRAIN 2
You're the top!
You're Mahatma Gandhi.
You're the top!
You're Napoleon Brandy.
You're the purple light of a summer night in Spain,
You're the National Gall'ry
You're Garbo's sal'ry,
You're cellophane.
You're sublime,
You're turkey dinner,
You're the time,
Of the Derby winner
I'm a toy balloon that’s fated soon to pop
But if, baby, I'm the bottom,
You're the top!
REFRAIN 3
You're the top!
You're a Ritz hot toddy.
You're the top!
You're a Brewster body.
You're the boats that glide on the sleepy Zuider Zee,
You're a Nathan panning,
You're Bishop Manning,
You're broccoli.
You're a prize,
You're a night at Coney,
You're the eyes
Of Irene Bordoni.
I'm a broken doll, a fol-de-rol, a blop,
But if, baby, I'm the bottom,
You're the top!
REFRAIN 4
You're the top!
You're an Arrow collar
You're the top!
You're a Coolidge dollar.
You're the nimble tread of the feet of Fred Astaire,
You're an O'Neill drama,
You're Whistler's mama,
You're Camembert.
You're a rose,
You're Inferno's Dante,
You're the nose
On the great Durante.
I'm just in a way, as the French would say, "De trop,"
But if, baby, I'm the bottom,
You're the top!
REFRAIN 5
You're the top!
You're a Waldorf salad.
You're the top!
You're a Berlin ballad.
You're the baby grand of a lady and a gent,
You're an old Dutch master,
You're Mrs. Astor,
You're Pepsodent.
You're romance,
You're the steppes of Russia,
You're the pants
On a Roxy usher.
I'm a lazy lout that's just about to stop,
But if, baby, I'm the bottom,
You're the top!
REFRAIN 6
You're the top!
You're a dance in Bali.
You're the top!
You're a hot tamale.
You're an angel, you, simply too, too, too diveen,
You're a Botticelli,
You're Keats, you're Shelley
You're Ovaltine.
You're a boon,
You're the dam at Boulder,
You're the moon
Over Mae West's shoulder.
I'm a nominee of the G.O.P. or GOP,
But if, baby, I'm the bottom,
You're the top!
REFRAIN 7
You're the top!
You're the Tower of Babel.
You're the top!
You're the Whitney Stable.
By the river Rhine, you're a sturdy stein of beer,
You're a dress from Saks's,
You're next year's taxes,
You're stratosphere.
You're my thoist,
You're a Drunstick Lipstick,
You're da foist
In da Irish Svipstick.
I'm a fightened frog that can find no log to hop,
But if, baby, I'm the bottom,
You're the top!
REFRAIN, Finale
You're the top!
You're my Swanee River.
You're the top!
You're a goose's liver.
You're the boy who dares challenge Mrs. Baer's son, Max.
You're a Russian ballet,
You're Rudy Vallee,
You're Phenolax!!!
You're much more,
You're a field of clover—
I'm the floor
When the ball is over.