Lyrics to 1930s songs pt 1

I wish that I could find more audio recordings to accompany these beautiful and wistful 1930s song lyrics, but no luck 🙁. This selection of lyrics, especially the ones below, makes me wonder how the music sounded back then. It’s astonishing how cultural artifacts like these—songs, music, and their melodies—can fade into obscurity over time. The 1930s was such a defining decade for music, marked by the Great Depression, the rise of big-band jazz, and lyrics that reflected both escapism and heartfelt emotion. How quickly these moments in time can be lost!

Dive into these lyrics from Popular Songs Magazine: October 1935, and imagine yourself sitting by the radio after a long day, hearing these melodies performed live in living rooms, dance halls, and theaters. Behind these timeless songs lie some of the most talented and influential songwriters of the era. Many songs were crafted to lift spirits during dark times, offering people a short respite from daily struggles. Others touched deeply on the enduring themes of love, heartbreak, and hope.

THE GIRL IN THE GARDEN

(By Lee David, Jimmy Covanaugh, and John Redmond)

What a lovely picture,
Unfolds itself to me,
I’m looking through my window,
And what do you think I see:

(Chorus)
There’s a girl in the garden,
There’s a boy at the gate,
The boy at the gate,
Wants to get inside,
But the girl in the garden,
Won’t open up the gate,
So the boy at the gate’s gotta wait.

The girl in the garden,
Went to pick pretty flow’rs,
The boy at the gate,
Waited hours and hours,
But the girl in the garden,
Wouldn’t open up the gate,
So the boy at the gate had to wait.

A little bluebird came,
And whispered in her ear,
“Now that’s a downright shame,
He loves you so, my dear.”

The girl in the garden,
Finally got to the gate,
The boy at the gate,
Took the gate, didn’t wait,
Now the boy is sighing,
And the girl is crying,
’Cause she got to the gate too late.

This playful, yet slightly melancholic song captures the flirtatious nature of young love in the 1930s—complete with its complications and misunderstandings. It likely would have been performed as a lighthearted piece in a vaudeville setting or crooned by a big-band vocalist.

IT’S A SIN TO TELL A LIE

(By Billy Mayhew)
You know it’s a sin to tell a lie,
Still you keep saying, “I love you”;
It may be true,
I wish I knew.
But I’m giving fair warning to you:

(Chorus)
Be sure it’s true
When you say “I love you,”
It’s a sin to tell a lie.
Millions of hearts
Have been broken,
Just because these words were spoken:
I love you, yes I do, I love you,
If you break my heart I’ll die.
So be sure it’s true
When you say “I love you,”
It’s a sin to tell a lie.

This song became immensely popular during the 1930s, with its relatable themes of love and honesty. Written in 1936, it became a quintessential part of the jazz and pop repertoire, and performers like Fats Waller and later Patti Page brought it to life. Waller, especially, gave the song a playful and humorous twist, turning it into one of the decade’s most memorable tunes.

THE SWING WALTZ

(By Ed East and Lindsay McPhail)

What’s this I hear?
What’s this I hear?
Something new?
Can’t be true!
Every one you meet,
Says it’s all the rage,
Here and there, everywhere,
It’s a new sensation;

Just a funny little waltz,
With a naughty syncopation,
It’s the:

(Chorus)
Swing waltz,
Just a new waltz in blue,
Everyone’s dancing the Swing waltz,
There’s romance when we dance,
Rhythm, so entrancing,
Hum the tune as we sway,
Hum your troubles away,
Swing to the new creation,
That captured, enraptured a nation.

The swing era had taken its first steps in the late 1920s but reached dazzling heights during the 1930s. Swing music wasn’t just a genre; it was a movement that inspired unique dances, social changes, and a lively nightlife. This particular song captures the exciting shift in the American music scene, blending the waltz—traditionally graceful and elegant—with the syncopated rhythms of swing. It was a perfect metaphor for how jazz was reshaping culture.

BLUE ILLUSION

(By B. Musicant, T. Gindharl, E. P. Lu Freniere)

(Chorus)
Blue illusion,
Pardon this rude intrusion,
Why did you start,
By thrilling my heart,
In playing the part of love?

Blue illusion,
Why did you bring confusion?
Why must you stay,
While love tries a way,
To brighten the gray above?

My hopes were high,
My heart couldn’t wait,
That love couldn’t die,
It seemed my fate!
But love went past,
Your spell was fast,
I beg you to depart,
For youth can’t last.

Blue illusion
Why bring a sad conclusion?
Take wings of flight,
Back into the night,
And give me the right to love.

There’s something hauntingly beautiful about this song; its lyrics encapsulate the melancholy and yearning that often characterized romantic ballads of the 1930s. Written in the style of crooner hits, it likely found its home alongside similar torch songs and romantic melodies that tugged at the heartstrings of listeners during hard times.

THE SCENE CHANGES

(By Billy Hill)

Planes in the air,
To fly me anywhere,
Ships on the sea,
To carry me away from you,
But no matter where I go,
I’m blue:

(Chorus)
The scene changes,
I’m in a park in Paris,
But it’s so dark in Paris,
Because I’m away from you.

The scene changes,
I’m in a lane in London,
But there is rain in London,
Because I’m away from you.

I’ve been a fool to run away,
To say that I’ve done away with love,
Although the earth should swallow me,
Your face would follow me forever.

The scene changes,
My ship at last is homebound,
I’ll travel fast,
For I’ve found I’ll always belong to you.

Billy Hill—celebrated for other works like The Glory of Love—was known for his ability to craft vivid imagery through his lyrics. This song reflects the wanderlust and heartache so prominent in ’30s music. It evokes a sense of longing that many could relate to as they left loved ones during times of struggle and migration, emblematic of a nation on the move.

It’s powerful to see how songwriters channeled the spirit, emotions, and social dynamics of the 1930s into their work. While many are now forgotten, songs like these were a lifeline to hope, love, and identity during a difficult decade. Each lyric is a snapshot of a vanished world—a world that can still be glimpsed through its music. Let these songs inspire you to imagine walking in the shoes of those who lived through these times, cherishing the magic that music brought into their lives.