It is
common knowledge in
songwriting circles that
the legendary lyricist
and librettist, scribbler
of the classic
show Porgy And Bess, Ira Gershwin,
was a martyr
to hayfever. The
first draft of
his timeless song
“Summertime” (printed here
for the first
time) went thus:-
Summetime (Alt)
Summertime
...
And my
nose-holes are sneezy.
My head
is thumpin’
Cos the
pollen count’s high.
Oh, my
poor eyes itch
And they’re
really red lookin’,
Like halved
tomatoes
When they
fry.
But antihistamines
Won’t dispense
with the symptoms;
With my
nose-holes explosive, snot
will fly.
Summertime
...
And my
nose-holes are sneezy.
My head
is thumpin’
Cos the
pollen count’s high.
Oh, my
poor eyes itch
And they’re
really red lookin’,
Like halved
tomatoes
When they
fry.
(c)Frank Rooney
