These are the Best Things in Life

"The Best Things in Life Are Free" is a popular song written by the songwriting team of Buddy DeSylva and Lew Brown (lyrics) and Ray Henderson (music) for the 1927 musical Good News. It enjoyed a revival during the period from 1947 to 1950, when it was covered by many artists.

Recordings[edit]

The song first enjoyed chart success in 1927 with the recordings by George Olsen and Frank Black.[1]

Jo Stafford recorded the song on November 7, 1947,[2] bringing the song to a new genre. She enjoyed chart success with the song reaching the No. 21 spot in 1948. Dinah Shore also covered the song in 1948;[3] her single reached #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[1]

Other recordings[edit]

• The Ink Spots covered the song in 1947;[4] their version reached #10 on the Billboard U.S. R&B chart.[citation needed]
• Kay Starr recorded the song in 1947 and it was included in the album The Uncollected Kay Starr in the 1940s - 1947.[5]
• Les Paul and Mary Ford (1954)[6]
• Michael Holliday for his album Happy Holliday (1961)[7]
• Gordon MacRae (1956)[8]
• Sonny Stitt (1957) in his album Sonny Stitt with the New Yorkers[9]
• Saxophonist Hank Mobley played the song on the 1961 album Workout.
• Sam Cooke sang the song on the 1964 live album Sam Cooke at the Copa.
• Saxophonist Lou Donaldson played the song on the 1970 live album Fried Buzzard.
• Bing Crosby included the song on his 1975 album That's What Life Is All About.
• Victoria Jackson on her children's album, Ukulele Lady
• Michael Feinstein included the song in the album Romance on Film, Romance on Broadway (2000)

In film and television[edit]

The song was included in both film adaptations of Good News, in 1930 and 1947; the 1947 film featured the song several times, sung by June Allyson, Mel Tormé, and Peter Lawford.

The film The Best Things in Life Are Free (1956), about DeSylva, Brown and Henderson, was named after the song and featured it with a version sung by Sheree North (dubbed by Eileen Wilson).

In an episode of The Muppet Show, a group of kleptomaniac prairie dogs sang the song as they looted the set.

The song was sung by Bonnie Bedelia in the 1969 Sydney Pollack film They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

Robert Morse performed the song in the Mad Men (season 7) episode "Waterloo" (May 25, 2014), in a dream sequence.[10]

Also featured in the film Nanny McPhee Returns during the piglet feeding in the beginning of the movie. Sung by Bing Crosby.

References[edit]

1. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 477. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
2. ^ "Fred Fox School of Music" (PDF). Fred Fox School of Music. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
3. ^ Gilliland, John. (197X). "Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #20 - All Tracks UNT Digital Library". Digital.library.unt.edu. Retrieved 2021-02-06.
4. ^ "45worlds.com". 45worlds.com. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
5. ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
6. ^ "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
7. ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
8. ^ "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
9. ^ "secondhandsongs.com". Retrieved Aug 5, 2018.
10. ^ Itzkoff, Dave (May 27, 2014). "Robert Morse on His Big 'Mad Men' Number". The New York Times.

Best matches:

Lyrics:

promises
I'll just do all that I can
To be your lover
'Cause I understand

The best things in life are free
Now that I've discovered
What you mean

of the American hustle
They got my house on remote so I walk around on mute

Living the American dream, they say the best things in life are free
If you've

the thing about money, money
Soon as you get it everybody wants it
But that life just ain't for me 'cause
The best thing in life are free (alo alo)

in life are free,
Now that I've discovered what you mean to me
The best things in life are free,
Now that we've got each other
The best things in

a message for you

(You ought to be having fun) well
(You ought to be having fun) yeah
(Put your troubles on the run)
The best things in life are free
(Best

Each time you see your baby smile
Each time you hear that someone is a mother to be
The best things in life are free

Each time you hear a waterfall

Said the best things in life are free
Free Ike, free life
Free thoughts off free phones
Can't be dumb and wanna be free so I'm screaming out freedome

wouldn't you agree
The best things in life are free

A walk around the city, 
To flash someone a smile
A little conversation, 
A laugh once in a while
A nap

the best things in life are free

Aw, don't you feel like playin' the fool
Step out of line, break all the rules
Don't let them tell you
It's not for you

And I won't make you promises,
I'll just do all I can to be your lover 'cause I understand

[Chorus]
The best things in life are free,
Now that I've

And I won't make you promises,
I'll just do all I can to be your lover 'cause I understand

[Chorus]
The best things in life are free,
Now that I've

And I won't make you promises,
I'll just do all I can to be your lover 'cause I understand

[Chorus]
The best things in life are free,
Now that I've

does, so here I am, drinking this let her go goodbye drink
Thinking damn near right

The best things in life are free (free)
Free, as a bird when it's

Best things in life are free
Why can’t you see, yeah
Best things in life are free
Why can’t you see, yeah
Nice that you let me see your fashion

Yeah I gotta count my blessings, blessings
It's the best thing, best things
Cos the best things in life are free
Yeah I gotta count my blessings,

The moon belongs to everyone
The best things in life are free
The stars belong to everyone
They gleam there for you and me

The flowers in

say the best things in life are free (Uh!)
Listen to me
Yo!
I know you want to join the faction (Uh!)
But are you really 'bout that action? (Are you

does
So here I am sippin’ this let her go good bye drink
Thinking damn that’s right
The best things in life are
Chorus
(Free) free as bird when its

at the beach
Running in the sand in our bare feet

Playing our songs
Singing every word
In harmony

The best things in life are free
Especially

want to sell you down
Ahhh
The best things in life are free

I took my last hundred dollars
And I bought a gold ring
She said it ain't got no

I got it
I got it
I got it
They say the best things in life are free
I say the best things in life are wet
Now I don't know if I can treat you right

till you realize 
What's best and what you got now

The best, the best, only the best things in life are free
The best, the best, only the best things in

needed the light
I just needed the truth
They say the best things in life are free
So we got make it do what it do
I just needed the light
I just needed

farming
The best things in life are free

Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo doo doo

Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo doo doo

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