When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
Encyclopedia
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Its lyrics were written by Chauncey Olcott and George Graff, Jr.
George Graff, Jr.
George Graff, Jr. was an American songwriter.Graff was born in New York City. He wrote the lyrics to "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" along with Chauncey Olcott for Olcott's production of The Isle O' Dreams in 1912....
, set to music composed by Ernest Ball
Ernest Ball
Ernest R. Ball was a United States singer and songwriter, most famous for composing the music for the song "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" in 1912. He was not, himself, Irish....
, for Olcott's production of The Isle O' Dreams, and Olcott sang the song in the show. It was first published in 1912, at a time when songs in tribute to a romanticized Ireland were very numerous and popular both in Britain and the United States. During the First World War the famous tenor John McCormack recorded the song.
The song continued to be a familiar standard for generations. Decades later it was used as the opening song on the radio show
Radio programming
Radio programming is the Broadcast programming of a Radio format or content that is organized for Commercial broadcasting and Public broadcasting radio stations....
Duffy's Tavern
Duffy's Tavern
Duffy's Tavern was a popular American radio situation comedy which ran for a decade on several networks , concluding with the December 28, 1951 broadcast....
. The song has been recorded on over 200 singles and albums and by many famous singers, including Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, Connie Francis
Connie Francis
Connie Francis is an American pop singer of Italian heritage and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. Although her chart success waned in the second half of the 1960s, Francis remained a top concert draw...
, and Roger Whittaker
Roger Whittaker
Roger Whittaker is an Anglo-Kenyan singer-songwriter and musician with worldwide record sales of over 55 million. His music can be described as easy listening. He is best known for his baritone singing voice and trademark whistling ability...
.
Lyrics
Chorus:- When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, sure 'tis like a morn in spring.
- In the lilt of Irish laughter you can hear the angels sing,
- When Irish hearts are happy all the world seems bright and gay,
- And When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, sure, they steal your heart away.
Verse 1:
- There's a tear in your eye and I'm wondering why,
- For it never should be there at all.
- With such power in your smile, sure a stone you'd beguile,
- And there's never a teardrop should fall,
- When your sweet lilting laughter's like some fairy song
- And your eyes sparkle bright as can be.
- You should laugh all the while and all other times smile,
- So now smile a smile for me.
(Chorus)
Verse 2:
- For your smile is a part of the love in your heart,
- And it makes even sunshine more bright.
- Like the linnet's sweet song, crooning all the day long.
- Comes your laughter so tender and light.
- For the springtime of life is the best time of all,
- With never a pain or regret.
- While the springtime is ours, thru all of life's hours,
- Let us smile each chance we get.
(Chorus)
The song in the news
The song gained momentary notoriety in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
after the so-called Shamrock Summit
Shamrock Summit
The Shamrock Summit was the colloquial name given to the 1985 meeting between Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and US President Ronald Reagan in Quebec City. So-named because of the Irish background of the two leaders, and due to the meeting being held on St...
between Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
and U.S. President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
held on St. Patrick's Day, 1985. At the end of the evening, the two leaders jointly performed "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling", for which Mulroney was extensively criticized in the Canadian press.
In film
"When Irish Eyes are Smiling" has been used in the following movies:- "Return to Me," 2000
- "It's A Great Day For The Irish," 1999
- "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (Ireland, April 1916)" 1993
- "Husbands," 1970
- "Ducking the Devil," 1957
- "Canary Row," 1950
- "Top o' the Morning," 1949
- "The Time of Your Life," 1948
- "Wild Irish Rose," 1947
- "Irish Eyes Are Smiling," 1944 (This is an actual movie about Ernest R. Ball)
- "My Favorite Blonde," 1942
- "Notes for you," 1941
- "Aviation Vacation," 1941
- "Always a Bride," 1940
- "The Long Voyage Home," 1940
- "Tear Gas Squad," 1940
- "It All Came True," 1940
- "The Fighting 69th," 1940
- "Let Freedom Ring" 1939
- "The Crowd Roars," 1938
- "Roof Tops of Manhattan," 1935
- "The Irish in Us," 1935
- "In Caliente," 1935
- "Ireland: 'The Emerald Isle," 1934
- "Stage Mother," 1933