Anything You Can Do
1966 Lincoln Center Cast, Bruce Yarnell, Ethel Merman
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Anything you can do, I can do better than You can do, I can do, we can do, I can do, much much better than You. Anything you can do, I can do better. I can do anything better than you. No you can't. Yes I can. No you can't. Yes I can. No you can't. Yes I can, yes I can. Anything You can be I can be greater. Sooner or later, I'm greater than you. No, you're not. Yes I am. No you're not. Yes I am. No you're not. Yes I am, yes I am. I can shoot a partridge with a single cartridge. I can get a sparrow with a bow and arrow. We can do most anything. Can you bake a pie? No. Well Neither can I. Anything you can sing I can sing louder. I can sing anything louder than you. No you can't. Yes I can. No you can't. Sure I can. No you can't. Yes I can I'm superior, no you're inferior. I'm the big attraction, oh no you are the small. I'm the major one, oh no you're the minor one, I can beat you at anything', and that's not all. Anything you can buy, I can buy cheaper. I can buy anything cheaper than you. Fifty cents. Forty cents. Thirty cents. Twenty cents. No you can't. Yes I can, yes I can. Anything you can dig, I can dig deeper. I can dig anything deeper than you. Thirty feet. Forty feet. Fifty feet. I can drink my liquor faster than a flicker. I can do it quicker and get even sicker. I can live on bread and cheese. And only on that? Yep. So can a rat. Any note you can reach, I can go higher. I can sing anything higher than you. No you can't. Yes I can. No you can't. Yes I can. Anyone you can lick, I can lick faster. I can lick anyone faster than you. With your fist? With my feet. With your feet? With an axe. Anything you can do, I can do better. I can do anything better than you. No you can't. Yes We can. No you can't. Yes We can. No you can't. Yes We can, yes We can.
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Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
15 facts about this song
Song Creation"Anything You Can Do" was created by Irving Berlin, a legendary composer and lyricist.
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Broadway MusicalThe song was written as part of the Broadway musical Annie Get Your Gun, which debuted in 1946.
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Main CharactersThe main characters who sing "Anything You Can Do" in Annie Get Your Gun are Annie Oakley and Frank Butler, two competitive sharpshooters.
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Ethel Merman's PerformanceCelebrated actress Ethel Merman sang the role of Annie Oakley during the show's initial Broadway run, which made the song famous.
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Song's Genre"Anything You Can Do" is part of the genre of Show Tunes, as it was created for the stage musical.
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LyricsThe playful and competitive lyrics reinforce the rivalry-slash-romance between Annie Oakley and Frank Butler.
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ThemesThe themes of competition and one-upmanship present in "Anything You Can Do" reflect the plot and character dynamics within Annie Get Your Gun.
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Iconic LineOne of the most iconic lines in the song is "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better," often used in a variety of pop culture contexts.
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Pop CultureThe song is frequently covered or referenced in other TV shows, films, and theatrical productions as a high-energy, competitive duet.
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Song's SuccessPartly due to Ethel Merman's memorable performance, "Anything You Can Do" remains one of Irving Berlin's most famous songs.
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Symbol of FeminismThe song has been viewed as a symbol of feminism because it shows a woman (Annie Oakley) confidently asserting she can exceed a man's (Frank Butler's) accomplishments.
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In Other LanguagesThe song "Anything You Can Do" has been translated into multiple languages and performed worldwide, a testament to its global popularity.
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Song DurationThe original song duration is around 3 minutes and 10 seconds long. However, durations might vary from performance to performance depending on the actors' execution and the production's interpretation.
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AwardsWhile not specifically for this song, the Broadway musical "Annie Get Your Gun" received Tony Awards which contribute to the song's importance and legacy.
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Contée OperettasThe song is part of Irving Berlin’s Contée Operettas, a stage work that uses popular songs and reinterprets them for stage performances.
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Citation
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