Song: Let's call the whole thing off

British English, American English: same language, different pronunciations? George and Ira Gershwin wrote this funny little song in 1937 (!) - here interpreted by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong - making fun of the differences.


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Things have come to a pretty pass
Our romance is growing flat
For you like this and the other
While I go for this and that
Goodness knows what the end will be
Oh I don't know where I'm at
It looks as if we two will never be one
Something must be done

You say either and I say either
You say neither and I say neither
Either, either, neither, neither
Let's call the whole thing off
You like potato and I like potato
You like tomato and I like tomato
Potato, potato, tomato, tomato
Let's call the whole thing off

But oh, if we call the whole thing off then we must part
And oh, if we ever part, then that might break my heart
So if you like pyjamas and I like pyjamas
I'll wear pyjamas and give up pyjamas
For we know we need each other so we
Better call the calling off off
Let's call the whole thing off

You say laughter and I say laughter
You say after and I say after
Laughter, laughter, after, after
Let's call the whole thing off
You like vanilla and I like vanilla
You sarsaparilla and I sarsaparilla
Vanilla vanilla, oh! chocolate, strawberry
Let's call the whole thing off

But oh if we call the whole thing of then we must part
And oh, if we ever part, then that might break my heart
So if you go for oysters and I go for oysters
I'll order oysters and cancel the oysters
For we know we need each other so we
Better call the calling off off
Let's call the whole thing off

See also:
British X American English - vocabulary activity