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About Lazy

"Lazy" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin in 1924. Recordings of the song in 1924 were performed by Al Jolson, Blossom Seeley, Paul Whiteman and the Brox Sisters. The best known version may be that performed by Marilyn Monroe, Donald O'Connor, and Mitzi Gaynor in the motion picture There's No Business Like Show Business.

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Other notable recordings

Bing Crosby with Bob Crosby and His Orchestra: Recorded on May 25, 1942. Crosby also sang the song in the film Holiday Inn (1942) in a scene where he is seen being overwhelmed by a plethora of back-breaking tasks at his newly purchased farm while he is heard singing the song offscreen.

Val Doonican: Included in his album Val Doonican Rocks, But Gently (1967)

Ella Fitzgerald: Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook (1958)

Judy Holliday: Holliday with Mulligan (1980)

Michael Holliday: Included in his album Happy Holliday (1961)

Joan Morris and William Bolcom: Blue Skies: Songs by Irving Berlin (1990)

George Burns: Sang part of the song in the episode of The Lucy Show titled "Lucy and George Burns."

They Might Be Giants: Recorded as a single for WNYC's 2024 Public Song Project, a project encouraging artists to cover public domain songs

Article from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), where it is maintained by volunteer editors.

Notable quotes

“LAZINESS, n. Unwarranted repose of manner in a person of low degree.”
— Ambrose Bierce, The Cynic's Dictionary (1906); republished as The Devil's Dictionary (1911).
“Don't yield to that alluring witch, laziness, or else be prepared to surrender all that you have won in your better moments.”
— Horace, Satires
“"Laziness, open the door or you'll burn!" - "I'll burn, but I won't open it!"”
— Russian: Лень, отвори дверь, сгоришь! - Хоть сгорю, да не отворю.
“If you are idle, you are on the road to ruin; and there are few stopping places upon it. It is rather a precipice than a road.”
— Henry Ward Beecher, p. 345.
“A good many people are complaining all the time about themselves, and crying out, "My leanness! my leanness!" when they ought rather to say, " My laziness! my laziness!"”
— Dwight L. Moody, p. 346.
“The only cure for indolence is work; the only cure for selfishness is sacrifice; the only cure for unbelief is to shake off the ague of doubt, by doing Christ's bidding; the only cure for timidity is to plunge into some dreaded duty before the chill comes on.”
— Samuel Rutherford, p. 346.

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.