Wouldn't It Be Loverly?

Album: My Fair Lady (1956)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This inspirational song is perhaps the most endearing of many fine songs from the smash Broadway musical My Fair Lady; the spelling and pronunciation of lovely as loverly is due to its being sung by the Cockney street seller and leading lady Eliza Doolittle, who was played in the original by Julie Andrews. In the 1964 film version, the song is actually sung by Marni Nixon whose voice was dubbed; the lead was played by Audrey Hepburn.

    The music was composed by Frederick Loewe, and the lyrics were written by Alan Lerner, as were all the songs; Lerner also wrote the book, which is adapted from the George Bernard Shaw classic Pygmalion. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments: 2

  • Sam Burkes from Philadelphia, Ms.I came home for lunch one afternoon fr. 4th Grade in Hempstead, N.Y., must've been 1957. Our family radio, A Bakelite Regal, was playing. Suddenly, this beautifully written piece of exquisite music comes as an intro, and the most beautiful, songbird-like voice of a young, darling Julie Andrews starts singing...I was a smitten 8-yr-old..I never, ever let this song leave my steel-trapped, positive-pitch musical mind. I can actually play, by ear-memory, the chords to this song on guitar, either in E major or D major...have those orchestrated changes engrained, etched permantly in my memory. I've always loved Julie Andrews. This play was a huge smash in the N.Y. Area then.
    Thank You
    Sam A. Burkes lll
  • Carolyn from Knoville, TnDidn't Andy Williams croon "Moon River" that was supposedly "sung" by Audrey Hepburn in another film? Marni Nixon did a good job on this song, but I will always think of Julie Andrews when I hear it.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s EditionMusic Quiz

You know the scenes - Tom Cruise in his own pants-off dance off, Molly Ringwald celebrating her birthday - but do you remember what song is playing?

Colin Hay

Colin HaySongwriter Interviews

Established as a redoubtable singer-songwriter, the Men At Work frontman explains how religion, sobriety and Jack Nicholson play into his songwriting.

Cy Curnin of The Fixx

Cy Curnin of The FixxSongwriter Interviews

The man who brought us "Red Skies" and "Saved By Zero" is now an organic farmer in France.

Matthew Wilder - "Break My Stride"

Matthew Wilder - "Break My Stride"They're Playing My Song

Wilder's hit "Break My Stride" had an unlikely inspiration: a famous record mogul who rejected it.

Tom Johnston from The Doobie Brothers

Tom Johnston from The Doobie BrothersSongwriter Interviews

The Doobies guitarist and lead singer, Tom wrote the classics "Listen To The Music," "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove."

Justin Timberlake

Justin TimberlakeFact or Fiction

Was Justin the first to be Punk'd by Ashton Kutcher? Did Britney really blame him for her meltdown? Did his bandmates think he was gay?