There's No Business Like Show Business

"**There's No Business Like Show Business**" is a song featured in the 1950 film *Annie Get Your Gun* with music composed by Adolph Deutsch and lyrics written by Irving Berlin.

## Lyrics

* Original
* Reprise

**Charlie Davenport:**

The cowboys, the wrestlers, the tumblers, the clowns

The roustabouts that move the show at dawn

**Buffalo Bill:**

The music, the spotlights, the people, the towns

Your baggage with the labels pasted on

**Frank:**

The sawdust and the horses and the smell

The towel you've taken from the last hotel

**Charlie Davenport, Buffalo Bill & Frank:**

There's no business like show business

Like no business I know

**Buffalo Bill:**

Everything about it is appealing

**Charlie Davenport:**

Everything that traffic will allow

**Frank:**

Nowhere could you get that happy feeling

When you are stealing that extra bow

**Charlie Davenport, Buffalo Bill & Frank:**

There's no people like show people

They smile when they are low

**Charlie Davenport:**

Yesterday they told you you would not go far

**Buffalo Bill:**

That night you open, and there you are

**Frank:**

Next day on your dressing room, they've hung a star

**Charlie Davenport, Buffalo Bill & Frank:**

Let's go on with the show

**Buffalo Bill:**

The costumes, the scenery, the makeup, the props

The audience that lifts you when you're down

**Charlie Davenport:**

The headaches, the heartaches, the backaches, the flops

The sheriff who'll escort you out of town

**Frank:**

The opening when your heart beats like a drum

The closing when the customers won't come

**Charlie Davenport, Buffalo Bill & Frank:**

There's no business like show business

Like no business I know

**Charlie Davenport:**

You get word before the show has started

That your favorite uncle died at dawn

**Frank:**

Top of that, your pa and ma have parted

You're broken-hearted, but you go on

**Charlie Davenport, Buffalo Bill & Frank:**

There's no people like show people

They don't run out of dough

**Charlie Davenport:**

Angels come from everywhere with lots of jack

**Buffalo Bill:**

And when you lose it, there's no attack

**Frank:**

Where could you get money that you don't give back?

**Charlie Davenport, Buffalo Bill & Frank:**

Let's go on with the show

**Annie:**

There's no business like show business

If you tell me it's so

**Frank:**

Travellin' through the country is so thrilling

**Buffalo Bill:**

Standing out in front on opening nights

**Charlie Davenport:**

Smiling as you watch the benches filling

And see your billing out there in lights

**Annie:**

There's no people like show people

They smile when they are low

**Charlie Davenport:**

Even with a turkey that you know will fold

**Buffalo Bill:**

You may be stranded out in the cold

**Frank:**

Still you wouldn't change it for a sack of gold

**Charlie Davenport, Buffalo Bill & Frank:**

Let's go on with the show

**Charlie Davenport, Buffalo Bill, Frank & Annie:**

Let's go on with the show

There's no business like show business, like no business I know

All made up and soon you'll be appearing

Every bit of nervousness is gone

And the sound that's music to your hearing

To hear them cheering, when you come on

There's no people like show people, they smile when they are low

How I wish the folks at home could only see

What's come to Annie, how proud they'd be

Gittin' paid for doin' what comes natur'lly

Let's go on with the show