Category: Old Sayings

~~ an Essay ~~

~~ by tkbrown

When I was growing up, my mamma and daddy quoted a lot of ‘old sayings’ in response to situations encountered in daily living. Oftentimes, when I was discouraged by not succeeding at something I had tried, my mamma would say, “Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try it all over again.” At the time, I did not realize just how much her sayings helped me to do just that — move on. Inevitably, when I tried again, I would move closer to my intended goal. This would encourage me, and I would keep trying. Each time, as I moved a little closer to my goal, I was encouraged just enough to ‘try again.’

I thought of and referred to the saying earlier tonight, and I decided to find out from whence the saying derives. So, I did a Google search on it. According to Wikipedia, the source most readily credited is The song, “Pick Yourself Up,” sang by Frank Sinatra, composed by Jerome Kern in 1936 with lyrics written by Dorothy Fields. Wikipedia provides some further information regarding the song. “Like most popular songs of the era, it features a 32-bar chorus with an extended coda. It’s rhyming scheme is AABA style, with some variations among the A sections.” The song was first introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the 1936 film ‘Swing Time.’ Astaire also recorded the song on his own that year for the Brunswick lable (Eds. Wikipedia). In addition, Wikipedia shows the song was recorded by several other artists and has been utilized by a number of television shows through the decades.

While I do not believe the ‘old saying’ originated with the song, I do believe it became more prominent with the publication; and it brought the words to my mammas attention. I am grateful it did. Many is the time that I relied on strength from these words. It is a strength I tried to hand down to my children; hopefully, they are now passing it down to their children.

Since I believed the song was not the origin of the saying, a bit more research reveals it probably stems from Isaiah 52:2 in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible.
“Shake yourself from the dust, arise;
Sit down, O Jerusalem!
Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion!” (NKJV)
This scripture, in combination with the rest of Isaiah Chapter 52, references the decline of Israel during and after their captivity in Egypt. In this chapter, Isaiah is telling Israel it is time to get over what has happened to them and start anew.

Thus, it is my belief that this ‘old saying’ derives from scripture — as does, in all probability, the song. Below, I provide the words to the song, as recorded by Frank Sinatra. I also provide links to YouTube recordings by Frank Sinatra and by Nat “King” Cole. Enjoy all three, then tell me what you think. Does this ‘old saying’ originate with scripture in Isaiah Chapter 52, Verse 2 — or does the song implement the saying?

Pick Yourself Up
          Sang By:  Frank Sinatra

Now nothing's impossible, I've found for when my chin is on the
          ground,
I pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again.
Don't lose your confidence if you slip, be grateful for a pleasant trip,
and pick yourself up, dust off, start over again.
Work like a soul inspired until the battle of the day is won.
You may be sick and tired, but you be a man, my son.
Will you remember the famous men who have to fall to rise again?
So, take a deep breath, pick yourself up, start all over again.

You gotta work like a soul inspired until the battle of the day is won.
You may be sick and tired, but you be a man, my son.
Will you remember the famous men who have to fall and then to rise
          again?
So, take a deep breath, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all
          over again.

Once again now:
Will you remember the famous men who have to fall and then rise
          again.
So, take a deep breath, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start
          all over again.

That's enough now.

Source:
LyricFind
Composed 1936 by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Dorothy Fields.
Pick Yourself Up lyrics (copyright) Universal Music Publishing Group,
Shapiro Bernstein & Co. Inc.

The following link will take you to the performance by Frank Sinatra:
Argosy34 — You Tube — 10 July 2010.
https://youtu.be/3EFPJL1uQbs. 

The recording by Nat “King” Cole and George Shearing includes lyric variations. The following link will access their version:
Paolo Pineda — You Tube — 20 June 2011.
https://youtu.be/QqC5YtutWAU. 

Sources:
Eds. (2019). Bible Hub: Isaiah 52:2 — New King James Version (NKJV). (11 November 2019). https://biblehub.com/isaiah/52-2.htm.

Eds. (2019). Google: Pick Yourself Up. (11 November 2019). Google. https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ACYBGNRImrm4Hd_wNUA7FweTdlSVnmWCOg%3A1573457900640&source=hp&ei=7A_JXY6BJYexgget-pmYDA&q=pick+yourself+up+dust+yourself+off+and+start+all+over+again+lyrics&oq=&gs_l=psy-ab.1.4.35i362i39l10.0.0..7989…0.0..0.135.135.0j1……0……gws-wiz…..10.HCwL6mZ6lJU.  

Eds. (2 September 2019). Wikipedia: Pick Yourself Up. Wikimedia project, Powered by MediaWiki. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pick_Yourself_Up.