American Songs

I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles - Chords, Lyrics and Origins

Origins

A Tin Pan Alley song from America, I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles was written by John Kellette (music) and - apparently, 'Jaan Kenbrovin' (lyrics). Except that 'Jaan Kenbrovin' didn't exist. It was a collective name for a group of three lyricists: James Kendis, James Brockman and Nat Vincent. First published in 1919, shortly after the end of the First World War (perhaps people needed something to be cheerful about), the song quickly became a hit, and remained popular in the United States and Britain for the next three decades. In contemporary Britain, I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles is strongly associated with West Ham Football (that is, Soccer) club, whose supporters sing it en masse when their team is doing well. Like many Tin Pan Alley songs, it has a well-structured chord progression; unlike some, it also has a certain magic.

Chords

C                      Em
I'm dreaming dreams,

Cmaj7              Am
I'm scheming schemes,

C                                 G7
I'm building castles high.

Dm                   F
They're born anew,

G7
Their days are few,

                                       C
Just like a sweet butterfly;

E7                                  Am
And as the daylight is dawning,

Dm                D                 D7 G7
They come again in the morning.

C                  G7           C
I'm forever blowing bubbles,

F                                   C
Pretty bubbles in the air,

F                  C
They fly so high,

F                           C
Nearly reach the sky,

D                     D7
Then like my dreams,

          G             G7
They fade and die.

C                            E7
Fortune's always hiding,

Am               F        E7          G7
I've looked everywhere;

C                  G7           C              Am
I'm forever blowing bubbles,

            D7          F G7 C
Pretty bubbles in the air.

C                         Em
When shadows creep,

Cmaj7        Am
When I'm asleep,

C                               G7
To lands of hope I stray.

Dm               F
Then at daybreak,

G7
When I awake,

                                     C
My bluebird flutters away.

E7                                          Am
Happiness new seemed so near me,

Dm             D                         D7 G7
Happiness come forth and heal me.

                  G7           C
I'm forever blowing bubbles,

F                                   C
Pretty bubbles in the air,

F                  C
They fly so high,

F                           C
Nearly reach the sky,

D                     D7
Then like my dreams,

          G             G7
They fade and die.

C                            E7
Fortune's always hiding,

Am               F        E7          G7
I've looked everywhere;

C                  G7           C              Am
I'm forever blowing bubbles,

            D7          F G7 C
Pretty bubbles in the air.

Lyrics

I'm dreaming dreams,
I'm scheming schemes,
I'm building castles high.
They're born anew,
Their days are few,
Just like a sweet butterfly;
And as the daylight is dawning,
They come again in the morning.

I'm forever blowing bubbles,
Pretty bubbles in the air,
They fly so high,
Nearly reach the sky,
Then like my dreams,
They fade and die.
Fortune's always hiding,
I've looked everywhere;
I'm forever blowing bubbles,

When shadows creep,
When I'm asleep,
To lands of hope I stray.
Then at daybreak,
When I awake,
My bluebird flutters away.
Happiness new seemed so near me,
Happiness come forth and heal me.

Fortune's always hiding,
I've looked everywhere,
I'm forever blowing bubbles,
Pretty bubbles in the air.