# Even a Lifetime Isn't Enough - Adolph Green Dies

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-a-lifetime-isnt-enough-adolph-green-dies/133796>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [October 25, 2002, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-a-lifetime-isnt-enough-adolph-green-dies/133796 "2002-10-25T04:29:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-a-lifetime-isnt-enough-adolph-green-dies/133796/1 "2002-10-25T04:29:47Z")

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Sad, sad news for all us theater lovers today–Adolph Green has passed away at the age of 86.

He and his writing partner Betty Comden (who is still with us) wrote the lyrics of such shows as ON THE TOWN, WONDERFUL TOWN, DO RE MI, BELLS ARE RINGING, SUBWAYS ARE FOR SLEEPING, ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES; if you’ve ever heard the songs “New York, New York”, “Long Before I Knew You”, “Lucky to be Me”, “Make Someone Happy”, “The Party’s Over”, and a gazillion more.

ON THE TOWN is perhaps my favorite musical–think I’ll put it on now and raise a glass to Adolph, who’s doubtless filling in Leonard Bernstein on the latest theater gossip right now. I’d seen Mr. G at the BELLS ARE RINGING revival last year, in the audience–frail but attentive. And a friend of mine saw him walking around last week, so at least his energy didn’t fail until the very end.

You’ll all find you have some Comden & Green songs somewhere in your collection right now–why not put them on and join me?

“Where has the time all gone to?  
Haven’t done half the things we want to.  
Oh well, we’ll catch up  
Some other time…”

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**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-a-lifetime-isnt-enough-adolph-green-dies/133796/2 "2002-10-25T06:02:38Z")

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“& what’s more, baby, I can cook!”

“No matter how you pretend,  
you knew it would end this way…”

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-a-lifetime-isnt-enough-adolph-green-dies/133796/3 "2002-10-25T14:14:52Z")

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Not just songs, but a first-class screenwriter. Take a look at **Singin’ in the Rain** :

> [@](#):
>
> “People”? I ain’t “people.” I am a - “a shimmering, glowing star in the cinema firmament.”
> 
> If we bring a little joy into your humdrum lives, it makes us feel as if our hard work ain’t been in vain for nothing.
> 
> Well of _course_ talk. Don’t everybody?

(Why do all my favorite quotes come from Lily Lamont ☹ )

Anyway go to [http://us.imdb.com/Quotes?0045152](http://us.imdb.com/Quotes?0045152) for a celebration of Comden and Green quotes. 🙂