LAZY RIVER
Words and music by Hoagy Carmichael & Sidney Arodin, ©1931.
From the sheet music at the Indiana Historical Society.

VERSE: I like lazy weather; I like lazy days,
Can’t be blamed for having lazy ways.
Some old lazy river sleeps beside my door,
Whisp’ring to the sunlit shore.

CHORUS: Up a lazy river by the old millrun,
That lazy, lazy river in the noonday sun,
Linger in the shade of a kind old tree;
Throw away your troubles, dream a dream with me
Up a lazy river, where the robin's song
Awakes a bright new morning, we can loaf along,
Blue skies up above, ev’ryone's in love,
Up a lazy river, how happy you can be,
Up a lazy river with me.

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There are few recordings that include the verse. Leon Redbone sang it on his album “Up a Lazy River,” 1992 (you can hear it at Spotify); also Rockapella on “Smilin’,” 2002 (Spotify).

The book I Remember Jazz, by Al Rose, says that Arodin's original version was called "Just a Lazy N****r" until Carmichael rewrote the lyrics.