As sung in Footlight Parade by James Cagney, Ruby Keeler and chorus
Looking for your Shanghai Lil?
No, she ain't your Shanghai Lil.
Don't give him flowers.
He'll just take your flowers
Straight to Shanghai Lil.
No, I ain't seen Shanghai Lil.
—Hello, Bill, you old galoot.
Where'd you get that monkey suit?
—Don't tell anyone you saw me
Or I'll rap you in the snoot.
—Hey, you jumped ship. Now what's your game?
—Oh, just looking for a dame.
—Staying here, you're taking chances.
—Yeah? Well I'll stay, just the same.
I've covered every little highway
And I've been climbing every hill.
I've
been looking high
And
I've been looking low,
Looking for my Shanghai Lil.
The stars that hang high over Shanghai
Bring back the memory of a thrill.
I've
been looking high
And
I've been looking low,
Looking for my Shanghai Lil.
I learnt to love her.
The little devil
Was
just a butterfly,
But you discover
Something on the level
Shining
in her eye.
Oh, I've been trying to forget her,
But what's the use? I never will.
I've
been looking high
And
I've been looking low,
Looking for my Shanghai Lil.
I've got to have another brandy.
—He's shaking like he's got a chill.
—I
know what it takes
To
cure him of the shakes.
—Ah, what he wants is Shanghai Lil.
—Oh, she's a fascinating heathen.
But say! She ain't been through
the mill.
—Since
she met that gob,
She's
acting like a snob.
—Say, who the heck is Shanghai Lil?
—That Chinee devil!
—No, she's on the level.
She can't hurt you and me.
—That
oriental
Dame
is detrimental
To our industry.
—You said it!
—I offered her a house in London.
—And I a château in the ville.
—She
says she won't be mine
For
all of Palestine. Oy! —They all go for Shanghai Lil.
Come on: let's drink to Lil.
He's looking for her still.
Drink a gun to Shanghai Lil.
Yeah!
Here's to the gal who loves a sailor.
It's looking like she always will.
—She's
every sailor's pal.
She's
anybody's gal.
—Drink a gun to Shanghai Lil.
He
can knock 'em down
And
he can lay 'em low,
Fighting for his . . . —Shanghai
Lil!
—I miss you very much a long time.
I think that you no love me still.
—I've
been looking high
And
I've been looking low,
Looking for you, Shanghai Lil.
—I think you go with other sweethearts,
And very many tears I spill.
—He's
been looking high
And
he's been looking low,
Looking for you, Shanghai Lil.
—I got new lover.
—You little devil!
You're
just a butterfly.
—I like new lover.
—You're still on the level.
You
can't kid this guy.
—I pray to Buddha in the joss-house
And Buddha, he bring back my Bill.
—He's
been looking high
And
he's been looking low,
Looking for you, Shanghai Lil.
—Oh please, you take me
On great big steamboat
With
you across the sea?
—I'd like to take you,
But that great big steamboat
Don't
belong to me.
The stars that hang high over Shanghai
Bring back the memory of a thrill.
I've
been looking high
And
I've been looking low,
Looking for my Shanghai Lil.
I learnt to love her.
The little devil
Was
just a butterfly,
But you discover
Something on the level
Shining
in her eye.
Oh, I've been trying to forget her,
But what's the use? I never will.
I've
been looking high
And
I've been looking low,
Till I find my Shanghai Lil.
